GMC Suburban Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,017 owner complaints and 12 safety recalls on file for the GMC Suburban, across 10 model years (1995–2004). The 1999 model year has the most complaints (285). The most reported problem area overall is service brakes, hydraulic.
GMC Suburban years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Suburban year: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1999 Suburban: 285 complaints, 1 recall
- 1995 Suburban: 227 complaints, 6 recalls
- 1997 Suburban: 200 complaints, 2 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2004 Suburban: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2001 Suburban: 5 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2003 Suburban: 5 complaints, 1 recall
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common GMC Suburban problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 368 | 7 | 42 |
| Tires | 98 | 9 | 11 |
| Electrical System | 97 | 6 | 0 |
| Power Train | 87 | 7 | 5 |
| Visibility | 87 | 6 | 0 |
| Steering | 86 | 6 | 5 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 66 | 7 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 61 | 8 | 0 |
| Seats | 60 | 6 | 1 |
| Suspension | 36 | 7 | 1 |
| Air Bags | 22 | 8 | 21 |
| Seat Belts | 19 | 5 | 0 |
| Equipment | 18 | 6 | 0 |
| Structure | 18 | 6 | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 4 | 4 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Trailer Hitches | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Child Seat | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
GMC Suburban problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 1999: service brakes, hydraulic (118)
- 1997: service brakes, hydraulic (57)
- 1996: service brakes, hydraulic (61)
- 1995: service brakes, hydraulic (100)
All GMC Suburban model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Suburban | 1 | 0 | — | Suspension | |
| 2003 Suburban | 5 | 1 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | |
| 2002 Suburban | 7 | 1 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2001 Suburban | 5 | 2 | — | Seats | |
| 2000 Suburban | 15 | 2 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1999 Suburban | 285 | 1 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 Suburban | 100 | 2 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Suburban | 200 | 2 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1996 Suburban | 172 | 3 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1995 Suburban | 227 | 6 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
More from GMC: all GMC models · GMC VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Suburban years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (227), 1996 (172), 1997 (200), 1998 (100), 1999 (285) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Suburban year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the GMC Suburban?
Service Brakes, Hydraulic, with 368 complaints across 7 model years.
How many recalls does the GMC Suburban have?
12 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.