712 of the 10,610 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Suburban are about the transmission — 100% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1997.
712
Complaints
100%
Share of all complaints
36
Crashes
16
Fires
POWER TRAIN
Engine locked up, need engine replaced. We already satisfied the recall with the 0w-40 oil update.
NHTSA complaint #11763275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The transmission shutter and hesitates while downshifting.
NHTSA complaint #11761484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
Just for information purposes, I have been an ASE certified Master automotive technician for 30 years. As I was accelerating onto the highway, my transmission downshifted hard, throwing everything forward. It then went into limp mode with “ses” light on. I was able to drive it home stuck in one gear. The next morning I tried to drive the truck. It had reverse but when trying to go forward, the transmission was stuck in between gears and fighting itself. I manually shifted into low gear and it seemed to clear up the binding. I drove the truck up and down my driveway which is about a half mile long. No more “ses” light but when I went to park it, there was no movement in reverse. As I researched the problem I found the recall information on the valve body. I called several dealerships to find a service writer that had experience with these transmission issues. The truck was towed to a dealership that knew about this recall. Their technician checked for codes but there were none. It seems these trucks reset or “lose” codes when the ignition is turned off. He checked the fluid and decided that the reverse clutch must be burned up. They quoted a transmission replacement at $6500. I asked if they had driven the truck forward at all to reset any trouble codes. The truck was “unsafe” to drive due to the random harsh downshift and erratic behavior. I went there(putting myself in danger) to drive the truck to reset any trouble codes. Within a mile the truck did the same thing. It stored a code P2732. I was informed that GM would not do anything for me unless there was a P747. After reasoning with the service manager and also GM, it was obvious I was out of luck. I had the truck towed home and removed the transmission pan. The fluid was clean and there was no debris. The problem is in the defective valve body from GM but since it didn’t have the code P0747 I’m stuck having to repair it myself. The truck has 126k miles still well within the extended service range.
NHTSA complaint #11760852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while entering a parking lot at a low speed, the engine shut off without warning. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure, which was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle remained at the dealer for approximately three months before the engine was repaired. The contact stated that while driving recently, the vehicle hesitated upon depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning light illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the recent failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
NHTSA complaint #11760861 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
After having the proper recall performed. The engine locked up while driving on interstate. Total loss of power in heavy traffic nearly causing an accident.
NHTSA complaint #11760449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The transmission failed suddenly and without warning. When I Went to pull out from a stop sign with cross traffic doing 55 mph, the vehicle shuddered and stopped pulling. We barely had enough momentum to get out of the way of oncoming traffic at the last second. The oncoming traffic had to brake and honked. After reading online, this is a common issue with the 6l80 transmission torque converters being a failure point and the fluid temperature being too high. Gm has a service bulletin for a lower temp bypass valve but there is no recall and these units are failing by the tens of thousands.
NHTSA complaint #11758109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission overheating warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and waited for the engine to cool down. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The failure reoccurred every 15–20 miles while driving. In addition, the contact stated that eventually the vehicle stopped driving forward. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred almost two years later. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that an unknown part was not replaced during the transmission repair. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the dealer was the dealer who completed all three of the repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the failure was not due to a manufacturing defect. The failure mileage was approximately 84,478.
NHTSA complaint #11756021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I bought this vehicle in August 202 from Bayway Chevrolet in Pearland, Texas. The vehicle is now at 101,703 miles. The vehicle is a 2019 Chevy Suburban LT with the 8L43 transmission. Approximately 1 year ago, we started to have issues with the electronic screens - both the dashboard and the radio screen. The screens freeze, change channels and displays without any buttons being pressed or the screen being touched. Due to cost, we have not had this repaired yet, however our usual mechanic has said that he sees this issue all the time in smart technology vehicles. The transmission, on XXX, we were going to a family dinner and the vehicle started shifting hard and making a clanking noise. We turned around and went straight home. The next morning we took the vehicle to our mechanic who said the motor mounts were broken and a tune-up was needed. We got the vehicle back on Monday, XXX. Tuesday the XXX, I drove about 100 miles for work and noticed the vehicle was making a whining sound from the transmission. Took it to mechanic, by the time we drove about 2 miles to the mechanic, the entire transmission was completely broken. We now have to pay $5402.19 to rebuild the transmission at only 101,703 miles. I know GM is under a lot of scrutiny with the transmission issues right now and I believe my transmission is another one of those affected.
NHTSA complaint #11753997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
Transmission broke.
NHTSA complaint #11752858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that while the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle jerked abnormally. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked abnormally hard. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to three dealers, and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
NHTSA complaint #11752201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
Transmission faulty, loud, clunky and hard shifting! Service transmission now alert and code P0747
NHTSA complaint #11751709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? (On our 2021 gasoline suburgan, the rear wheels locked up at free-way speeds, which nearly caused a possibly fatal accident. The lock released but it appears the strain caused rear differential gear teeth to break and the rear differential now needs to be replaced for the vehicle to operate properly.) How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? (The sudden rear wheel lockup at freeway speeds resulted in temporary loss of control of the vehicle and significant surprise to the driver, who, after swerving into the adjacent lane was able to gain control of the steering and stop the vehicle. Had there been another vehicle in the other lane the MVA could have been fatal for 9 people in the suburban and any other vehicle involved.) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? (The rear differential damage was confirmed by a dealer.) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? (No.) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? (No warning or messages. This has happened 3 times over 3 years, always on extended trips 9-12 hours in duration. The first two times nearly caused an accident but no differential damage. This third time, the differential was immediately damaged due to the incident. We have since learned that this is an issue with 2022 suburbans, for which a recall has been issued. A recall has also been issued for 2021 DIESEL suburbans. However, no recall has been issued to gasoline 2021 suburbans, but apparently needs to be.)
NHTSA complaint #11750547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
Since December 2020, our Suburban has been in for seven extended, documented dealership repair events at Guaranty Chevrolet and Simpson Chevrolet of Garden Grove, totaling 192 cumulative days out of service and $47,560.86 in documented repair invoices — approximately 71% of what we paid for the vehicle. Those repairs have included a complete transmission replacement (58,861 miles), a recurrence of the same active-lifter defect only ten days later, an ignition coil failure, fuel injector and air conditioning failures, an oil pump failure, and, most seriously, a complete engine replacement (66,854 miles) after the dealership documented metal in the oil and filter and engine end play. The situation has continued to worsen. We picked up the vehicle on XXX following the complete engine replacement. Only six days later, on July 6, 2026, the check-engine light returned and we brought the vehicle back to the dealership. We were initially told the issue was a sensor; the following day, we were informed that the replacement engine — which the dealership had disclosed to us at the time was a refurbished unit — was itself defective and would need to be replaced a second time. As of this writing, that repair remains open. In other words, the remedy provided for this vehicle's most serious failure did not resolve the problem, and we are once again without our vehicle. This pattern of failures has caused real, ongoing hardship for our family. We specifically purchased a full-size, top-trim Suburban for its seating and cargo capacity: we have two teenagers at home who depend on us for transportation to school and activities, we regularly care for grandchildren, and our [XXX] daughter has Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a debilitating condition that often requires her to use a wheelchair. The Suburban's cargo space is what allows us to transport her together with her wheelchair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11750421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
COMPONENT: The 10-speed automatic transmission failed on 6/29/26, locking the vehicle completely in neutral. The neutral override could not be disengaged even by dealership technicians. Vehicle is currently at [XXX] Chevrolet, [XXX] and is available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: I have 3 young children who are regular passengers. The failure occurred without warning. Had it happened at highway speed in oncoming traffic, I would have had no ability to move the car — creating a direct risk of a serious or fatal collision. CONFIRMED BY DEALER: Yes. Don Hewlett Chevrolet received the vehicle on 6/30/26 and confirmed the failure is directly related to two active federal recalls: NHTSA #24V-797 (10-speed transmission valve body failure/wheel lockup) and NHTSA #22V-036 (driveshaft assembly/loss of propulsion). Vehicle has been unrepaired for 13 days with no timeline provided. OTHER INSPECTIONS: Vehicle has been in possession of Don Hewlett Chevrolet since 6/30/26. No manufacturer representative, police, or insurance inspection has occurred. WARNING SIGNS: None. No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms appeared before the failure. The power train locked suddenly and completely without any prior indication on 6/29/26. Despite the dealer confirming this is recall-related, they have indicated I may owe partial repair costs. Under 49 U.S.C. § 30120, GM must remedy recalls at no charge regardless of mileage or warranty. I am requesting NHTSA investigate both the failure and GM's attempt to charge the owner for federally mandated recall repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11750175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I own a 2022 Chevrolet Suburban with approximately 115,000 miles. While driving, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle suddenly entered limp mode. The transmission lost normal operation, including reverse gear, significantly limiting the vehicle’s ability to operate. The failure occurred without warning and created a potential safety concern because the vehicle could no longer respond normally to driving conditions. The vehicle was inspected by a Chevrolet dealership, where technicians diagnosed a failed transmission control valve body and confirmed the valve body required replacement. I paid to have the repair completed. After the repair, I learned that GM issued Special Coverage N242454441 for certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles equipped with the same transmission. The bulletin describes premature transmission control valve wear that can cause a service engine light, reduced engine performance, harsh shifting, and requires replacement of the transmission control valve body. My vehicle experienced the same failure and required the same repair, but my VIN was not included in the covered population. I contacted GM before authorizing the repair and requested assistance, but my request was denied because my VIN was not included in the special coverage. I am submitting this complaint because my vehicle experienced the same transmission valve body failure identified by GM despite not being included. I request that NHTSA document this failure and determine whether additional vehicles equipped with the same transmission should be included in any current or future safety investigation.
NHTSA complaint #11747576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly came to a complete stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to accelerate, and the vehicle drove sluggishly as if the tires were flat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission and motor mounts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.
NHTSA complaint #11744890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
2021 Chevy Suburban started to have harsh shifting particularly on acceleration and shuddering at higher rates of speed (feeling like you are driving over a rumble strip). I took it to the dealer, and they confirmed the torque converter was in the process of failing. It's currently in the shop getting a new torque converter. No warning messages/lights had yet appeared. Technician at dealer stated that this was a common failure with this model.
NHTSA complaint #11743773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I am writing to formally report a critical safety defect in the vehicle’s transmission system. While driving, the vehicle began experiencing severe vibrations, accompanied by an abnormal increase in engine RPMs, while the vehicle failed to accelerate appropriately. The vehicle became unresponsive, limiting my speed to 15-20 mph. This forced me to make frequent stops every 6-7 minutes to allow the transmission to cool down, as the car would not sustain normal speeds. This failure created an extremely dangerous situation on the highway. Due to the sudden loss of power and inability to maintain traffic flow, I was subjected to aggressive behavior from other drivers, who were honking, gesturing, and clearly endangered by my inability to accelerate. This transmission failure is a major safety hazard that renders the vehicle unreliable and dangerous to operate in any traffic condition. I am requesting an immediate investigation into this transmission defect and a permanent resolution from General Motors, as this issue poses a significant risk of causing a collision. I spoke with the owner of AAMCO, and he showed me that they have 7 of these Chevy Suburbans, GMC Yukons, and Chevy Tahoes, Escalades, and they all have the same problem, the transmission needs to be replaced, and General Motors is not notifying car owners about this problem, but it should.
NHTSA complaint #11743335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle was shaking and shuddering when trying to maintain highway speeds. Would have to slow down to maintain safety. The dealership advised the transmission needs replaced however we are seeing this is a widespread problem that GM has refused to admit fault for.
NHTSA complaint #11743051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The failure involved the transmission valve body control valve within the automatic transmission system of the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban, a critical component responsible for regulating hydraulic pressure and controlling gear shifting. The malfunction caused erratic and unreliable shifting behavior, including hesitation, harsh engagement, and loss of proper acceleration; the failed component is in the custody of Northside Chevy in San Antonio, TX. This issue created a significant safety risk, as the unpredictable transmission response impacted the driver’s ability to accelerate when necessary (merging onto high traffic roads) and increased the likelihood of dangerous situations like rear-end collisions or loss of control. The problem was confirmed by an authorized Chevrolet dealer, where diagnostic testing identified faults in the transmission control system and verified the failure through performance testing and fault codes. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership service department, though it has not been directly examined by the manufacturer, law enforcement, or insurance representatives; however, documentation of the diagnosis is being withheld by the dealership. Prior to the failure there were no warning signs present. Only after failure did the check engine light illuminate, transmission-related warning messages, and noticeable symptoms such as hard shifting, delayed engagement, and slipping, which appeared shortly before the complete failure and significantly worsened over the three-mile drive to the dealership.
NHTSA complaint #11742058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.