IllustrationPREVIOUS SEPARATION OF THE TREAD ON PASSENGER REAR TIRE, REPLACED WITH SPARE ON JULY 18, 2006. CHECKED ALL OTHER TIRES SHOWED GOOD CONDITION. JULY 24, 2006 WHILE DRIVING FREEWAY SEPARATION OF DRIVER SIDE TIRE TREAD CAUSED MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT. SUMMIT PREMIUM PLUS TIRES. *JB
1998 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
30–25K
225–50K
750–75K
575–100K
9100–150K
0150K+
26 reports with mileage · 74 unknown
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 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports3 fire reports4 injury reports
Tires complaints
11 reportsGMC INFORMED US THAT OUR SUBURBAN'S FIRESTONE TIRES HAVE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. FIRESTONE CONFIRMED THIS AND IS OFFERING TO ADJUST FOR NEW TIRES BUT NOT REFUND. I DO NOT WISH TO HAVE BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE TIRES. DO THEY NOT NEED TO REFUND OR REPLACE THE TIRES? THE TIRES WE PURCHASED IN 2001 AND ARE BRIDGESTONE DUELER AT …
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GMC INFORMED US THAT OUR SUBURBAN'S FIRESTONE TIRES HAVE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION. FIRESTONE CONFIRMED THIS AND IS OFFERING TO ADJUST FOR NEW TIRES BUT NOT REFUND. I DO NOT WISH TO HAVE BRIDGESTONE / FIRESTONE TIRES. DO THEY NOT NEED TO REFUND OR REPLACE THE TIRES? THE TIRES WE PURCHASED IN 2001 AND ARE BRIDGESTONE DUELER AT LT245/75 R 16 108/104S 693. *NLM
THREE OUT OF FOUR TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING, AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL, CONSUMER SUBMITTED THE TIRES TO FIRESTONE, HOWEVER THE REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WAS DENIED, FIRESTONE STATED THE TIRES WERE BEING OPERATED WITH INSUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE.*JB
WHILE TRAVELING 75MPH TREAD CAME OFF LEFT FRONT TIRE. HAD NO WARNING OR VIBRATION OF VEHICLE. WEATHER WAS 95%. RIM DUG INTO CONCRETE. DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. FINALLY,PULLED OVER & STOPPED. CHECKED & CHANGED TIRE WITH THE SPARE. TIRE HAD DISINTERGRATED. TIRE SIZE IS 245/75R16. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED CRACKS ON ALL FOUR TIRES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. TIRES WERE NOT PART OF RECALL. *AK
PE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998, GMC SUBURBAN, TIRE SIZE LT24575R16. TIRES HAVE 40 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. WHEN DRIVING ON A TWO WAY HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE OUTER RUBBER SEPARATED FROM TIRE, TIRE STAYED INFLATED, RUBBER WRAPPED AROUND HEATER HOSE, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK, RESULTING IN VEHICLE OVERHEATING. …
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PE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998, GMC SUBURBAN, TIRE SIZE LT24575R16. TIRES HAVE 40 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. WHEN DRIVING ON A TWO WAY HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE OUTER RUBBER SEPARATED FROM TIRE, TIRE STAYED INFLATED, RUBBER WRAPPED AROUND HEATER HOSE, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK, RESULTING IN VEHICLE OVERHEATING. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND. *AK
THE TIRES THAT FAILED THE FIRST TIME HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH THE SAME FIRESTONE STEELTEX AT TIRES. THESE NEW TIRES ARE A YEAR OLD AND ALREADY ARE FALLING APART AND ALL CRACKED. I WANT FIRESTONE TO RECALL THESE TIRES BEFORE I GET INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT. *AK (TIRESIZE: 16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )
PE00020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A GMC, SUBURBAN 1998, VN1183A447, SP842KA14L, VN1183A447, VN1183A447 SIZE- L226575R16. CONSUMER NOTICED A CRACK GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND THE WHOLE TIRE. WHILE ON VACATION TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER, AND DEALER TOLD CONSUMER NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE.*AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT L226/75/R16 *MW
VEHICLE 1998 GMC SUBURBAN: WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65-70 MPH ONE REAR FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL/ COLLISION WHICH RESULTED IN ONE FATALITY. TIRE SIZE R4SLT245/75R16, DOT NUMBER V611B1A377. *AK
WHEN MAKING ANY KIND OF TURN BETWEEN 90 DEGREES OR SMALLER THE FRONT WHEELS LOCK UP. DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL CONDITION WHEN DRIVING IN 4- WHEEL DRIVE. OWNER WAS DRIVING IN 2- WHEEL DRIVE AT THE TIME. THE SUBURBAN IS BEING REPAIRED BY DEALERSHIP. STEERING REPAIRED, BUT VEHICLE STILL VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY…
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WHEN MAKING ANY KIND OF TURN BETWEEN 90 DEGREES OR SMALLER THE FRONT WHEELS LOCK UP. DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL CONDITION WHEN DRIVING IN 4- WHEEL DRIVE. OWNER WAS DRIVING IN 2- WHEEL DRIVE AT THE TIME. THE SUBURBAN IS BEING REPAIRED BY DEALERSHIP. STEERING REPAIRED, BUT VEHICLE STILL VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS BECAUSE TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED. OWNER BELIEVES TIRES SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 21,000 MILES. *ML
Official recalls
203V093000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior
Mar 7, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS, AND PICKUP TRUCKS MAY DEVELOP A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IT COULD RESULT IN AN INOPERATIVE SWITCH, HEAT DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND/OR IGNITION OF COMPONENTS IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND A SUBSEQUENT VEHICLE FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 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 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
98V033000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor
Feb 17, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OR BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTOR/HUBS WERE BUILT WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION GRAY IRON THAT CAN FAIL DURING THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A DRIVER CONTINUES TO DRIVE WITH A CRACKED ROTOR, THE CRACKS COULD CONTINUE AROUND THE WHEEL MOUNTING BOLT CIRCLE AND ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A WHEEL SEPARATION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROTORS FOR A CORE DATE OF "287" AND, IF FOUND, REPLACE THE ROTOR.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.