Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 285 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 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.
Showing 1–25 of 285 · page 1 of 12
You'll be driving down the road the brakes will be working just fine then they'll just all sudden go out and then it backfires and blows it blows up a big cloud of fire out of the motor and that's the GMC 1999 Suburban four-wheel drive 7.4 l
The original fuel tank in this vehicle way rusty and leaking. I replaced the original tank with a Dorman model 576-372 fuel tank. The tank was installed in September 2021. The tank began leaking in February 2022. A repair shop discovered that the tank was defective and had failed. The Tank was discarded and replaced with a new unit. As no OEM parts are available the replacement was also and aftermarket part. That tank also was defective and began leaking within 90 days. A third aftermarket tank was installed and it also began leaking recently. When these leaks occur the tank fails in such a way that a large volume of fuel is spilled collects under the vehicle. As there seems to be only one company manufacturing these parts there seems be be a large potential that the issue will affect many vehicles.
The original fuel tank in this vehicle way rusty and leaking. I replaced the original tank with a Dorman model 576-372 fuel tank. This tank included a new fuel pump lock ring, which was used to secure a new fuel pump in the tank prior to installation in the vehicle. The lock rung failed approximately one week after installation allowing the fuel pump to raise up out of the tank. At the next fuel up a large volume of gasoline escaped form the fuel pump opening and spilled. The defective lock ring was replaced with a OEM part and was subsequently discarded.
GM PASSLOCK SYSTEM FAULTY LEAVING ME STRANDED FAR FROM HOME.THANKFULLY, I WAS NOT IN THE ROAD. MY VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED IT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OR COMING TO STOP THE ABS SEEMS TO ENGAGE AND CAUSE ERRATIC STOPPING AND EVEN HARD STOPPING AT TIMES. THE BRAKE PEDAL KICKS BACK AND IS HARD TO PRESS DOWN AND STOPPING IS VERY DIFFICULT.
MY 1999 C1500 SUBURBAN CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED AND COMPLETELY OFF. IT HAD BEEN PARKED FRO 9 HOURS WHEN WE WERE AWAKENED AT 2AM BY NEIGHBORS AND POLICE TRYING TO EVACUATE OUR HOME. THE CAR BURNED TO THE GROUND AND WAS THE MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. I HAVE A 9 AND 6 YEAR OLD THAT ARE TRAUMATIZED BY THE INCIDENT. I REPORTED THE MATTER TO THE GMC CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY REPLIED SAYING THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT ME IN 2 DAYS. THIS IS UNFORGIVEABLE.
COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES COMING UP TO A STOPLIGHT IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. WIDESPREAD HEAVY CORROSION/DETERIORATION OF BRAKE LINES RESULTED IN RUPTURE OF BRAKE LINE OVER LEFT REAR WHEEL. EMERGENCY/PARK BRAKE USED TO AVOID ACCIDENT. CLEARLY A MATERIALS DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM, IN MY OPINION. *TR
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP IN A BUSINESS PARKING LOT, BRAKE PEDAL UNEXPECTEDLY WENT TO FLOOR, VEHICLE RAN OVER CURB/STOP, DAMAGING SUSPENSION. CAUSE OF INCIDENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE A RUPTURED METAL BRAKE LINE, CAUSED BY SEVERE CORROSION. A SECOND LINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE SMALL PIN HOLE, WHICH HAD NOT YET RUPTURED, BUT COULD HAVE FAILED AT ANYTIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER DID PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT AS A PRECAUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 189,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, HE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HIS WIFE. THE WAS VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V122000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 103,000. THE CONSUMER STATED HE PURCHASED AND REPLACED THE SEAT BELT. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WAS FRAYED AND FAILED TO RESTRAIN HIM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE CONSUMERS WIFE WAS INJURED, WHEN THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN HER. ALSO, BOTH DOOR LATCHES WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 07/17/12
ENGINE RPM INCREASES WHEN FOOT IS OFF THE ACCELERATOR WHILE DRIVING. THIS ISSUE STARTED APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS AGO AND IS ON GOING, EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THIS IS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WARMER OVERHEATED AND BURNED A HOLE IN THE SEAT. THERE WAS AN OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT BUT THEY WERE NOT BURNED. HE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY RELATED RECALLS AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NONE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 125,000.
TIRE DELAMINATION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND SHUT OFF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. TWO YEARS AGO THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND IS CURRENTLY MORE FREQUENT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR HUBS PRIOR TO THE RECALL AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE DEALER ALSO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE ON 12 18 09 AND STATED THAT THE SPEED SENSORS NEEDED TO BE CLEANED AND RESEALED. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT RECALL # 05068 IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VIN IS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS QUOTED $300 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
BRAKE LINES RUSTING THROUGH; LOST REAR BRAKES FIRST TIME (EARLY 2008) AND I HAD 2 BRAKE LINES MANUFACTURED THAT WERE OF HIGHER QUALITY THAN ORIGINAL; THIS TIME LOST FRONT BRAKES - METAL LINE STARTED LEAKING RAPIDLY; NOW HAVE TO REPLACE ALL REMAINING BRAKE LINES TO FEEL SAFE. SUBURBAN 2500. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND BOTH REAR DOOR HANDLES FAILED ON FIVE OCCASIONS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND REAR BARN DOORS FAILED TWICE. AS A RESULT, THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED MANUALLY. THE ELECTRIC DOORS WOULD WORK SPORADICALLY, BUT ALSO WOULD NOT WORK FOR DAYS AT A TIME. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURES. THE OCCUPANTS SEATED IN THE THIRD ROW AND REAR SEATS ARE TRAPPED WHEN THE FAILURES OCCUR. THE DOORS ARE UNABLE TO BE OPENED WITHIN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE OCCUPANTS MUST CLIMB OUT OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER OR DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS. CURRENTLY, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HAS COMPLETELY FAILED AGAIN AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPERATES RANDOMLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE CYLINOID LOCKS ON THE DOOR, WHICH TEMPORARILY REMEDIED THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 208,000. UPDATED 06/12/09 *BF THE POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. UPDATED 06/16/09
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS RANGING FROM APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 MPH AND BRAKING, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGED. THE FAILURE HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND INCREASED HIS STOPPING DISTANCE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ONE YEAR AND HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGED WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. IN ADDITION, THE STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD INCREASE DURING BRAKING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE ABS SENSOR FAILED. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 95,000. UPDATED 04/15/09. *LJ UPDATED 04/16/09.*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ABS FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. HE STATED THAT THE ABS ACTIVATES EVEN WHEN THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE NOT SLIPPERY DUE TO RAIN OR ICE. THE ABS ENGAGES ITSELF WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS COMING TO A STOP ON DRY PAVEMENT, WHICH INCREASES THE STOPPING DISTANCE. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED; HOWEVER, HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT DID NOT INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS NOT LOCATED IN THE NHTSA DATABASE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE GMC ISSUED RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,070. UPDATED 02/24/09. *LJ UPDATED 02/24/09. *JB
WE OWN A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN . WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE WHICH HAS NEVER (TIL THIS TIME) BEEN IN A CRASH. ON PERFECTLY DRY PAVEMENT, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTION WHILE COMING TO A STOP. IT SOUNDS AND FEEL LIKE THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ARE PULSATING AND GREATLY REDUCES MY BRAKING CAPABILITY WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS OCCURS WHILE COMING TO A STOP FROM A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT AN IMMEDIATE REPAIR BE PERFORMED AND BE PAID FOR BY GM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. KINDLY CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS WE TRANSPORT OUR CHILDREN AND OTHER ADULTS ON MANY OCCASIONS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *TR
PAINT ON MY 1999 GMC SUBURBAN HAS STARTED TO PEEL AND EXPOSE THE METAL. THERE IS NO VALID REASON FOR THIS OTHER THAN ORGINAL FAULT OF PAINT OR PROCESS OF PAINTING AT THE MANUFACTURER. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF? THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC, BUT WHEN I WENT TO MY LOCAL GMC AUTHORIZED DEALER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS, THEY DENIED THERE HAS BEEN SUCH RECALL. PLEASE INFORM ME OF ANY SUCH RECALL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 1-5 MPH, THE ABS ACTIVATED WITHOUT CAUSE OR WARNING WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE CONTACT'S WIFE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ABS ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS OF DECEMBER 17, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000. UPDATED 03/14/08. *LJ THERE WAS DAMAGE TO EITHER VEHICLE, NO INFORMATION WAS EXCHANGED.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTILOCK BRAKES WOULD ENGAGE DURING SPEEDS UNDER 5 MPH AND A BUZZING NOISE COULD BE HEARD. A LOCAL MECHANIC REMOVED AND CLEANED THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE ANTILOCK BRAKES, HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 111,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AND NO OTHER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 100,100 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 06/08/07. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE INTERIOR HANDLES HAD TO BE REPLACED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE HANDLES WERE MADE OF PLASTIC , AND ALL FOUR DOORS FAILED. TO OPEN THE DOOR THE WINDOW MUST BE USED TO OPEN THE VEHICLE FROM THE OUTSIDE HANDLE. GMC HASN'T DONE ANYTHING TO ASSESS THE FAILURE. THE DRIVER SIDE HANDLE HAS TO BE REPLACED MORE FREQUENTLY SINCE IT WAS USED DAILY. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN THEY HAVE SEEN THIS FAILURE REPEATEDLY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 80,000. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .