RoadVitals

1992 GMC Suburban Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints 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.
67
Latest Apr 16, 2001
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
84%
of 80 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
21
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
8

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1992 GMC Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 67 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming brake

The 25 most recent of 67, in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Apr 16, 2001

BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALWAY DOWN TO FLOOR, AND VEHICLE MAKES NOISES. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
886047
Incident
Apr 2, 2001
Brakes
Filed Mar 9, 2001

BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WHILE MAKING A STOP, AND ALL BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON.*AK

NHTSA ID
882582
Incident
Oct 1, 2000
Brakes
Filed Feb 2, 2001

I HAVE HAD BRAKE FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THE BRAKES WOULD LOSE HOLD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD AS IF IT WERE ON ICE. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID COLLISIONS THROUGH LUCK AND ALSO BY BEING VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND LEAVING EXTRA SPACE BETWEEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. VARIOUS DEALERS MISDIAGNOSED THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES. FIRST TIME, FRONT BRAKE JOB, SECOND TIME, REAR BRAKE ADJUSTMENT. THIRD TIME, THEY SAID THE PUMP WAS BAD. MIRACULOUSLY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THE DEALERSHIP. $900 LATER I HAVE A NEW ABS PUMP. NOW THE TRUCK PULLS TO THE RIGHT. IT DID NOT DO THIS BEFORE. DEALER SUSPECTED THAT THE ABS PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. UPON REPLACEMENT, THE TRUCK STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT. THEY NOW SUSPECT THAT THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE HOSE IS BREAKING DOWN INTERNALLY AND CAUSING UNEVEN PRESSURE TO THE FRONT CALIPERS CAUSING THE PULLING SENSATION. THEY ARE NOT SURE, SO THIS WILL BE MORE $ OUT OF MY POCKET FOR A TRIAL AND ERROR THAT MAY OR MAY NOT WORK. I HAVE OVER $1300 IN BRAKE REPAIRS AND THIS VEHICLE STILL DOES NOT STOP PROPERLY. I AM RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE AND MONEY. YOUR HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED. THANKS. *AK

NHTSA ID
740355
Incident
Mar 15, 2000
Brakes
Filed Dec 4, 1999
Crash reported2 injuries reported

IN DECEMBER OF 1993, I WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT. WHILE I DID NOT CREATE THE ACCIDENT, I DID CONTRIBUTE BY CRASHING INTO THE REAR OF ONE OF THE CARS. THE CAUSE - MY BRAKES SIMPLY WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN A NORMAL AMOUNT OF TIME. THE ABS SYSTEM MADE ALL KINDS OF INTERESTING NOISES. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP SIMILAR TO OTHER VEHICLES INCLUDING MY PREVIOUS SUBURBAN THAT I HAD OWNED AND DRIVEN. FOLLOWING REPAIRS, I TOOK THE SUBURBAN TO A GMC DEALER WHO REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER (AT MY COST) AND IDD A TEST DRIVEL THE MECHANIC SAID THE BRAKES WERE WORKING PROPERLY. THEY WERE NOT! AND STILL DO NOT WORK AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES WITH OR WITHOUT ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. RECENTLY I WAS MAKINA A RIGHT TURN WHEN A YOUNNSTER SHOT THRU THE INTERSECTION ON A BICYCLE. I JUMPED ON THE BRAKES AND AGAIN HEARD THAT SICKENING GROAN BUT NO BRAKE ACTION. FORTUNATELY THE BRAKES EVENTUALLY DID GRAB AND THE YOUNG MAN SWERVED TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS RECENT INCIDENT CAUSED ME TO RE-READ A SYNDICATED NEWS REPORT FROM LAST JULY. THE NHTSA WAS WORKING WITH GM TO RECALL AND REPAIR ABS SYSTEMS IN VARIOUS SUV'S. THE ARTICLE ALSO SAID A SECOND INVESTIGATION WAS UNDER WAY INVOLVING MY '92 SUBURBAN. I'D LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT INVESTIGATION. AT PRESENT I STILL DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND I KNOW IT WILL NOT STOP IN NORMAL STOPPING DISTANCE. I HAVE STARTED TO INVESTIGATE REMOVING THE ABS SYSTEM AND INSTALLING SOMETHING SAFER. ANY ADVICE YOU MIGHT PROVIDE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

NHTSA ID
715621
Incident
Dec 2, 1993
Brakes
Filed Nov 1, 1999

WHILE DRIVING, WAS COMING TO A ROLLING STOP, ABS BRAKES WERE APPLIED & THEY WOULD LOCK UP ON THE 2-WD. BEEN TO DEALER & THE ABS BRAKES REPAIRED ON 3/16/98. THE LOCKING OF ABS BRAKES HAS RETURNED. MANUFACTURER SHOWS NO RECALL OF BRAKE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
852260
Incident
Mar 16, 1998
Brakes
Filed Sep 23, 1999

UPON APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES VEHICLE PULLED RIGHT. BRAKE PEDAL HAD GONE TO FLOOR IN AN EMERGENCY STOP OR WHILE JUST WATING AT LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. PRESSURE WOULD CAUSE PEDAL TO GO TO FLOOR. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK ABS SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
848584
Incident
Aug 24, 1998
Brakes
Filed Aug 26, 1999

TOWING BRAKES WERE ERRACTIC. ABS LIGHT KEPT FLASHING AFTER ENTERING GAS STATION. WASN'T TOWING. ABS LIGHT CAME ON AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, RED LIGHT CAME ON FOR ABS. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIME ON ABS SYSTEM & EACH TIME WAS INFORMED OWNER'S PROBLEM DUE TO THE TOWING THAT WAS DONE. *AK

NHTSA ID
845959
Incident
Jul 20, 1999
Brakes
Filed Jul 27, 1999
Crash reported

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE SHOT AHEAD AND THEN BEGAN TO STOP. ALL INCIDENCES OF FAILURE SEEMED TO OCCUR WHEN THE REAR WHEELS MOMENTARILY LOST CONTROL WITH PAVEMENT, I., GOING OVER A MANHOLE COVER THAT WAS RECESSED/PAVEMENT DEPRESSIONS AT EXPANSION JOINTS OR HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF WATER. IN THE ROADWAY. WHEN VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED ONE OF THESE CONDITIONS UNDER HEAVY BRAKE PRESSURE, THE ABS BRAKES WOU;LD EMIT A LOUD GROANING NOISE, AND VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AHEAD. THEN AFTER ONE OR TWO CAR LENGTHS WOULD GRAB HOLD AND TRY TO STOP. IN ALL OF THESE CASES, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID
843533
Incident
Jul 1, 1994
Brakes
Filed Jul 23, 1999

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAIL WHEN IN A POTENTIAL SLIDING SITUATION (GOING ONTO A SLICK SURFACE, LIKE ICE OR WET PAVEMENT). THE ABS ACTUALLY ATTEMPTS TO WORK, AND THEN SHUTS OFF, LEAVING ONLY THE REGULAR BRAKES. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. EACH TIME WE HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE SOMETHING RESET, OTHERWISE THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH , SAYING THERE IS A BRAKE PROBLEM, REMAIN ON. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER (SEVERAL TIMES) THAT IT DOESN'T HURT TO DRIVE IT LIKE THIS, BUT THE ABS ARE NOT WORKING AS LONG AS THOSE LIGHTS ARE ON. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING - AT THE TIME THE ABS ARE NEEDED, THEY FAIL, EVERY TIME. I'M TIRED OF THEM NOT WORKING, AND PAYING TO HAVE THEM RESET.

NHTSA ID
709068
Brakes
Filed Jul 22, 1999

EA95026, POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES HARDER THAN NORMAL THE ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. THERE WAS SOME VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL. DRIVER HAD TO DRIVE SUBURBAN OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID A CRASH. THIS HAPPENED ON DRY PAVEMENT AND WET PAVEMENT. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM, AND RESET THE COMPUTER. THE COMPUTER WAS RESET TWICE FOR THIS REASON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
842912
Brakes
Filed Mar 18, 1999

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES, THEY GRIND LOUDLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
835954
Incident
Jul 1, 1995
BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Aug 4, 1998

BRAKES DO NOT WORK ON SLICK SURFACES & BUMPY SURFACES THEY EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.

NHTSA ID
538798
Brakes
Filed Jul 7, 1998
Crash reported

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT SLOW RATES OF SPEED THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
825054
Incident
Jun 7, 1998
BrakesVisibility
Filed Mar 23, 1998

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED FOUR TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
533182
Incident
May 1, 1996
Brakes
Filed Mar 3, 1998

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN COMING TO STOP AND APPLYING FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THE TRUCK PULLED TO THE RIGHT, CAUSING MORE TIME FOR THE TRUCK TO STOP. HAS TAKEN TRUCK TO MECHANIC , BUT THEY CANNOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
821090
Incident
Feb 17, 1997
Brakes
Filed Mar 3, 1998

ANTI LOCK BRAKES PULL WHEN ENGAGED, REPAIRS MADE HOWEVER PULLING STILL OCCURS.

NHTSA ID
531686
Incident
Feb 17, 1997
Brakes
Filed Jan 13, 1998

BRAKES: WHEN DRIVING BRAKES LOCK UP AND AT TIMES IT IS HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE EVEN WITH EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL FORCE. NEEDED TO REPLACE FRONT BRAKES EVERY 7000 MILES. REPLACED REAR BRAKE DRUMS. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, AND DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK

NHTSA ID
820020
Incident
Dec 12, 1992
Brakes
Filed Dec 4, 1997

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAIL CONTINUOUSLY, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.

NHTSA ID
525658
Brakes
Filed Dec 1, 1997

ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. REPLACED BRAKE SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
819568
Brakes
Filed Nov 5, 1997

WHENEVER APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD CONTINUE TO THE FLOOR & THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL BE MOVING UNTIL THE BRAKES FINALLY CATCH HOLD. *AK

NHTSA ID
819650
Incident
Oct 27, 1997
Brakes
Filed Nov 5, 1997
Crash reported

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE. OWNER STATES THAT THE ABS DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY, CAUSING A COLLISION AT ABOUT 20 MPH. *AK THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE BRAKING SYSYTEM ON THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
818381
Incident
Oct 22, 1997
Brakes
Filed Oct 31, 1997

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. THE ABS KICKS IN AND THE VEHICLE WONT STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID
818071
Brakes
Filed Oct 30, 1997

ABS: WHILE DRIVING, ABS LIGHT CAME ON, STOPPED VEHICLE, HEARD SOMETHING RUNNING UNDER VEHICLE, NO BRAKING PROBLEM, VEHICLE PICKED UP BY DEALER, ABS REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
818025
Incident
Jul 15, 1997
Brakes
Filed Oct 29, 1997
Crash reported

AS A RESULT OF NOT STOPPING, BRAKE PEDAL WAS BENT DUE TO EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO STOP TRUCK. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
817859
Incident
Jun 16, 1997
BrakesSuspensionVisibility
Filed Oct 24, 1997

WHEN COLD OR WHEN VEHICLE GETS WET ABS BRAKES LOCK UP. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES BRAKES VERY TOUGHY AND GRAB BAD WHEN IT IS COLD, RIGHT REAR DOOR DEFOGGER INOPERATIVE,RIGHT AXLE SEAL LEAK,LEFT REAR WHEEL FELL OFF. *ET

NHTSA ID
817615

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .