IllustrationFRAME OF SEAT BACK SNAPPED WHEN DRIVER ENTERED VEHICLE AND GOT INTO SEAT. *AK
1990 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: 0 of 22 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 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Parking Brake. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
Seats complaints
7 reportsRECALL 93V187000, WAS PERFORMED, SEAT BOLTS BROKE 2 TIMES AFTER THAT, AND 3RD TIME CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE SEAT FRAME. *AK
I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION WHERE L WAS SITTING STILL AND WAS THEN REARENDED AND CONSEQUENTLY FLEW THROUGH THE AIR AND HIT A FULL SIZE FORD PICKUP. WHEN L WAS HIT THE THIRD SEAT IN THE SUBURBAN WAS KNOCKED OFF THE BOLTS AND PUSHED INTO THE SECOND SEAT. MORE SEVERELY, THE DRIVERS SEAT (BUCKET) SNAPPED IN HALF AT THE …
Read full complaint
I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION WHERE L WAS SITTING STILL AND WAS THEN REARENDED AND CONSEQUENTLY FLEW THROUGH THE AIR AND HIT A FULL SIZE FORD PICKUP. WHEN L WAS HIT THE THIRD SEAT IN THE SUBURBAN WAS KNOCKED OFF THE BOLTS AND PUSHED INTO THE SECOND SEAT. MORE SEVERELY, THE DRIVERS SEAT (BUCKET) SNAPPED IN HALF AT THE POINT WHERE THE BACK MEETS THE SEAT. L WAS SEVERELY INJURED WITH SERIOUS AND LIFE LONG BACK INJURIES. L WANT TO KNOW WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN BE DONE. MY SUBURBAN WAS TOTALED IN THE COLLISION AND L WILL HAVE INJURIES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. LF THE SEAT HAD HELD L WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECTLY SAFE. LT WAS DETERMINED BY THE FACT THAT MY INJURIES ARE RIGHT AT THE LOWER LUMBAR SECTION OF MY BACK THAT IF L HAD BEED PROTECTED BY THE SEAT L WOULD BE WALKING FINE TODAY.
DRIVER'S SEAT BOLTS FAILED AFTER RECALL REPAIR, CAUSING SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE.
RECALL # 93V18700. OWNER STATED THAT THE BOLTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN VEHICLE. BOLTS NEED TO BE REPLACED A THIRD TIME. DEALER NOT WILLING TO REPLACE WITHOUT CHARGE. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR HIS SEAT RECLINER AND THAT HE HAD WORK DONE ON SEAT; HOWEVER, 40,000 MILES LATER THE SEAT COLLAPSED AGAIN. *AK
CONSUMER TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE FIXED, SHE IS STILL HAVING SAME PROBLEM. SEAT FAILED. TT
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