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2005 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 53.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

85 reports with mileage · 9 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

94 reports
46,202 miles · Feb 25, 2010
Power Train

MY 2005 SUBURBAN CHEV. HAS 46,000 AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS FAIRLY NORMAL TO HAPPEN. IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $3000.00 TO $4000.00. THE CAR STARTED MAKING AN AWFUL NOISE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SAID TRANSMISSION HOT. WHE…

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MY 2005 SUBURBAN CHEV. HAS 46,000 AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS FAIRLY NORMAL TO HAPPEN. IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $3000.00 TO $4000.00. THE CAR STARTED MAKING AN AWFUL NOISE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SAID TRANSMISSION HOT. WHEN I PUSHED ON THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD NOT GO IT JUST MADE AN AWFUL NOISE. THANK GOD I WAS ON A ROAD I COULD PULL OVER ON. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED IN TO THE DEALER.I HAVE A $50,000 CAR THAT CAN'T BE DRIVEN. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM TO 2005 SUBURBAN? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10314067

58,754 miles · Feb 4, 2010
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Z71 WITH 59,799 MILES. THE SPEEDOMETER ON IT RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY. THE DAY THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY I WAS ON AN HOUR LONG TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY. DURING THE TRIP I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWED I WAS GOING 95 MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUED TO INCREASE EVEN WHEN I SLOW…

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I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Z71 WITH 59,799 MILES. THE SPEEDOMETER ON IT RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY. THE DAY THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY I WAS ON AN HOUR LONG TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY. DURING THE TRIP I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWED I WAS GOING 95 MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUED TO INCREASE EVEN WHEN I SLOWED DOWN, UNTIL IT PASSED 120 MPH WHERE IT WAS STUCK FOR SEVERAL DAYS. IT STARTED TO SLOWLY GO BACK DOWN. SINCE THAT DAY THEN THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUES TO SHOW THE INCORRECT SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. THE SPEEDOMETER SOMETIMES READS AS HIGH AS 120 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT MOVING, AND AT OTHER TIMES DISPLAYS THE VEHICLE GOING 10 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT MOVING, AND OTHER TIMES SHOWS CORRECTLY AT 0 MPH. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO GET WORSE WHEN I DRIVE THE VEHICLE ON LONGER TRIPS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE IS A RECALL TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB *TR

NHTSA ODI #10306164

60,000 miles · Dec 2, 2009
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK ON MY 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. STOPPED WORKING AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES - THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT COSTS APPROX. $500 TO FIX AND IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10294308

53,000 miles · Sep 19, 2009
Power Train

MY 2005 SUBURBAN THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS BROKEN AT ONLY ABOUT 40 MPH. IF IT HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY, PROBALLY WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I HAS LOST THE CONTROL TOTALLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10284623

44,000 miles · Sep 7, 2009
Electrical System

WE BOUGHT A 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN IN EARLY 2006. IN EARLY 2008 THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO ACT UP (BOUNCING, STEADILY DECREASING UNTIL ZERO) WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED A LONG TRIP AND THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING FOR 4 HOURS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10283090

178,371 miles · Aug 22, 2009
Electrical System

JUST GOT INTO MY 2005 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500. THE SPEEDOMETER STOP WORKING. REGISTERING 100MPH WHILE I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, NOT WORKING AT ALL WHILE I DROVE BACK TO THE HOUSE. THERE IS A LAWSUIT FOR 2004 MODELS AND ONLY UP TO 70,000MILES. THIS IS A CLUSTER FAILURE AFFECTING THOUSANDS OF SUBURBAN,TAHOE, AND SIMILAR MODEL OWNERS. THE…

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JUST GOT INTO MY 2005 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500. THE SPEEDOMETER STOP WORKING. REGISTERING 100MPH WHILE I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, NOT WORKING AT ALL WHILE I DROVE BACK TO THE HOUSE. THERE IS A LAWSUIT FOR 2004 MODELS AND ONLY UP TO 70,000MILES. THIS IS A CLUSTER FAILURE AFFECTING THOUSANDS OF SUBURBAN,TAHOE, AND SIMILAR MODEL OWNERS. THE DEALERSHIPS ARE CHARGING AN AVERAGE OF $450.00 TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT THAT, JUDGING FROM THE LAWSUIT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IT AFFECTS MY MONITORING OF MY SPEED AND ENDANGERS THE PUBLIC AND ALSO PUTS DRIVERS IN A BAD POSITION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. GM IS OBLIGATED TO REPAIR A PROBLEM THAT THEY HAD KNOWLEDGE OF. THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD TO ALLOW THIS DEFECT AND POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE TO GO UNCHECKED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10281375

50,000 miles · Aug 20, 2009
Electrical System

WE HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH 50,000 MILES. OUR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK, OTHER GAUGES (I.E. FUEL, OIL, TEMP) WORK INTERMITTENTLY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS! THE COST TO FIX THIS IS $650 AND AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME …

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WE HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH 50,000 MILES. OUR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK, OTHER GAUGES (I.E. FUEL, OIL, TEMP) WORK INTERMITTENTLY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS! THE COST TO FIX THIS IS $650 AND AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE! CHEVROLET HAS EVEN RECALLED THE 2003/2004 MODELS FOR THIS REASON! WHY NOT 2005? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10281265

50,850 miles · Aug 4, 2009
Structure

I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET SURBURBAN. THE BACK HATCH WINDOW HAS PLASTIC OR RUBBER HINGES TO HOLD IT TO THE FRAME. THE WINDOW ALSO HAS A BOLT TO HOLD THE PISTON CYLINDERS SO THE WINDOW COULD CLOSE AND OPEN. THE WINDOW FRAME WHERE IT HOLDS THE HINGE BROKE OFF AND NOW THE HINGE OR BOLT THAT HOLDS THE CYLINDERS FOR THE WINDOW IS COMING…

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I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET SURBURBAN. THE BACK HATCH WINDOW HAS PLASTIC OR RUBBER HINGES TO HOLD IT TO THE FRAME. THE WINDOW ALSO HAS A BOLT TO HOLD THE PISTON CYLINDERS SO THE WINDOW COULD CLOSE AND OPEN. THE WINDOW FRAME WHERE IT HOLDS THE HINGE BROKE OFF AND NOW THE HINGE OR BOLT THAT HOLDS THE CYLINDERS FOR THE WINDOW IS COMING LOOSE. I HAVE CANNOT OPEN THE WINDOW HATCH IN THE REAR OR IT WILL NOT CLOSE. I BOUGHT THE SUBURBAN BRAND NEW AND I DON'T THING THIS SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN FOUR YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10279390

35,000 miles · Apr 19, 2009
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2005 1500 CHEVY SUBURBAN THAT THE SPEEDOMETER READS ERRATIC. IT GOES 120+ WHILE AT A RED LIGHT OR 25 CRUISING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS NOW. I TALK TO THE DEALERS AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE 600-900 DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIRS. NOT KNOWING HOW FA…

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I HAVE A 2005 1500 CHEVY SUBURBAN THAT THE SPEEDOMETER READS ERRATIC. IT GOES 120+ WHILE AT A RED LIGHT OR 25 CRUISING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS NOW. I TALK TO THE DEALERS AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE 600-900 DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIRS. NOT KNOWING HOW FAST OR SLOW YOU ARE GOING ONLY GUESTAMATING IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR MYSELF ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE I SHARE THE ROAD WITH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10266002

42,200 miles · Apr 5, 2009
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER SHOWS 110 MPH WHEN CARS ARE PASSING ME. I BELIEVE AM GOING ABOUT 55 OR 60 MPH. I UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IN THE DASHBOARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10264181

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.