Chevrolet Suburban Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 145 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the Chevrolet Suburban across 28 model years. The 1999 model year has the most (19). The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (12% of reports).
- 145vehicle speed control complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 18mention a crash
- 13mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 47%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.
- Cruise control: mentioned in 18 of 145 complaints (12%)
- Suddenly accelerated: mentioned in 8 of 145 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 72 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 145 complaints, 18 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 13 an injury.
Chevrolet Suburban vehicle speed control complaints by model year
| Model year | Vehicle Speed Control complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Suburban | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 Suburban | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Suburban | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Suburban | 3 | 7% | 200 |
| 2019 Suburban | 1 | 1% | 55,000 |
| 2018 Suburban | 3 | 4% | 24,000 |
| 2017 Suburban | 6 | 4% | 43,684 |
| 2016 Suburban | 5 | 2% | 10,250 |
| 2015 Suburban | 4 | 1% | 95,961 |
| 2014 Suburban | 1 | 2% | 2,735 |
| 2013 Suburban | 4 | 3% | 31,000 |
| 2012 Suburban | 1 | 1% | 63,000 |
| 2011 Suburban | 5 | 3% | 20,000 |
| 2010 Suburban | 2 | 2% | 39,000 |
| 2009 Suburban | 2 | 2% | 50,027 |
| 2008 Suburban | 3 | 1% | 140,000 |
| 2007 Suburban | 1 | 0% | 78,268 |
| 2005 Suburban | 8 | 6% | 52,090 |
| 2004 Suburban | 12 | 6% | 75,000 |
| 2003 Suburban | 15 | 5% | 82,526 |
| 2002 Suburban | 8 | 3% | 118,500 |
| 2001 Suburban | 12 | 3% | 52,500 |
| 2000 Suburban | 6 | 2% | 100,000 |
| 1999 Suburban | 19 | 3% | 75,000 |
| 1998 Suburban | 2 | 1% | — |
| 1997 Suburban | 3 | 1% | 160,000 |
| 1996 Suburban | 5 | 1% | — |
| 1995 Suburban | 9 | 2% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control
Model years: 1995, 1996
Problem: These vehicles were assembled with the throttle cable contacting the dash mat which could bind the throttle. This does not meet with the maximum return times required by federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 124, "accelerator control systems."
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance: the engine speed may not return to idle increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for adequate throttle cable to dash mat clearance, and if there is insufficient clearance, cut out a portion of the dash mat to provide proper clearance.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
As I was driving on the Highway. My speed was approximately 65 MPH. The suburban slowed itself down and flashed on the driver screen "slow down/reduced acceleration". I was driving with my family in the car on the highway. The car forcing a slow down like that could have caused an accident that…
See attached document for complaint.
Vehicle accelerated while driving. The RPMs gage turned red; however, the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road with other cars coming. After the vehicle came to a full stop it would not move. Finally it started moving slowly and I was able to get off the road. When the tow truck arrived the…
There is an electronic problem that continues to trip the warning for the Air Ride suspension system to fail leaving the vehicle stuck at its current ride height or it drops eithee the front or rear suspension to the ground while simultaneously raising the front or rear to its highest setting. It…
Driving on interstate and gradual onset of clicking/knocking. Within 5 minutes complete loss of propulsion and throttle. RPM went to zero. Oil pressure/temperature/engine lights all fine. Dealership states "catastrophic engine failure." My family was in the vehicle. Fortunately still had power…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Suburbans have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 145 owner complaints about vehicle speed control 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 vehicle speed control?
Yes: 1 safety recall list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the Chevrolet Suburban?
The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 18 of 145 complaints, followed by “suddenly accelerated” (8).
Other Chevrolet Suburban problems
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (940)
- Electrical System problems (747)
- Air Bags problems (651)
- Power Train problems (629)
- Service Brakes problems (567)
- Engine problems (531)
- Steering problems (452)
- Structure problems (363)
See all Chevrolet Suburban problems.