Chevrolet Suburban Steering Problems
Owners have filed 452 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Chevrolet Suburban across 30 model years. The 1997 model year has the most (105). The words owners use most often: “steering pump” (7% of reports).
- 452steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 23mention a crash
- 14mention an injury
- 5related recalls
- 31%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering pump: mentioned in 33 of 452 complaints (7%)
- Making turn: mentioned in 23 of 452 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 188 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 452 complaints, 23 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 14 an injury.
Chevrolet Suburban steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Suburban | 1 | 2% | 58,277 |
| 2023 Suburban | 3 | 2% | 56,000 |
| 2022 Suburban | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Suburban | 3 | 2% | 33,000 |
| 2020 Suburban | 4 | 9% | 27,888 |
| 2019 Suburban | 6 | 8% | 800 |
| 2018 Suburban | 8 | 10% | — |
| 2017 Suburban | 6 | 4% | 28,500 |
| 2016 Suburban | 23 | 10% | 51,000 |
| 2015 Suburban | 59 | 14% | 73,495 |
| 2014 Suburban | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2013 Suburban | 2 | 2% | 66,939 |
| 2012 Suburban | 3 | 3% | 100,000 |
| 2011 Suburban | 2 | 1% | 62,500 |
| 2010 Suburban | 2 | 2% | 60,204 |
| 2009 Suburban | 3 | 3% | 40,053 |
| 2008 Suburban | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2007 Suburban | 5 | 2% | 185,000 |
| 2006 Suburban | 3 | 13% | 64,000 |
| 2005 Suburban | 5 | 4% | 161,000 |
| 2004 Suburban | 14 | 7% | 44,119 |
| 2003 Suburban | 20 | 7% | 19,250 |
| 2002 Suburban | 22 | 8% | 41,046 |
| 2001 Suburban | 29 | 7% | 54,500 |
| 2000 Suburban | 20 | 7% | 62,591 |
| 1999 Suburban | 52 | 8% | 71,500 |
| 1998 Suburban | 21 | 10% | 72,500 |
| 1997 Suburban | 105 | 25% | 77,138 |
| 1996 Suburban | 15 | 4% | 89,200 |
| 1995 Suburban | 13 | 3% | 150,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Steering:steering control module
Model years: 2021
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. A software issue may cause a loss of power steering assist at startup or while driving.
Risk: Increased steering effort, particularly at lower speeds, increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: The power steering module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 13, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212333900.
Steering:electric power assist system
Model years: 2015
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade vehicles. Electric power steering (EPS) assist may be lost momentarily, followed by a sudden return of EPS assist.
Risk: If EPS assist is lost and then suddenly returns, the driver may have difficulty steering the vehicle, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the EPS module software, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18289.
Steering:electric power assist system
Model years: 2015
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra, and Yukon XL vehicles, equipped with electric power steering (EPS). Due to a problem with the EPS module, the affected vehicles may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist during vehicle operation.
Risk: An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering assist motor kit, free of charge. The recall began on November 17, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14743.
Power train:automatic transmission; steering:column locking:anti-theft device
Model years: 2013
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect", and FMVSS No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention." The vehicles may have been built with a fractured park lock cable or a malformed steering column lock actuator gear in the lock module assembly.
Risk: As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.
Steering:gear box:shaft pitman
Model years: 2012
Problem: General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet express and suburban vehicles, and gmc savana and yukon xl heavy duty vehicles. The steering gear pitman shaft may not have been adequately hardened and could fracture.
Risk: If this condition occurs, a loss of steering could result, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Gm will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear and, if necessary, replace the steering gear pitman shaft. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on april 4, 2012.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving and taking a curve, the vehicle failed to turn as needed. The contact stated that the steering wheel was extremely difficult to turn. The contact stated that the message âSteering Assist Reduced â Drive with…
As I was driving 75 mph down the highway my collision alert flashed all my lights turned off, including my headlights and all interior lights as it was dark time and they flashed back on a couple of times until they finally stayed on. I pulled over and as I came to zero, speed, the vehicle…
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and exhibited resistance, with no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering wheel…
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel locked at an angle, and the message "Power Steering Not Active" was displayed, causing the vehicle to strike a curb. The steering column, control arm, radiator, fender, and…
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but was a recurring failure. There was no warning light illuminated. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Suburbans have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 452 owner complaints about steering for the Chevrolet Suburban. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Suburban steering?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Chevrolet Suburban?
The most frequent phrase is “steering pump”, in 33 of 452 complaints, followed by “making turn” (23).
Other Chevrolet Suburban problems
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (940)
- Electrical System problems (747)
- Air Bags problems (651)
- Power Train problems (629)
- Service Brakes problems (566)
- Engine problems (529)
- Structure problems (363)
- Tires problems (325)
See all Chevrolet Suburban problems.