RoadVitals

1991 GMC Suburban Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
30
Latest Mar 1, 2004
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
8
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1991 GMC Suburban, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Brakes930.0%
  • Tires & wheels310.0%
  • Seat belts310.0%
  • Driver assistance13.3%
  • Powertrain (other)13.3%
  • Body & structure13.3%
  • Engine13.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

11
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

RECALL FOR COLLAPSE OF DRIVER SEAT,RECALL DONE, SEAT COLLAPSED AFTER RECALL REPAIR???*AK

NHTSA ID 735280 · filed Oct 27, 2000

HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 96V226000. CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE ON DATE GIVEN. PICKED VEHICLE UP. RECALL WORK NOT DONE. VEHICLE IN SAME LOCATION. BOLTS WERE NEVER REPLACED. ORIGINAL BOLTS STILL ON SEAT & STILL RUSTY. SEATBACK HAD BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ID 849011 · filed Sep 28, 1999
All 11 reports naming interior & seats

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

9
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE PROBLEM: THE SPEEDOMETER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON, AND THE BRAKES WOULD LOSE POWER. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO GET FIXED. THE BRAKE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON ANYMORE. THE DEALER HAS CHANGED ALL THE COMPONENTS ON THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES. NOW THE BRAKES ARE REALLY MUSHY AND THE TRUCK PULLS TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER CHANGED THE SPEED SENSOR, BUT THE SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS.

NHTSA ID 729828 · filed Sep 1, 2000

WHEN TRAVELING ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT, UPON MAKING A GRADUAL STOP THE REAR BRAKES LOCK UP, VEHICLE JUMPS FORWARD. ABS LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ID 819447 · filed Nov 25, 1997
All 9 reports naming brakes

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

(LA SUPERIOR COURT,CASE NO.PC018776) A POLICE OFFICER BECAME A PARAPLEGIC AFTER THE GOODYEAR WRANGLER HT (LT235/85R16) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE OFFICER WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. ATTORNEY IS WRITING IN WITH SEVERAL OTHER INCIDENTS OF TREAD SEPARATIONS AND INJURIES, POLICE REPORTS ARE PROVIDED WITH DETAILED INFORMATION. THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT (BRIAN MATHEWS) WAS REPRESENTED IN COURT BY THE LAW FIRM (GREENE,BROILLET,TAYLOR, WHEELER & PANISH LLP). ATTORNEY IS WRITING IN WITH SEVERAL OTHER INCIDENTS OF TREAD SEPARATIONS AND INJURIES, POLICE REPORTS ARE PROVIDED WITH DETAILED INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID 556651 · filed Oct 26, 2000

I WAS DRIVING ON THE 405 IN LOS ANGELES AT 65 MPH LAST THURSDAY NIGHT AT 10 PM. MY LEFT REAR TIRE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO COME APART AS IF THE SKIN WAS COMING OFF OF IT. I DID NOT CRASH BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY ONTO AN EXIT. THE TIRE APPEARS TO BE SHREDDING LIKE THE ONES I HAVE SEEN ON TELEVISION AND IN THE NEWSPAPER, EVENT THOUGH IT IS A DIFFERENT FIRESTONE TIRE. I KEPT THE TIRE AND CALLED FIRESTONE, AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN. I DRIVE 2 HOURS A DAY TO WORK AND I CAN'T NECESSARILY AFFORD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR, WHICH I NEED TO NOW DO. I AM ALSO VERY ANGRY BECAUSE I AM SO CAREFUL TO KEEP MY CAR IN WORKING ORDER ON THE LOS ANGELES FREEWAY, WHICH YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT PULL OVER ON SAFELY, AND IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ALOT OF PEOPLE WHEN IT HAPPENED. AND I HAD TO CHANGE MY TIRE AFTER A 13 HOUR WORKDAY. COULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I HAVE ANY RECOURSE IN THIS SITUATION. (TIRESIZE: L23585R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: L23585R16 )

NHTSA ID 732992 · filed Sep 30, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS TRAVELING AT 30 MPH. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT CAME UNBOLTED FROM THE FLOORBOARD. AS A RESULT, PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY. *AK

NHTSA ID 10061072 · filed Mar 1, 2004

REAR PASSENGERS RESTRAINTS DO NOT RETRACT OR PULL OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID 848224 · filed Sep 21, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ACCELERATOR STUCK WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. TT

NHTSA ID 978788 · filed Feb 6, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE SURFAC EHARDENING TECHNIQUE UTILIZED DURING THE MANUFACTURING OF THE RING GEARS BEARINGS AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS WERE NOT ADEQUATE ENOUGH. DURING 1991 THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE AXLE COMPONENTS DUE TO LABOR NEGOTIATIONS WHICH WERE HELD, AND THERE WERE A SIGNIFICANR NUMBER OF POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE PARTS PLACED INTO SERVICE. *AK

NHTSA ID 526242 · filed Oct 21, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WOULD HEAR NOISES; THEN LOST STEERING CONTROL DUE TO FRAME ATTACHED TO GEAR BOX WAS CRACKED. TOOK TO DEALER & REFUSED TO REPAIR CRACKS; SAID IT SHOULDN'T BE DRIVEN BECAUSE IT WOULD COME LOOSE & SOMEONE COULD BE INJURED. *AK

NHTSA ID 813949 · filed Jul 8, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ENGINE FAILED.

NHTSA ID 523706 · filed Oct 21, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .