14 of the 382 complaints about the 2000 Chevrolet Suburban are about the electrical system — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 66,330 miles.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
5
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
SUBURBAN DASH FIRE WHILE SITTING IN COSTCO PARKING LOT. CAR FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES WITHIN THREE MINUTES. FIREMAN SAYS IT WAS A ELECTRICAL DASH FIRE. CAUSE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10192729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:45 P.M.I PARKED AND LOCKED MY 2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AT THE LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS LATER, THE CAR ALARM SOUNDED. I UNLOCKED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER THE FUSE BOX BEGAN TO SPARK AND IGNITED. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 WHO ARRIVED APPROXIMATELY 4 MINUTES LATER AT WHICH TIME THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE INSPECTOR DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF FIRE TO BE ELECTRIC. THE CAR HAS BEEN DETERMINED A TOTAL LOSS BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. GENERAL MOTORS WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS INCIDENT ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2005. THEIR INVESTIGATOR INSPECTED THE CAR ON OCTOBER 1,2005. THEY CONTACTED US ON OCTOBER 6, 2005 TO ASK FOR WITNESSES AND AN OFFICIAL FIRE FORM FP-33C WHICH WE PROMPTLY PROVIDED. GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOT DETERMINED THE NATURE OF THE FIRE. WE ARE CONCERNED FOR OTHER CONSUMER'S SAFETY. WE ARE SHOCKED AT GM'S LACKADAISICAL APPROACH TO THIS SAFETY CONCERN. WE MUST KNOW WHAT THE CAUSE OF THIS AUTOMOBILE FIRE WAS. GENERAL MOTORS THUS FAR HAS SHOWN NO SENSE OF URGENCY IN THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #10139996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
A CAR FIRE IN OUR 2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. SOURCE OF FIRE AS DETERMINED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ELECTRICAL. GM HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND SAYS THEY WILL LOOK INTO INCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10137873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH POWER WINDOWS. THE POWER MECHANISM FAILED, AND WINDOWS DID NOT WORK. THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE BATTERY. THERE WAS A BAD CELL. ALSO, THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. IT HAD TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10090098 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SINCE DAY ONE ON THIS SUBURBAN. MOST RECENTLY THE TWO ABOVE. I CHECKED THE WARRANTY WORK THAT WAS DONE ON MY SUBURBAN AND IT WAS OVER A PAGE OF CLAIMS. I JUST CANNOT REMEMBER THE DATES THE ITEMS I CHECKED OCCURED. THE FUEL PUMP PROBLEM WAS LONG IN THE COMING, THEY JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I SPENT OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON THE FUEL SYSTEM. THIS LEFT US STRANDED 3 TIMES! THIS LAST TIME COST ME $765. TODAY, THE ABS SYTEM DIED. THEY SAY IT'S GOING TO COST ME CLOSE TO A $1000 TO REPAIR. I PURCHASED THE SUBURBAN BECAUSE IT WAS SAFE TO CARRY MY WIFE AND 7 KIDS. SO FAR, WE HAVE BEEN STUCK ON THE ROAD, LOST VACATION TIME AND JUST CAN'T FEEL SAFE ANYMORE. NOW I DON'T HAVE BRAKES. THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT. KENT DOLD
NHTSA complaint #10071085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING INSIDE OF DRIVER'S DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED.
NHTSA complaint #10046322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BESIDE THE HOUSE AND WAS NOT DRIVEN FOR 3-4 DAYS, THE DRIVERS SIDE OUTSIDE REAR MIRROR ASSEMBLY SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITED. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FIRE STARTED DUE TO WIRING IN THE EXTERIOR MIRROR. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10031455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
ON FOUR DIFFERENT DATES, MY FUSES FOR IN INSTR. PANEL BLEW OUT. THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER IN GA. THEY SAID I GOT BAD FUEL, AND THAT IT WAS NOT UNDER THE 3YR/36,000. THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I SINCE FOUND OUT THEY TOOK ME FOR A RIDE. THIS WAS BACK IN 2001. THIS YEAR I HAVE HAD MY FUSES BLOW 3 TIMES WITH IN A WEEK. I HAVE NOTICE THAT EVERY TIME THEY BLOW IS WHEN I'M BLOW A 1/4 TANK OF GAS. I CHANGED THE FUSE ON MAY 26 TH OF 2003 AND MAY 31 TH OF 2003 AND JUNE 2 2003. I THINK THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS. I WAS DRIVING 2 OF THE FOUR TIMES. I COULD HAVE HAD A WRECK.
NHTSA complaint #10020918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
TWICE WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH THE ENGINE CONTROL FUSE HAS BLOWN SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE AND CAUSING THE POWER STEERING AND ABS BRAKING TO ALSO QUIT. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. COULD CAUSE A BIG PROBLEM IN BAD WEATHER AND CURVY ROADS. HAVE SEEN THAT THERE IS ANOTHER SIMILIAR INCIDENT IN YOUR COMPLAINT FILES FROM THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL
NHTSA complaint #10000625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 40+ MPH, THE ENGINE CUTS OFF COMPLETELY. FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS THE VEHICLE JUST "DIES" AND VEHICLE HAS TO BE GUIDED TO SHOULDER. FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON INTERSTATE 95 N , JUST SOUTH OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, RETURNING HOME WITH OUR 4 CHILDREN. FOUND OUT LATER FROM A DEALERSHIP THAT THE 20 AMP FUSE CALLED THE ECM WAS BLOWN. SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT IN MAY THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 4 MORE TIMES. WE GUIDE VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD AND REPLACE THE FUSE, START THE ENGINE TWICE AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY. AT THIS TIME, THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP, HOOKED UP TO A "TECH II" COMPUTER FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS. HAVE INFORMED DEALERSHIP THAT I WILL NOT ACCEPT VEHICLE UNTIL THIS PROBLEM HAS DEFINITELY BEEN RESOLVED, AS WE ARE ONCE AGAIN HEADED ONTO INTERSTATE 95 AND MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY NEXT TIME. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME AS WE ARE VERY EAGER TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. MARYANNE COMBS (703) 266-3173.
NHTSA complaint #750231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:SOLENOID
CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE BACK IN FOR SOLENOID PROBLEMS THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A MONTH AND A HALF, CURRENTLY THE VEHICLE IS OPERABLE.
NHTSA complaint #560932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
WHENEVER BRAKES ARE IN USE VEHICLE CAN SLOW UP, BUT FAILS TO STOP RIGHT AWAY. STOPPING DISTANCE IS INCREASED. HAD HIT A WALL & A FENCE DUE TO A LACK OF BRAKING POWER. VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH ABS WHICH WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, PARKING BRAKE WENT TO FLOOR. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 6 OR 7 TIMES. NOW PURSUING THE LEMON LAW. BATTERY FAILED. VEHICLE STALLED. EXHAUST LEAKS AND IS LOUD. AIR COMES THROUGH THE CENTER VENT WHEN THE FLOOR CONTROL IS ON. 4-WHEEL DRIVE WOULD NOT ENGAGE DUE TO A SHORT IN THE MODULE. FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #873968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WINDOWS DON'T ALWAYS COME DOWN WHEN CONSUMER PUSHES WINDOW BUTTON CONTROL OR MAIN CONTROL, POSSIBLE WIRING FAILURE WHICH CAUSES THE INSIDE LIGHT DIMS WHEN THE WINDOW BUTTONS ARE PUSHED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #554790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WINDOWS DON'T ALWAYS COME DOWN WHEN CONSUMER PUSHES WINDOW BUTTON CONTROL OR MAIN CONTROL, POSSIBLE WIRING FAILURE WHICH CAUSES THE INSIDE LIGHT DIMS WHEN THE WINDOW BUTTONS ARE PUSHED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #554790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.