FaultScore

FaultScore report

1994 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 problems

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1994 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 with NHTSA between 2006 and 2014. The largest single group is the windows, mirrors & wipers. Across this model's run it ranks 17 of 21 worst.

A

FaultScore 19/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Chevrolet Suburban 1500.

How this is worked out

The numbers

10

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

155,005 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

0%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 6 vs 50 Severity 52 vs 50 Early failure 0 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 6
Against the median year of the Chevrolet Suburban 1500. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 52
10% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 0
0% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 1994 compares with every other Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1994 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 4 40.0%

Median failure at 150,000 miles

Seat Belts 3 30.0%

Median failure at 174,000 miles

Equipment & Accessories 1 10.0%
Tires 1 10.0%

Median failure at 119,175 miles

Brakes 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 231,980 mi

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Dec 2006 peak 2 Jun 2014

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 231,980 miles Valrico, FL Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS HANGING DOWN UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MADE THE REPAIR AND INFORMED THE CONTACT IF IT FELL OFF AGAIN, TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE PUSHROD CAME OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA # 93V152000, FOR THE SERVICE BRAKES: HYDRAULIC: PEDAL AND LINKAGES DUE TO THE VIN, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10176152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Vernon Hills, IL

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GM CUSTOMERS AND PASSENGERS THAT USE VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED AND/OR POISONED. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED GM DEVELOPED AN AFTER-BLOW RETROFIT KIT TO REMOVE EXCESS WATER FROM THE A/C EVAPORATOR CORE. THE CONSUMER STATED IN DECEMBER 2002, HE WAS IN THE VEHICLE WITH HIS WIFE, WHEN HE TURNED ON THE HEATER, THE AIR HAD MUSTY ODOR AND HE BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING. HE TURNED OFF THE HEATER AND OPENED THE WINDOWS. THEY STOPPED A T A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE ODOR, AND THEY WERE TOLD IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT OF HVAC SYSTEM. THE AC EVAPORATOR CORE DID NOT ALLOW WATER TO DISSIPATE/EVAPORATE AND MICROBIAL GROWTH COULD OCCUR WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT MADE HIS ENTIRE FAMILY SICK.

NHTSA complaint #10596146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Bend, NC

SEAT BELTS

THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN YOU LEAN FORWARD AND THE WIPERS WILL WORK SOMETIMES BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY WILL NOT TURN ON. THIS REDUCES VISIBILITY WHILE RAINING AND IF IT RESULTS IN A CRASH THE SEAT BELTS MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY TO PROTECT THE PASSENGERS.

NHTSA complaint #10523614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Bend, NC

VISIBILITY/WIPER

THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN YOU LEAN FORWARD AND THE WIPERS WILL WORK SOMETIMES BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY WILL NOT TURN ON. THIS REDUCES VISIBILITY WHILE RAINING AND IF IT RESULTS IN A CRASH THE SEAT BELTS MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY TO PROTECT THE PASSENGERS.

NHTSA complaint #10523614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 119,175 miles Washington Boro, PA

TIRES

CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED AROUND THE INNER AND OUTER TREAD OF ALL FOUR TIRES AFTER 14001 MILES OF WEAR ON THE YOKOHAMA TIRES GELOLANDER 11/T-S. THE CRACKS RADIATE AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRE. TREAD SEPARATION ON ALL FOUR TIRES. SIZE P245/75R-16 109S DOT FB8Y.

NHTSA complaint #10512451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 106,000 miles Waynesboro, PA

VISIBILITY/WIPER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, THERE ARE 2 RECALLS ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB

NHTSA complaint #10475654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 174,000 miles Summerset, SD

SEAT BELTS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS FAILING TO RETRACT. THE DEALERS TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SEAT RETRACTOR WAS FAILING AND UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED SINCE THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER MADE THE PART. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONTACT USE THE JUNK YARD TO OBTAIN THE PART. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THE PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO OBTAIN THE PART ON HER OWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,255. UPDATED 01/14/09. *LJ UPDATED 01/21/09

NHTSA complaint #10252224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 150,000 miles Waynesboro, PA

VISIBILITY

1994 SUBURBAN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY SOME TIMES STOPPING ALL TOGETHER. OTHER TIMES THE WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. HAVE HAD LOCAL GARAGE REPAIR. TRIED TO USE OLD RECALL TO GET THE BOARD REPLACED AND THE GARAGE STATED THAT IT HAD EXPIRED AND OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10242185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chester, IL

SEAT BELTS

WE HAVE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SEATBELTS ON OUR 1994 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. AFTER CLOSING THE SEATBELTS, THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO POP OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. (THE FORCE WILL CAUSE THEM TO OPEN.) WHILE NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED, THIS IS ALARMING TO ME BECAUSE IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT, THE PEOPLE IN OUR VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE PROTECTED BY SEATBELTS.

NHTSA complaint #10203723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 231,980 miles Valrico, FL Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS HANGING DOWN UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MADE THE REPAIR AND INFORMED THE CONTACT IF IT FELL OFF AGAIN, TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE PUSHROD CAME OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA # 93V152000, FOR THE SERVICE BRAKES: HYDRAULIC: PEDAL AND LINKAGES DUE TO THE VIN, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10176152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 160,010 miles Russellville, AR

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

I OWN A 1994 CHEVY SUBURBAN. THIS MODEL HAS THE BARN DOORS ON THE BACK AND EACH DOOR HAS ONE WINDOW IN IT. THREE WEEKS AGO WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE GLASS IN THE BACK DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE JUST SHATTERED. THERE WERE NO BUMPS IN THE ROAD. NO GRAVEL AROUND. NO REASON WHATSOEVER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. $300 LATER I HAVE A NEW WINDOW BACK THERE. YESTERDAY THE SAME THING HAPPENS ONLY IT IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH GM HAS ENGINEERED THIS GLASS TO LAST ONLY SO LONG AND THEN POP! PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANY ONE ELSE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10175801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.