RoadVitals

1994 GMC Suburban Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
411
Latest May 2, 2008
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.
69
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 4, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 411 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 GMC Suburban. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 411 · page 1 of 17

Tires & wheels
Filed May 2, 2008
Fire reported

TIRE WOBBLE/ NO SEPARATION YET CAN FEEL IT PULLING / DID WAIT FOR THIS ONE TO BUBBLE UP AND SEPARATE WASN'T GOING TO WAIT ANOTHER 3 WEEKS FOR AN ACCIDENT POSSIBLY FATAL TO HAPPEN HAD THIS LAST REMAINING ONE REMOVED FROM MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10226477
Incident
May 1, 2008
Mileage
162,528 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed May 2, 2008

TREAD / TIRE SEPARATION BIG BUBBLE IN TIRE SEVERE SHAKING / SEVERE PULLING THOUGHT MY TRUCK NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT VERY VERY VERY BAD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10226476
Incident
May 1, 2008
Mileage
162,528 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed May 2, 2008
Fire reported

TIRE SEPARATION CAUSING BUBBLE IN TIRE /CAUSING SHAKING / PULLING SEVERELY TO RIGHT SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10226474
Incident
Apr 10, 2008
Mileage
161,528 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed May 2, 2008

TIRES SEPARATING CAUSING MAJOR BUBBLE AND PULLING AS WELL AS SHAKING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10226470
Incident
Jul 12, 2007
Mileage
156,880 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 16, 2006

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED AFTER BEING MANUALLY "HELPED" SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE, BUT NO LONGER. WHEN I CONTACTED GMC, THEY TOLD ME THE CURRENT RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. I HAVE PURCHASED THE CIRCUIT BOARD MYSELF AND WILL NOW NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE INSTALL IT. RECALL NEEDS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL VIN #'S. I WAS TOLD BY THE GMC TOLL FREE NUMBER THAT IT WAS NOT A "SAFETY" ISSUE, SORRY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10160030
Incident
Jun 16, 2006
Mileage
18,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 28, 2005

WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON I ENCOUNTERED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS ONCE WHILE THE UNIT WAS ACTIVATED AND ONCE WHILE IT WAS NOT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10146246
Incident
Dec 24, 2005
Visibility
Filed Oct 16, 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE. GM REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 98V150001 STATING RECALL VOIDED AFTER 70,000 MILES. I GUESS THE BARD TURNS "GOOD" AFTER REACHING THE MILEAGE? *JB

NHTSA ID
10139815
Incident
Oct 13, 2005
Mileage
131,300 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 28, 2005
Fire reported

DT A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT AND LINES, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. CONTACTED GM, AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10130477
Incident
Oct 15, 2002
Visibility
Filed Jun 29, 2005

DT: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHEN TURNED WILL INTERMITTENTLY COME ON AND OFF. SOMETIMES IT HAS TO BE DONE MANUALLY, AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, BUT OCCASIONALLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP IN THE MIDDLE. DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THEN, RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT WAS TOLD THIS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER RECALL DUE TO T VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10127018
Incident
Jan 1, 2003
Mileage
75,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 2, 2005

DT : WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL PREVIOUS RECALLS IN 1998 AND 2003 HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. GMC HOTLINE SAID THEY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO DO THE RECALL. *AK *SB *NM

NHTSA ID
10120062
Incident
May 6, 2005
Mileage
100,000 mi
Brakes
Filed May 20, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE OWNS A 1994 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. THEY ARE PERFORMING POORLY. THERE ARE ABS BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THIS VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS EVER SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. HE HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT IT WOULDN'T LAST VERY LONG. THE PROBLEM WOULD CONTINUE TO COME BACK. ALSO, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10121704
Incident
Apr 1, 1996
Visibility
Filed May 20, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE OWNS A 1994 GMC SUBURBAN. HE STATES THAT HE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER WASHER MOTOR BECAUSE IT IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON SOME GMC VEHICLES, BUT THE MANUFACTURER TOLD HIM THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUETO VIN. THE PROBLEM STARTED INTERMITTENTLY AND IT BECAME WORSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10121701
Incident
May 1, 2000
Suspension
Filed Feb 1, 2005

RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED CAUSING FRONT WHEEL TO COLLAPSE CAR WAS IN PARKING LOT AND MOVING SLOWLY BALL JOINTS REPLACED BY GARAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10108353
Incident
Jan 25, 2005
Mileage
113,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 1, 2004

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10061031
Incident
Feb 19, 2004
Mileage
14,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 13, 2004
Crash reported

1994 GMC SUBURBAN. WHEN BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT BE SHUTOFF BY HITTING BRAKES. IF SWITCH FAILS, HITTING BRAKES WILL SLOW VECHILE, BUT CRUISE CONTROL WILL GIVE IT MORE GAS. DATE OF INITIAL ACCIDENT IS APPROXIMATE SINCE I DO NOT HAVE PAPERS WITH ME. SWITCH HAS FAILED TWICE SINCE THAT AND WAS FAILED AFTER THE ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10057147
Incident
Jan 1, 1998
Mileage
102,000 mi
BrakesFuel systemVisibility
Filed Jan 15, 2004

DIESEL K2500 SUBURBAN. INJECTION PUMP SUFFERED A PROBLEM WITH INTERMITTENT FUEL CUTOUT. SOLUTION WAS REPLACEMENT OF INJECTION PUMP. REPEATED DEALER ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE EXACT PROBLEM WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. SEAT MOUNT FAILED. THIS CAUSED SEAT TO TILT ON BASE & TORQUE REMAINING MOUNTS. THE WIPER MOTOR CUT OUT AT RANDOM. GM ACKNOWLEDGES THIS PROBLEM FOR OTHER MODELS, BUT NOT FOR MINE. THIS WOULD CAUSE FAILURE OF MOTOR FUNCTIONS (IN MY CASE, THE WIPER WOULD NOT START IF PARKED, BUT WOULD START IF PULLED OUT OF PARK POSITION). BRAKES ARE THE MOST INTERESTING PROBLEM. WHILE THERE MAY INDEED BE A PROBLEM WITH PEDAL SUDDENLY GOING TO THE FLOOR I THINK THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN MOST OF THOSE CASES MAY ACTUALLY BE AS FOLLOWS. I HAD TO BRAKE FAIRLY HARD IN UNEXPECTED TRAFFIC, AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FIRED. I WAS MOVING NOT FASTER THAN ABOUT 50 MPH AT THE TIME, BUT IT TOOK (MEASURED) 642 FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AT NO TIME DID I RELEASE THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. DURING THIS TIME, I WAS ABLE TO STEER QUITE SUCCESSFULLY AROUND TWO STOPPED VEHICLES, AND TO RUN UP ON A GRASSY SHOULDER AND BACK ONTO THE PAVEMENT. I HAD THE FRONT BRAKES RELINED AND TRUED, AND THE FLUID FLUSHED AND REPLACED, AT A LOCAL SHOP SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE USED (WITH ABOUT 56,000 MILES). APPARENTLY, GM KNOWS THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO CYCLE THE ANTILOCK MOTOR SO THAT ALL THE PISTONS ARE AT THE RIGHT POSITION BEFORE BLEEDING THE BRAKES. IF THE BRAKES ARE BLED WITH THE MOTOR NOT CENTERED, THE EFFECT IS THAT FULL MODULATION OF THE BRAKES DOES NOT OCCUR, FOR SOME OR ALL WHEELS, WHEN THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM FIRES. HOWEVER, THE DUMP-VALVE FUNCTION RELIEVES ALL BRAKE PRESSURE WHILE THE MOTOR IS RUNNING. THE RESULT IS THAT ONLY PARTIAL BRAKE APPLICATION IS EFFECTIVELY BEING MADE -- THIS MIGHT BE ALMOST ANY ARBITRARY PERCENTAGE OF A 'NORMAL' FULL BRAKE APPLICATION -- AND THIS MAY GREATLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF DECELERATION SEEN IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS.

NHTSA ID
10070325
Incident
Sep 15, 2003
Visibility
Filed Jan 15, 2004

PAINT FLAKING. I SHOWED IT TO SERVICE DEPT, THEY SAID GM WOULD NOT REPAIR

NHTSA ID
10069321
Incident
Feb 15, 2002
Mileage
130,000 mi
BrakesFuel system
Filed Nov 6, 2003

HAD FAILURE OF BOTH REAR BRAKE LINES AND FUEL DELIVERY LINES/SENDING UNIT DUE TO HEAVILY RUSTED/RUPTURED METAL LINES. FORTUNATELY, THE FAILURES WERE OBSERVED IN MY DRIVEWAY, LEAKING BRAKE FLUID AND GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE REQUIRED TOWING TO THE LOCAL MECHANICS GARAGE.TOTAL COST OF REPAIR (ALL RUSTED LINES AND FUEL SENDING UNIT) AT LOCAL GARAGE WAS $875.00.*AK

NHTSA ID
10045570
Incident
Oct 7, 2003
Mileage
98,500 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 5, 2003

CONSUMER NOTICED WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. *AK CONSUMER WAS RETURNING HOME WHEN IT BEGAN TO RAIN. HE TURNED ON THE WIPERS BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. HE TRIED A SECOND TIME BUT TO NO AVAIL. CONSUMER LOST VISION OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO PULL OVER. *PH

NHTSA ID
10039930
Incident
Sep 6, 2003
Visibility
Filed Sep 16, 2003

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHEN USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY WOULD STOP WORKING, BUT WIPER MOTOR WA STILL RUNNING. *AK

NHTSA ID
10040063
Visibility
Filed Sep 4, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. CAUSE OF FAILURE IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID
10038246
Incident
Sep 4, 2003
Visibility
Filed Jun 3, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE INOPERATIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10022204
Incident
May 30, 2003
Mileage
66,911 mi
Visibility
Filed May 14, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK AT VARIOUS TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10019844
Visibility
Filed Apr 11, 2003

THE WIPERS ON MY VEHICLE HAVE FAILED TO OPERATE 3 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. ALL THREE TIMES WERE DURING A STORM. TWO RAIN STORMS AND THIS LAST WAS A SNOW STORM. THE WIPER MOTOR MAKE AN ODD NOISE WHEN THEY STOP WORKING. *JB

NHTSA ID
10014276
Incident
Mar 10, 2003
Mileage
150,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 17, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK ALL OF THE TIME. I TOOK VEHICLE TO A GMC DEALER AND HE SAID MY SURBURBAN WASN'T ON THE RECALL LIST. TS

NHTSA ID
10002841
Incident
Jan 16, 2003
Mileage
126,500 mi

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.

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