2018 Chevrolet Suburban Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Suburban years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 25th of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. That ranks 25th out of 30 Suburban model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (19 complaints, 23%), typically at around 88,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 4 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 84owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 19 | 23% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 19 | 23% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 17 | 20% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 15% | 18,938 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 12% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 6% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 5% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 5% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 5% | 19,875 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 4% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 2% | 59,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 26,600 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Chevrolet Suburban recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:transfer case (4-wheel drive)Do not drive
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and certain 2015-2020 Suburban, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe vehicles. A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.
Risk: Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.
Service brakes; service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:wheel speed sensor/tone ring; electronic stability control (esc)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
Seat belts:rear/other
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
On August 7, 2026, while driving a rental vehicle in the Denver, Colorado area with my family, including two young children, the vehicle unexpectedly lost engine power while traveling downhill. The engine shut off, resulting in a significant reduction in brake assistance and creating an extremely…
My 2018 Chevrolet Suburban is experiencing transmission problems that raise serious concerns about the reliability and potential safety of General Motors transmissions used in trucks and SUVs from this period. When I contacted an independent transmission repair shop to describe the problems, the…
My suburban shut off 5 times while turning. Very unsafe given I have 4 children and it could have been while we were driving on the freeway, which could have been fatal.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact's husband noticed an abnormal sound and the vehicle…
My husband was driving our 2018 Chevy Suburban when it suddenly stopped accelerating and he could no longer shift gears. Luckily, this happened while he was driving down a gravel road (approx 25-30mph). If he would have been driving at highway speeds, it is likely that he could have lost control of…
Other Chevrolet Suburban years
← 2017 Suburban · 2019 Suburban →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Suburban | 44 | 1 |
| 2023 Suburban | 130 | 3 |
| 2022 Suburban | 124 | 4 |
| 2021 Suburban | 200 | 12 |
| 2020 Suburban | 44 | 4 |
| 2019 Suburban | 78 | 3 |
| 2018 | 84 | 4 |
| 2017 Suburban | 141 | 5 |
| 2016 Suburban | 220 | 6 |
| 2015 Suburban | 430 | 11 |
| 2014 Suburban | 59 | 3 |
| 2013 Suburban | 118 | 4 |
| 2012 Suburban | 101 | 4 |
| 2011 Suburban | 148 | 3 |
| 2010 Suburban | 117 | 3 |
| 2009 Suburban | 106 | 5 |
| 2008 Suburban | 213 | 4 |
| 2007 Suburban | 292 | 4 |
| 2006 Suburban | 23 | 1 |
| 2005 Suburban | 129 | 6 |
| 2004 Suburban | 204 | 4 |
| 2003 Suburban | 301 | 5 |
| 2002 Suburban | 286 | 2 |
| 2001 Suburban | 440 | 6 |
| 2000 Suburban | 282 | 8 |
| 1999 Suburban | 634 | 1 |
| 1998 Suburban | 201 | 2 |
| 1997 Suburban | 414 | 2 |
| 1996 Suburban | 360 | 3 |
| 1995 Suburban | 457 | 6 |
See all Chevrolet Suburban problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
Embed this 2018 Chevrolet Suburban badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban?
Owners most often report engine, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Suburban model years, the 2018 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.