IllustrationTHE DRIVERS SEAT FRAME BROKE ON THE LEFT FRONT CORNER, ALLOWING THE SEAT TO TIP BACK. THE TRACK ASSEMBLY WAS FULLY INTACT, THE FRAME INSIDE THE SEAT IS WHAT BROKE, DUE TO THIN MATERIAL AND FATIGUE.
1993 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: 4 of 212 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 161 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
31 crash reports4 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
212 reportsTHE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THI S VEHICLE IS UNSATISFACTORY. DURING A PANIC STOP SITUATION, THE BRAKES SEEM TO TAKE TIME BEFORE THEY START TO GRAB. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON DRY PAVEMENT AND A SLIGHT BUMP IS ENCOUNTERED THE AITI LOCK KICKS IN AND ITS LIKE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES AGAIN. I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS, CALIPERS, FLEX HOSES, …
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THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THI S VEHICLE IS UNSATISFACTORY. DURING A PANIC STOP SITUATION, THE BRAKES SEEM TO TAKE TIME BEFORE THEY START TO GRAB. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON DRY PAVEMENT AND A SLIGHT BUMP IS ENCOUNTERED THE AITI LOCK KICKS IN AND ITS LIKE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES AGAIN. I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS, CALIPERS, FLEX HOSES, DRUMS, SHOES AND REAR FLEX HOSES REPLACED WITH QUALITY EQUIPMENT TO NO C H ANGE, I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO CLASSIC CHEVROLET TO HAVE THE BRAKES EXAMINED, WITH A RESULT THAT THERE IS NOTHING WORNG WITH THE BRAKES, BUT WE COULD REPLACE THIS OR THAT ITEM TO SEE IF IT IS BETTER. I HAVE EVEN UNPLUGGED THE ANTI LOK SYSTEM JUST TO KEEP THAT PART OF THE SYSTEM FROM ACTIVATING, AS I HAVE HAD TOO MANY SCARES.
THIS SUBURBAN HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUNNING FOR A WHILE THEN SIMPLY STOPING FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN RUNNING AGAIN. I AM TOLD BY GMC THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT IS NOT COVERED BY A WARRANTY. THE WIPER PULSE MODULE I AM TOLD IS THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT IN THESE CASES. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND OCCATIONALLY LEA…
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THIS SUBURBAN HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUNNING FOR A WHILE THEN SIMPLY STOPING FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN RUNNING AGAIN. I AM TOLD BY GMC THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT IS NOT COVERED BY A WARRANTY. THE WIPER PULSE MODULE I AM TOLD IS THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT IN THESE CASES. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND OCCATIONALLY LEAVES A PUDDLE UNDER IT IF IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE. THE GUAGES ARE RANDOM IN THIER READINGS FOR OIL PRESSURE, TEMP, AND AMPERES.... THE FUEL SEEMS TO BE ACCURATE. OTHER PROBLEMS ARE NOT AS OBVIOUS BUT ANNOYING NONE THE LESS
FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE. BRAKE PEDAL CONSTANTLY GOES TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, CALIPERS ARE GRABBING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL LEFT, OR RIGHT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE BOLTS ON THE DRIVER SEAT SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE SEAT TO RELEASE FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION. ALSO THE RADIO AMPLIFIER CAUGHT ON FIRE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ONGOING/INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH HIGH ACCELERATION COMMENCING WHENEVER VEHICLE WOULD BE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND CONDITION HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK
ABS BRAKES ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, ABS SYSTEM WILL KICK IN AND, THE VEHICLE WILL KEEP GOING ON WET PAVEMENT OR DRY PAVEMENT. *AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE 2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, NEW. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK
WINDSHEILD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY JUST AS THE RECALL FOR THE 1994-1996 GMC TRUCKS INDICATES, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. REPLACEMENT PART RESOLVED PROBLEM. *AK
SEAT BELTS WON'T RETRACT, UNLESS REMOVED AND RE-ATTACHED, E.G. LEANING FORWARD AND SITTING BACK UP. OR CHANGING POSITIONS. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
3DP00001 · 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
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
EA94029 · 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.