RoadVitals

1998 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.
100
Latest Aug 1, 2011
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.
12
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 Feb 24, 1998

What this page shows

Our database holds 100 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 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 100 · page 1 of 4

Filed Aug 1, 2011

WHILE SITTING.. STANDING STILL.. PARKED.. THE SPARE TIRE IN THE REAR OF THE SUBURBAN EXPLODED.. I DISCOVERED THIS SEVERAL DAYS LATER.. THE EXPLOSION CAUSED APPROXIMATELY $650 IN DAMAGE.. NOT INCLUDING THE COST OF THE TIRE ITSELF.. I CONTACTED B.F. GOODRICH AND WAS ASSIGNED A CLAIM NUMBER .. A CASE NUMBER.. 2983357.. I SUBMITTED INFORMATIONTTO B.F. GOODRICH WITH NO REPLY AT THIS TIME..

NHTSA ID
10417333
Incident
Jun 30, 2011
Mileage
95,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 26, 2007
Crash reported

I HAVE A 1998 GMC SUBURBAN JUST PURCHASED AND I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN RECALL #05V379000. RESULT WAS MY WIFE SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY. DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL BUT I SURE DON'T WANT HER DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL IT IS FIXED! I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THIS YEAR (1998) IS NOT EFFECTED! YEAH, RIGHT! *TR

NHTSA ID
10206982
Incident
Oct 24, 2007
Mileage
109,200 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 1, 2006
Crash reported1 injury reported

PREVIOUS SEPARATION OF THE TREAD ON PASSENGER REAR TIRE, REPLACED WITH SPARE ON JULY 18, 2006. CHECKED ALL OTHER TIRES SHOWED GOOD CONDITION. JULY 24, 2006 WHILE DRIVING FREEWAY SEPARATION OF DRIVER SIDE TIRE TREAD CAUSED MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT. SUMMIT PREMIUM PLUS TIRES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10164121
Incident
Jul 18, 2006
Brakes
Filed Feb 23, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT SPEEDS BELOW 10 MPH, THE ABS WOULD PUMP AND GRAB. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO STOP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT HUB AND BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ABS SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/17/06. 8JB

NHTSA ID
10151029
Incident
Feb 23, 2006
Mileage
113,000 mi
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Jan 11, 2006

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE ENGINE WAS WARMING UP, AND A FEW MINUTES LATER WHILE GETTING IN TO THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER'S SEAT WAS SMOKING. THE HEATER IN THE SEAT BURNED A HOLE IN THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONTACT IF THE SEAT HEATER WAS TURNED ON AGAIN IT WOULD SHORT OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID
10147484
Incident
Nov 11, 2005
Mileage
110,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 6, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V379000 CONCERNING THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN AND THE MODEL YEAR. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HER OWN EXPENSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10144594
Incident
Jun 30, 2005
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Nov 12, 2005

WIRING TO THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP CAN OVER HEAT (AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE) WHEN THE FUEL PUMP FAILS. THIS WOULD OCCUR WHEN THE FUEL PUMP IS IN A FAILED (LOCKED) CONDITION WHILE POWER IS APPLIED TO THE PUMP. THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT DRAW IS HIGHER THAN THE RATING OF THE WIRING. *JB

NHTSA ID
10142512
Incident
Jun 15, 2004
Brakes
Filed Sep 2, 2005

ABS LOCKED AT LOW SPEEDS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10135149
Incident
Aug 15, 2005
Mileage
102,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 2, 2005

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ABS LOCKED UP AT LOW SPEEDS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME SHE SLOWED DOWN. THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR AT 10 MPH AND SLOWER WHEN PULLING INTO PARKING SPOTS. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS FOR OTHER GMC VEHICLES. RECALL CAMPAIGN #05V379000; ANTI-LOCK. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. THE DEALER WAS CALLED BUT THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION ON THE RECALL YET. *JB (11/17/05) THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE ALMOST WENT THROUGH THE STORE WINDOW AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. *SC

NHTSA ID
10135147
Incident
Jul 31, 2005
Mileage
100,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 25, 2005
Crash reported

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SUBURBAN. HE STATES THAT ON JUNE 1, 2005 VEHICLE WAS IN A ACCIDENT AND WAS HIT IN THE FRONT END. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10125153
Incident
Jun 1, 2005
Mileage
109,968 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 29, 2005

CONSUMER DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LACK OF RECALLS ON THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD ON HIS 1998 GMC SUBURBAN. *NM ARTEMIS DOWN UNTIL JULY,05 AAE THE CONSUMER RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT RECALL OF SEVERAL VEHICLE WHICH HAVE THE SAME WIPER COMPONENT. THE WIPERS FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM AT 70 MPH. *NM

NHTSA ID
10127923
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Brakes
Filed Apr 15, 2005
Crash reported

BRAKES DO NOT STOP THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10117956
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Brakes
Filed Mar 27, 2005
Crash reported

CRASH

NHTSA ID
10114816
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Mileage
10,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 16, 2005

CONSUMER REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF REPAIRS ON GMC 1998 SUBURBAN. *BF THE CONSUMER LEARNED OF A RECALL REGARDING THE ROTORS, HOWEVER THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR C TYPE TRUCKS NOT K AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING A C IS A TWO WHEEL DRIVE AND THE K TYPE IS FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10115739
Incident
Aug 1, 2003
Steering
Filed Jan 11, 2005

THIS CONCERNS NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : EA99011. I HAD A STEERING MODULE THAT FAILED. PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD PERIODICALLY JERK AS IF TO INCREASE THE RATE OF TURN SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN I WAS IN A TURN, EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THIS MODULE AT THE GMC DEALERSHIP (AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES, AS I RECALL), THE JERKING INSTANTLY STOPPED. I NOW HAVE ABOUT 111,000 MILES, AND THE SAME JERKING HAS BEGUN AGAIN (AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES) FROM TIME TO TIME. IF A DRIVER UNFAMILIAR TO THE PROPENSITY TO JERK IN TURNS WAS DRIVING, I COULD DEFINITELY SEE WHERE THE UNEXPECTED JERKING MAY CAUSE THEM TO LOSE CONTROL. THE LATEST JERKING COMES AND GOES AND IS NOT VERY CONSISTENT FROM WEEK TO WEEK YET. WHEN IT GETS MORE CONSISTENT, I WILL ASK THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE MODULE. I DON'T PRESENTLY RECALL FOR SURE, BUT I THINK I MAY HAVE PAID FOR HAVING THE SENSOR MODULE REPLACED THE FIRST TIME. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS AN ESTIMATE, SINCE I DON'T HAVE MY RECORDS OF THE FIRST STEERING MODULE REPLACEMENT WITH ME AS I AM FILLING OUT THIS FORM. ALSO, THE PURCHASE DATE WAS IN JANUARY, 2000, BUT I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT PURCHASE DATE AND DON'T HAVE MY PURCHASE RECORDS WITH ME.*AK

NHTSA ID
10106117
Incident
Jan 30, 2002
Mileage
50,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 28, 2004

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED HELEN'S BOY FRIEND ERICK WUNK.*AK FRONT PASSENGER BRAKE ROTOR SEPARATED FROM LUG BOLT HUB. DRIVERS SIDE ROTTER ALSO READY TO SEPARATE. GMC RECALLED THIS PART BUT NOT FOR THE SERIAL NUMBER OF THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. CONSUMER REPLACED PARTS AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. CONSUMER STATES THAT IF THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED HE WOULD HAVE LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TC

NHTSA ID
10081763
Incident
Mar 1, 2004
Mileage
12,500 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 16, 2004

1998 SUBURBAN W/ 4L60E TRANSMISSION, SHIFTING HARD 1-2 AND 2-3. RESEARCH SHOWS IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM OF MANUFACTURER ADDRESSES UNDER GM TECH SERV BULLETIN 01-07-30-023B. FURTHER, INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THAT PROBLEM IS MANUFACTURERS DESIGN ERROR, AND THAT ONLY PERMANENT FIX IS TO USE AN AFTERMARKET SUPPLIERS RE-DESIGNED REPLACEMENT PART. CURRENTLY, I AM IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO SEEK REPAIR AT ESTIMATED COSTS RANGING FROM $1800-2800 FROM LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10081201
Incident
Jul 1, 2004
Mileage
97,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 9, 2004
Fire reported

FIRE THEN SMOKE COMING FROM WIRE HARNESS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10080650
Incident
Jul 8, 2004
Steering
Filed Mar 8, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL JERKS IN THE SAME DIRECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10061591
Fuel systemOther / unspecified
Filed Mar 4, 2004

MY 1998 SUBURBAN HAS HAD TWO NEW FUEL PUMPS INSTALLED BY THE DEALER WITHIN FOUR MONTHS.AFTER A SHORT TIME, APPROX.2 MONTHS. THE FUEL PUMP STILL MAKES A BUZZING NOISE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10060460
Incident
Mar 4, 2004
Mileage
14 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 9, 2004

WINDSHEILD WIPERS DON'T WORK PROPERLY WHEN SET TO INTERMITTENT. THEY WORK FINE WHEN SET TO LOW OR HIGH SPEED.

NHTSA ID
10056860
Incident
Feb 3, 2004
Mileage
108,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jan 22, 2004

STEERING SPEED SENSOR INTERMITANTLY FAILED CAUSING UNPREDICTABLE STEERING MOVEMENT WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS AT SPEED. STEERING POWER ASSIST WOULD SUDDENLY CHANGE RESULTING IN SUDDEN VEER OF VEHICLE. COUPLE OF "NEAR MISSES" WHEN PULLING TRAILERS AND ENTERING FREEWAY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND PROBLEM RESOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10054695
Incident
Aug 10, 2003
Mileage
69,000 mi
BrakesEngineFuel system
Filed Jan 15, 2004

ROTORS ON 4WD SUBUBAN RUSTED OUT AT THE WELD BETWEEN THE CAST RIM AND THE STAMPED STEEL INTERWHEEL. THE STAMPED PART HAS THE LUG HOLES, THE CAST RIM IS THE WHAT THE BRAKE PADS GRIP.

NHTSA ID
10069595
Incident
Oct 15, 2003
Mileage
88,393 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 8, 2003

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10050240
Incident
Jun 17, 2003
Mileage
104,000 mi
EngineVisibility
Filed Nov 3, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10046193
Incident
Nov 3, 2003
Mileage
50,000 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.

Narrow this down by component

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .