FaultScore report
Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 with NHTSA between 2006 and 2018. The largest single group is the brakes. Across this model's run it ranks 9 of 21 worst.
FaultScore 44/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Chevrolet Suburban 1500.
How this is worked out12
Complaints
2
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
92,000 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
30%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
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.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
2 crashes, 0 fires · median 134,250 mi
Median failure at 163,000 miles
Median failure at 500 miles
Median failure at 65,000 miles
Median failure at 180,000 miles
Median failure at 500 miles
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
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.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT ROTOR (SEPARATED INTO TWO PIECES) CAUSED COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING TO ALL WHEELS AND SUBSEQUENT CRASH INTO REAR OF TRACTOR TRAILER ON HIGHWAY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10177055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHILE BRAKING TO STOP IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ON CLEAR DRY DAY, ABS MOMENTARILY ACTIVATED THEN RELEASED ALL BRAKES CAUSING VEHICLE TO REAR-END TRACTOR TRAILER. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT ROTOR INTO TWO PIECES WITH FULL HUB SEPARATION. PEDAL REMAINED HARD BUT ABS PREVENTED ANY BRAKING.
NHTSA complaint #10159662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IT KEEPS STALLING ON US. WE HAVE REPLACED ALL THE CENSORS, THE CONTROL MODULE AND WE EVEN REPLACED THE REAR END WE HAVE SPENT WELL OVERA THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS VEHICLE STILL WONT STAY RUNNING IT STALLS WON'T START WE HAVE FIXED EVERYTHING THE CODES ARE READING. THIS CONTINUES TO STALL IT SHUTS DOWN BY ITS SELF IT ALMOST KILLED MY WIFE AND KIDS A FEW TIMES I WANT THIS VEHICLE FULLY REPAIRED FOR FREE. I HABE ONE INCOME AND I CANT EVEN CATCH UP ON MY BILLS AS WE HAVE SPENT MORE ON HER VEHICLE TO STILL CAUSE PROBLEMS AND ME ALMOST LOOKING MY FAMILY MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #11140221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IT KEEPS STALLING ON US. WE HAVE REPLACED ALL THE CENSORS, THE CONTROL MODULE AND WE EVEN REPLACED THE REAR END WE HAVE SPENT WELL OVERA THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS VEHICLE STILL WONT STAY RUNNING IT STALLS WON'T START WE HAVE FIXED EVERYTHING THE CODES ARE READING. THIS CONTINUES TO STALL IT SHUTS DOWN BY ITS SELF IT ALMOST KILLED MY WIFE AND KIDS A FEW TIMES I WANT THIS VEHICLE FULLY REPAIRED FOR FREE. I HABE ONE INCOME AND I CANT EVEN CATCH UP ON MY BILLS AS WE HAVE SPENT MORE ON HER VEHICLE TO STILL CAUSE PROBLEMS AND ME ALMOST LOOKING MY FAMILY MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #11140221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
IT KEEPS STALLING ON US. WE HAVE REPLACED ALL THE CENSORS, THE CONTROL MODULE AND WE EVEN REPLACED THE REAR END WE HAVE SPENT WELL OVERA THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS VEHICLE STILL WONT STAY RUNNING IT STALLS WON'T START WE HAVE FIXED EVERYTHING THE CODES ARE READING. THIS CONTINUES TO STALL IT SHUTS DOWN BY ITS SELF IT ALMOST KILLED MY WIFE AND KIDS A FEW TIMES I WANT THIS VEHICLE FULLY REPAIRED FOR FREE. I HABE ONE INCOME AND I CANT EVEN CATCH UP ON MY BILLS AS WE HAVE SPENT MORE ON HER VEHICLE TO STILL CAUSE PROBLEMS AND ME ALMOST LOOKING MY FAMILY MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #11140221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
DISCOVERED WHILE REPLACING THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY, THE U BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE REAR AXLE HOUSING TO THE LEAF SPRINGS HAD ALMOST RUSTED THRU. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT EASILY RECOGNIZABLE AS THE CONFIGURATION OF LOWER PLATE THAT THE U BOLTS GO THRU CONCEALS THE RUSTED PORTIONS OF THE U BOLT. ALSO, THE CONFIGURATION OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED PLATE CAPTURES ROAD SALT, CORRODING THE U BOLTS. IF THESE BOLTS FAILED, THE REAR AXLE WOULD DISLODGE FROM THE VEHICLE WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS.
NHTSA complaint #10795331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 DIESEL 6.5. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AT LEAST FIFTEEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE INJECTION PUMP WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT, FUEL FILTER AND THE TURBO CHARGER WASTE GATE SOLENOID TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 187,000.
NHTSA complaint #10357314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND FLUID WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ON. CALLED CHEVY AND WAS TOLD NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE THIS HAS STARTED.
NHTSA complaint #10280452 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ON THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN VERY POOR SINCE IT WAS BUILT. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHER OWNERS AND COLLISION SHOPS WHO SAY THAT THE FAILURE OF THE ABS TO WORK PROPERLY HAS CAUSED THEIR ACCIDENTS. I MYSELF HAD A VERY CLOSE CALL THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE AS I WAS STOPPING, ONE WHEEL HIT A WET SPOT AND ALL FOUR WHEELS STOPPED THEIR BRAKING ACTION AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT RECOVER THE BRAKING FUNCTION FOR OVER 3 SECONDS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT/PROBLEM. AND, ALTHOUGH HE COMPLETELY CHECKED OUT MY ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM, HE SAID THERE NOTHING WAS WRONG. HE SAID THAT SOME 96 SUBURBANS HAD A RUST PROBLEM WITH SOME BRAKE COMPONENTS BUT THAT MINE WAS NOT RUSTY. THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSED SOME SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENTS!!!!!
NHTSA complaint #10249184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 - MILEAGE 149,000 - PROFESSIONALLY MAINTAINED & CLEANED. RECENTLY THE VEHICLE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AT LOW SPEEDS UNDER ALL EXCEPT VERY LIGHT BRAKE APPLICATIONS. ABS WILL ACTIVATE AT VEHICLE SPEEDS OF LESS THAN APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH DURING BRAKING. THIS UNNECESSARY ACTIVATION CAUSES VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCES TO INCREASE AND HAS CAUSED ONE "NEAR MISS" AT A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION WHEN THE VEHICLE BRAKES RELEASED DUE TO THE ABS APPLICATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE ABS AND THAT GM HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON NEWER VEHICLES. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS ABS ISSUE IS OCCURRING IN VEHICLES OUTSIDE THE PARAMETERS OF THE GM RECALL (PRE 1998 VEHICLES) AND CONSTITUTES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE DISCONNECTED THE ABS SYSTEM UNTIL TOMORROW. AT THAT TIME I WILL HAVE MY MECHANIC ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND RECTIFY IT.
NHTSA complaint #10236761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR AWHILE IT DEVELOPS A VERY SEVER SHAKING. IT IS TO THE POINT IT KNOCKS STUFF OFF THE DASH AND OUT OF THE CUP HOLDERS. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES CHANGED, ROTATED, BALANCED. THIS DOES NOTHING TO HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10202242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR AWHILE IT DEVELOPS A VERY SEVER SHAKING. IT IS TO THE POINT IT KNOCKS STUFF OFF THE DASH AND OUT OF THE CUP HOLDERS. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES CHANGED, ROTATED, BALANCED. THIS DOES NOTHING TO HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10202242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT ROTOR (SEPARATED INTO TWO PIECES) CAUSED COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING TO ALL WHEELS AND SUBSEQUENT CRASH INTO REAR OF TRACTOR TRAILER ON HIGHWAY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10177055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHILE BRAKING TO STOP IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ON CLEAR DRY DAY, ABS MOMENTARILY ACTIVATED THEN RELEASED ALL BRAKES CAUSING VEHICLE TO REAR-END TRACTOR TRAILER. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT ROTOR INTO TWO PIECES WITH FULL HUB SEPARATION. PEDAL REMAINED HARD BUT ABS PREVENTED ANY BRAKING.
NHTSA complaint #10159662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.