IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 35MPH STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND ABS BRAKING SYSTEM LOCKED UP. VEHICLE COASTED, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN REAR. *AK
1994 Chevrolet Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Suburban years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Chevrolet Suburban are substantially higher than 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: 32 of 858 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 568 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 167 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
146 crash reports8 fire reports33 injury reports
What owners actually said
858 reportsTRAILER HITCH ON VEHICLE WAS CRACKED. *AK NLM.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. IT NEVER HAPPENS WITH ANY WARNING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL JUST SHUT OFF.*AK
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THESE ABS SYTSTEMS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED, DURING A PANIC STOP THE SYSTEM FAILS, PEDAL DROPS TO THE FLOOR AND PULSATES, AND LEAVES YOU WITH NO BRAKING. HAD ONE ACCIDENT AND SEVERAL NEAR MISSES. IN A VEHICLE THIS SIZE AND WEIGHT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE MORE FATALITIES ACCUR. *AK
TREAD SEPARATION, LOST TOTAL TREAD CAP.$ 2800 DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: D11Y7HV387 TIRESIZE: T245-75-16)
AFTER I PURCHASED A REPLACEMENT SET OF TIRES ( IDENTICAL TO ORIGINAL EQMT TIRES) I NOTED A VIBRATION WOULD DEVELOP ABOVE 63 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALER ( A FIRESTONE STORE )... THEY RE-BALANCED THE TIRES...THE VIBRATION CONTINUED...A SECOND TRIP TO THE DEALER RESULTED IN NOTHING- THEY SAID THE PROBLEM MUST BE IN THE VE…
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AFTER I PURCHASED A REPLACEMENT SET OF TIRES ( IDENTICAL TO ORIGINAL EQMT TIRES) I NOTED A VIBRATION WOULD DEVELOP ABOVE 63 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALER ( A FIRESTONE STORE )... THEY RE-BALANCED THE TIRES...THE VIBRATION CONTINUED...A SECOND TRIP TO THE DEALER RESULTED IN NOTHING- THEY SAID THE PROBLEM MUST BE IN THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH I POINTED OUT THERE WAS NO VIBRATION WITH THE OLD TIRES...THEY REFUSED TO TEST DRIVE THE CAR. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE SOME 43,000 MILES ( MOSTLY STAYING AROUND 60 MPH) ONE TIRE BLEW OUT IN THE SIDEWALL WITH A RADIAL FAILURE FROM THE TREADBELT TO THE BEAD.. A 'CATASTROPHIC' FAILURE. NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE RESULTED BUT THE VIBRATION WENT AWAY AS SOON AS THE SPARE HIT THE ROAD. THE DEALER ADJUSTED AT 50% COST OF A NEW TIRE ON A "ROAD HAZARD" WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE TIRE WAS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE FROM NEW. NOW I AM RUNNING ON 3 REMAINING TIRES AND NOW FIND A SIMULAR VIBRATION DEVELOPS AT 70 MPH. *AK (TIRESIZE: 245 75 R16)
SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 98043, BULLETIN SEQUENCE NUMBER 150 DISCRIBES THE PROBLEM EXACTLY. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V150001 COVERS VEHICLE MADE FROM AUG 1994 TO MAY 1996. OUR VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION ON THE DOOR PANEL WAS MADE IN APRIL OF 1994. WE HAVE ANOTHER VOQ SUBMITTED ON OUR OTHER VECHILE AS WELL CONCERNIN…
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SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 98043, BULLETIN SEQUENCE NUMBER 150 DISCRIBES THE PROBLEM EXACTLY. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V150001 COVERS VEHICLE MADE FROM AUG 1994 TO MAY 1996. OUR VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION ON THE DOOR PANEL WAS MADE IN APRIL OF 1994. WE HAVE ANOTHER VOQ SUBMITTED ON OUR OTHER VECHILE AS WELL CONCERNING THE SAME PROBLEM. THAT ODI NUMBER OS 751305.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILS SUDDENLY AND REPEATDLY.*YH
DURING AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED BUT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, ON ONE OCCASION A MINOR CRASH OCCURED BUT NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AS A RESULT. NLM
I HAVE SPOKEN WITH CHEVROLET AND THEY DO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A PROBLEM ON SOME SUBURBAN'S BUT MY VIN DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS FIX. I BELIEVE THESE SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME AS THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED IN 1998'. CAMPAIN #98043.*AK
Official recalls
303V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
99V025000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Feb 5, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS, CREW CABS, UTILITY TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH THE POLARITY OF THE WIRING FOR THE ZERO ADJUST BRAKE SWITCH REVERSED FROM WHAT WAS SPECIFIED ON THE SWITCH DRAWING. WITH THE REVERSED POLARITY, THE CONTACTS IN THE BRAKE SWITCH CAN WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. THE BRAKE SWITCH WILL PERFORM NORMALLY UNTIL THE BRAKE SWITCH CONTACTS WEAR OUT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF THE BRAKE LAMPS WITHOUT ANY WARNING TO THE DRIVER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD FAIL TO WARN A FOLLOWING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING AND COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE SWITCH AND REVERSE THE WIRING.
98V150001 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Jul 1, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER.
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
4EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
DP00001 · Oem Hitch Receiver Platform Cracking
Opened Jan 31, 2000 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
THE PETITION ALLEGES THAT CRACKS IN THE HITCH RECEIVER PLATFORM MAY LEAD TO SEPARATION OF THE TRAILER AND LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL
PE97027 · Drivers Seat Failure
Opened Jun 17, 1997 · Closed Oct 31, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGE THE DRIVERS SEAT MOUNTING FAILS, ALLOWING THE SEAT TO MOVE OR TIP REARWARD INTO A RECLINED POSITION.
EA95026 · Poor Brake Performance
Opened Sep 20, 1995 · Closed Sep 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
POOR PERFORMANCE OF ABS BRAKES