IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE FIRE STARTED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AT THIS TIME NO ONE HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO FIND A CAUSE. *AK
1991 Chevrolet Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 Chevrolet Suburban do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 118.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Suburban years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 52 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Seats. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports6 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
52 reportsGM WAS AWARE OF THE IMPROPER COMPONENTS INSTALLED IN THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION BUT FAILED TO RECALL CAR AND CORRECT DEFECT.
RECALL # 96V226000 GM/BUCKET SEATS; BOLTS WERE REPLACED ON DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATS UNDER RECALL ABOUT ONE YEAR. THE BOLTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HAVE BROKEN AGAIN. *AK
DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED DUE TO FAILURE OF THE RETAINING BOLT, CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL.
WELDING ON THE REAR REMOVEABLE SEAT , OVER TIME HAS BECOME WEAK AND SEPARATED FROM THE TUBING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
OWNER INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO BRAKES LOCKING UP/FAILING TO STOP THE TRUCK. TRUCK IS EQUIPPED W/ABS BRAKES. ALSO REPLACED FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS/PADS/ROTORS AND MASTER CYLINDER. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKES LOCK UP IN WET WEATHER.
BRAKE SYSTEM WARPED.
RECALL 96V226000 HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DLR 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME RECALL. PROBLEM STILL NOT FIXED.
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT OF VEHICLE. UPON OPENING HOOD, NOTICED THAT ALTERNATOR OVERHEATED, RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE. ALSO SERPENTINE BELT OVERHEATED/BURNED. *AK
Official recalls
396V226000 · Seats
Nov 4, 1996
THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL VETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. THIS "SOFT" JOINT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN SPECIFIED BOLT TORQUE WHICH LEADS TO JOINT LOOSENESS, CAUSING BOLT FATIGUE AND EVENTUAL BOLT FAILURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF BOLT FAILURE OCCURS TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WOULD ALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FOAM AND/OR VINYL FROM BETWEEN THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME "SOFT" JOINT AND REPLACE THE RECLINER BOLTS.
93V119000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor
Aug 2, 1993
SEVERE CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT AT THE JOINT OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER SECTION AND THE CAST OUTER SECTION CAN CAUSE THE SECTIONS TO SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SEPARATION OF THE ROTOR SECTIONS CAN CAUSE LOSS OFBRAKING ABILITY IN THE AFFECTED WHEEL. THIS COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCE AND/OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH NEW ROTORS WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION COATING. HOWEVER, IF REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LININGS ARE NECESSARY, IT WILL BE DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE SINCE BRAKE LININGS ARE NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS.
93V016000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Feb 1, 1993
UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE VENTED TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN CATCH FIRE IF EXPOSEDTO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy: INSTALL A LONGER TRANSMISSION VENT HOSE ROUTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE.
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
1EA94029 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jul 29, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
AN ALLEGED MALFUNCTION IN THE ATLERNATOR RESULTING IN ENGINE COMPARTMET FIRES.