FaultScore

2012 Chevrolet Suburban electrical problems

10 of the 139 complaints about the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban are about the electrical system — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 63,000 miles.

B

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Electrical System 10 100.0%

Electrical System across every Chevrolet Suburban year

1994 24 3.1%
1995 37 4.8%
1996 60 7.7%
1997 54 7.0%
1998 18 2.3%
1999 66 8.5%
2000 14 1.8%
2001 31 4.0%
2002 10 1.3%
2003 83 10.7%
2004 72 9.3%
2005 38 4.9%
2007 25 3.2%
2008 22 2.8%
2009 16 2.1%
2011 10 1.3%
2012 10 1.3%
2013 14 1.8%
2015 58 7.5%
2016 26 3.4%
2017 21 2.7%
2018 16 2.1%
2021 17 2.2%
2022 20 2.6%
2023 13 1.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 95,000 miles Phoenix, AZ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THIS MOSTLY OCCURS ON SURFACE STREETS, THE STABILITRAK LIGHTS WILL COME ON AND THEN SHUT OFF. THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOW COME ON AND THEN BLACK OUT THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR HAS EVEN COMPLETELY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AND THEN COME BACK ON. THIS IS QUITE TERRIFYING! THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED AND IS BRAND NEW. THE ONLY TIME THE CAR LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY WAS WHEN THE CAR WAS MOVING AT A SLOWER RATE OF BETWEEN 30-50 MPH.

NHTSA complaint #11149739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 103,000 miles Houston, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE RADIO AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS BLINKED OFF AND ON AND THE DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ACTING LIKE IT WAS STALLING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND SHUT IT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE ENGINE REVVED HIGHLY AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. UPON TAKING OFF, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AS IF IT WOULD STALL AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA complaint #10822637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 66,000 miles Bonnerdale, AR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL PUMP SEIZED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA complaint #10780568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 63,000 miles Ingleside, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE JUST STARTING TO ACCELERATE, THE RADIO SHUT OFF, THE AUTOMATIC LOCKS STARTED TO GO UP AND DOWN, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. I PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK, SHUT OF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED WITHOUT ISSUE 5 MINUTES LATER. TWO DAYS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED, ONLY THIS TIME, WHEN WE WENT TO RESTART THE TRUCK, IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AS NO DOME LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND THE FOB WOULD NOT WORK THE DOOR LOCKS. 3 HOURS LATER WHEN THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR SHOWED UP, THE TRUCK STARTED RIGHT UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES SINCE APRIL 6TH. THE LAST TIME, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AS I WAS CROSSING A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY, WE WERE NOT HIT. SEEING MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUE MAKE ME THINK IT IS NOT UNIQUE TO MY VEHICLE. "DEAD BATTERY" THAT ISN'T DEAD... "LOCKS GOING UP AND DOWN", "SUDDEN DECELERATION". DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND BE KILLED FOR ANYONE TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS ISSUE?? WHY NOT BE PROACTIVE AND START INVESTIGATION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED??

NHTSA complaint #10748498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 66,000 miles OAK Harbor, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

HAVING ISSUES WITH VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS WILL COME ON IN THE DASH (SEAT BELT, TRACTION CONTROL, AIR BAGS), THE RADIO WILL GO DEAD AND THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER, AND IT LOSES POWER AND STEERING FOR A FEW SECONDS. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I'M APPLYING BRAKES OR TURNING CORNERS AND JUST AT RANDOM TIMES. I'M VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, ESPECIALLY ON HARD CURVES WHEN YOU LOSE POWER. THE DEALER IS REPORTING THAT IT IS A GROUND CABLE ISSUE AND WANT US TO COVER THE ENTIRE COST OF REPAIRS. UPDATED 09/15/15

NHTSA complaint #10734128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 31,637 miles Goose Creek, SC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED AN UNKNOWN PLUG WAS LOOSE UNDER THE PASSENGERS SEAT. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,637.

NHTSA complaint #10705732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 14,000 miles Baytown, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

LOW MILES OWNER, GARAGE KEPT, AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF NON-USE, IE-PARKED IN GARAGE, VEHICLE WILL NOT START DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY. BAYTOWN (CRAFT) DEALER COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. CURRENT MILEAGE 24K, STILL DOES SAME THING, IF VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN ALMOST DAILY, THE BATTERY WILL GO DEAD FOR ZERO REASON AND NO ONE A CHEVY KNOW WHY OR WHAT. HAVE HAD VEHICLE AT DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTHING EVER FIXED.

NHTSA complaint #10680347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Lawton, OK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ON TWO RECENT OCCASIONS MY SUBURBAN HAS FAILED TO START (BATTERY DEAD). I WENT TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE, THEY TESTED THE BATTERY AND SAID IT WAS GOOD. WHY IS MY BATTERY GOING DEAD? BOTH INSTANCES ARE THE VEHICLE IS SET ON ACCESSORIES AND THE RADIO WAS WORKING. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE BATTERY WOULD NOT TURN OVER THE ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10650534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 63,000 miles Chandler, AZ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DOOR LOCKS CONTINUOUSLY BEGAN TO LOCK AND UNLOCK AS THE RADIO SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000. RK

NHTSA complaint #10566018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 8,628 miles Chippewa Falls, WI Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WENT TO PUT MY SHOES ON AND I SAW THAT MY FRONT END OF MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE .IT HAD BEEN 15 HOURS SINCE I HAD DRIVEN THE TRUCK . THERE WERE FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE FRONT PASSAGNER SIDE ON THE GRILL. AND ENGULFED THE FRONT END OF MY TRUCK.

NHTSA complaint #10459983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2012 Chevrolet Suburban problems

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