FaultScore

Worst years for a GMC Suburban

Owners have filed 2,323 complaints about the GMC Suburban with NHTSA across model years 1974 to 2004. More of them are about the brakes than anything else.

Avoid

1994 GMC Suburban

490 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly brakes.

Cleanest on record

2000 GMC Suburban

20 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every GMC Suburban year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2004 1 0 0 Suspension
2003 8 1 0 18,500 Brakes
2002 9 1 0 69,000 Tires
2001 5 1 0 Seats
2000 B 20 1 0 23,000 Brakes
1999 D 393 30 6 75,000 Brakes
1998 B 137 10 3 88,393 Brakes
1997 C 268 22 4 90,723 Brakes
1996 C 220 13 2 87,947 Brakes
1995 C 294 24 2 125,000 Brakes
1994 D 490 70 5 113,000 Brakes
1993 D 254 38 10 Brakes
1992 105 25 2 Brakes
1991 33 2 0 Seats
1990 28 3 0 Brakes
1989 24 2 1 Seat Belts
1988 8 0 0 Seat Belts
1987 8 1 2 Fuel & Propulsion
1986 4 0 0 Brakes
1985 6 0 1 Brakes
1984 5 2 0 Tires
1983 2 0 1 Fuel & Propulsion
1974 1 0 0 Brakes

What breaks on a GMC Suburban

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Brakes 1,053 45.3%

Worst in 1994

Worst in 1994

Tires 136 5.9%

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1997

Worst in 1997

Seats 105 4.5%

Worst in 1995

Engine & Cooling 100 4.3%

Worst in 1999

Steering 95 4.1%

Worst in 1997

Worst in 1997

Suspension 51 2.2%

Worst in 1999

Seat Belts 49 2.1%

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1995

Worst in 1996

Worst in 1999

Exactly what failed on a GMC Suburban

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 745 58.4%
Motor 101 7.9%
Automatic Transmission 71 5.6%
Windshield Wiper/Washer 68 5.3%
Foundation Components 65 5.1%
Tread/Belt 59 4.6%
Disc 56 4.4%
12V/24V/48V Battery 46 3.6%
Gasoline 37 2.9%
Fuel Pump 28 2.2%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every GMC Suburban, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 68 Dec 2022

GMC Suburban problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the GMC Suburban

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.