IllustrationWHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
1989 GMC Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
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: 1 of 17 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 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 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 reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
17 reportsWE PURCHASED A 1989 GMC SUBURBAN IN FEBRUARY 2003. AT THAT TIME THE PERSON WE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM TOLD US THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THE PAINT HAD BEEN RECALLED, BUT HE HAD NEVER CHECKED INTO IT. UPON US TAKING DELIVERY I BEGAN TO SEARCH ON THE WEB AND CAME UPON YOUR INFORMATION AND TOOK THE ADVICE OF CONTACTING OUR LOC…
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WE PURCHASED A 1989 GMC SUBURBAN IN FEBRUARY 2003. AT THAT TIME THE PERSON WE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM TOLD US THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THE PAINT HAD BEEN RECALLED, BUT HE HAD NEVER CHECKED INTO IT. UPON US TAKING DELIVERY I BEGAN TO SEARCH ON THE WEB AND CAME UPON YOUR INFORMATION AND TOOK THE ADVICE OF CONTACTING OUR LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER AT OUR CHEVY DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TOO OLD AND THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. TODAY 6-31-03 I CALLED THE GM SERVICE CENTER AND WAS GIVEN A SERVICE # OF 1-1-146-15140, AND TOLD TO CALL A DIFFERENT # GIVEN THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. I THEN CALLED WITH THIS REFERENCE# AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF THE YEAR AND MILEAGE THEY WOULD NOT LOOK AT THE PAINT, AND THERE WERE "NO OPEN PAINT CLAIMS RECORDED" I ASKED WHAT THIS MEANT AND THE WOMAN SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS OPEN ON THIS YEAR FOR PAINT. I DID NOT ARGUE WITH HER, AS I HAD ALREADY TOLD HER I HAD LOOKED UP THIS RECALL ON THE WEB. THE TWO SIDE SEATBELTS IN THE MIDDLE ROW OF SEATS. DON'T WORKVERY WELL, THEY GET STUCK HALF WAY OUT A LOT.
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. STEELTEX RADIAL LT TIRES. *AK THE TIRE PRESSURE HAD RUN LOW, BUT NEVER MORE THAN 2 PSI HIGH. (NEVER ANY IMPACT) THE BLOWOUT HAPPENED ON A SMOOTH ROAD AT A LOW SPEED. THERE WERE NEVER ANY REPAIRS DONE TO THE TIRES. THE BLOWOUT HAD A "T" SHAPED 4-5" EDGE OF TREAD, WITH A LEG OF "T" THAT EXTENDED…
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THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. STEELTEX RADIAL LT TIRES. *AK THE TIRE PRESSURE HAD RUN LOW, BUT NEVER MORE THAN 2 PSI HIGH. (NEVER ANY IMPACT) THE BLOWOUT HAPPENED ON A SMOOTH ROAD AT A LOW SPEED. THERE WERE NEVER ANY REPAIRS DONE TO THE TIRES. THE BLOWOUT HAD A "T" SHAPED 4-5" EDGE OF TREAD, WITH A LEG OF "T" THAT EXTENDED FROM THE TREAD NEAR THE BEAD. FIRESTONE CONSIDERED THIS IMPACT DAMAGE AND WOULD NOT REPLACE. *SCC *JB
THE TIRE BLEW UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT. THIS CAUSED A WRECK AND PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER.*AK (TIRESIZE: LT26575R16)
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED SMOKE COMIG FROM THE ENGINE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER. LOOKED UNDER HOOD, AND DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR SIZE OF VEHICLE.
EXHAUST MAINFOLD TO CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS HAVE BROKEN DUE TO HEAT STRESS EXHAUST LEAKAGE IS APPARENT.
BRAKES HAVE FAILED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. DEALER REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER. *AK
PASSENGER SEAT BACK COLLAPSED DUE TO FAILURE OF BOLT BREAKAGE, CAUSED INJURY.
AS A RESULT OF RECLINER BUCKET SEAT RECALL, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE MOUNTING BOLT BROKE AND THE ENTIRE BACK OF SEAT RELEASED, INJURING CONSUMER'S WIFE. *AK
Official recalls
293V187000 · Seats
Nov 16, 1993
THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN 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 WOULDALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL 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.
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
4EA94029 · 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.
EA92022 · Seat Back Bolt Breakage
Opened Jun 24, 1992 · Closed Nov 19, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
There is no summary currently available
PE92026 · Seat Back Failures
Opened Mar 6, 1992 · Closed Jun 24, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
There is no summary currently available
PE90004 · Trailer Hitch Seperation
Opened Oct 10, 1989 · Closed Feb 2, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
There is no summary currently available