Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1985 Chevrolet Suburban
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Seats
216.7%
Tires
216.7%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Transmission & Drivetrain
216.7%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Engine & Cooling
216.7%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
18.3%
Suspension
18.3%
Brakes
18.3%
Steering
18.3%
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.
Oct 1995peak 4Jan 2001
NHTSA investigations into the 1985 Chevrolet Suburban
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
DP88003Opened 23 Oct 1987Closed 20 Feb 1988SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
POOR BRAKING ON PANIC STOP
POOR BRAKING ON PANIC STOP
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Temple City, CACrash1 injured
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00 020; WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR TIRE. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE SPRUNG AROUND AND WENT INTO FOUR LANE TRAFFIC, AND A GASOLINE TRUCK RAN INTO IT. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE #AT STEEL MS/RADIAL R4S .*AK TIRE SIZE IS (P235 85 R16), AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGERS CLAIMED NO INJURIES, HOWEVER SINCE THEN THE DRIVER HAS HAD SEVERE SHOULDER PAIN DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #868962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westchester, PAFire
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FIRE STARTED IN THE TRANSMISSION AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA complaint #975298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Fort Smith, AR
TIRES
GOODYEAR DEALER OVERINFLATED TIRES (G159 UNISTEEL P235/85R16), THE DEALER ALSO REPLACED TIRES WITH A DEFECTED BENT RIM AND ANOTHER TIRE APPEARS TO BE A RECAP, THE JOINT WHERE THE TREAD CAP CONNECTS TO THE SIDEWALL, WHEN THE TIRES ARE OVERINFLATED IT CAUSES TIRES TO FEEL HARD AND ALSO CAUSES STEERING PROBLEMS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #558307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Temple City, CACrash1 injured
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00 020; WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR TIRE. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE SPRUNG AROUND AND WENT INTO FOUR LANE TRAFFIC, AND A GASOLINE TRUCK RAN INTO IT. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE #AT STEEL MS/RADIAL R4S .*AK TIRE SIZE IS (P235 85 R16), AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGERS CLAIMED NO INJURIES, HOWEVER SINCE THEN THE DRIVER HAS HAD SEVERE SHOULDER PAIN DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #868962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Yonkers, NY
SEATS
SEAT ANCHORS BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO COLLAPSE. RECALL ON MODELS 1987-1991 (#93V187000), HOWEVER CONSUMERS VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY.
NHTSA complaint #525687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Laredo, TX
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
LOOSE STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #523661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA complaint #505180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #505180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
TRANSFER CASE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #505180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CA
SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER
STRUT ROD LOOSE.
NHTSA complaint #505180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bryan, OH
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT) *DSH
NHTSA complaint #503369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NEW Ideria, LA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
EA95-026 ACTIVE, BRAKE FAILURE, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, AFTER IN FOR REPAIR LEFT FRONT LOCKED UP IN WET CONDITIONS.
NHTSA complaint #982223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westchester, PAFire
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FIRE STARTED IN THE TRANSMISSION AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA complaint #975298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lake Forest, CA
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BROKE WHILE DRIVING. TT UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE BOLTS THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT SHEARED IN HALF.
NHTSA complaint #973777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.