FaultScore

1996 GMC Suburban steering problems

10 of the 220 complaints about the 1996 GMC Suburban are about the steering — 5% of everything reported for this model year.

F

10

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Steering Wheel/Handle BAR 3 30.0%
Steering 2 20.0%
Linkages 2 20.0%
Pump 1 10.0%
Gear BOX (Other Than Rack AND Pinion) 1 10.0%
Idler AND Attachment 1 10.0%

Steering across every GMC Suburban year

1996 10 13.5%
1997 40 54.1%
1999 24 32.4%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Columbus, IN

STEERING:LINKAGES

TRUCK PULLS WHEN BRAKING. TBS FIX IMPLEMENTED WITH LITTLE TO NO IMPROVEMENT. LAST TIME AT DEALER, DEALER SAID GMC HAS PROBLEM WITH 3/4TON SUBURBAN BRAKES BUT DOESN'T HAVE FIX. NOTHING HE CAN DO. TRUCK HAS HAD COMBINATION VALVE REPLACED, REAR SHOES REPLACED, FRONT PADS REPLACED (5X TOTAL), CALIPERS REPLACED, ROTORS REPLACED, TIE RODS REPLACED, IDLE ARM REPLACED, STEERING BOX AND PITMAN ARM REPLACED, FRONT BRAKE HOSES REPLACED, CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED, AND ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO FIX TO THE PROBLEM. BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY THE VEHICLE WILL GO AND HOW HARD IT WILL TRY TO GET THERE. AS AN ENGINE DESIGNER I FIND IT AMAZING THAT GM HAS A HANDLING/SAFETY ISSUE OF THIS MAGNITUDE. THIS IS A BIG TRUCK TO HAVE SUCH A CONTROLABILITY PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. A SHAULL

NHTSA complaint #746971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Columbus, IN

STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT

TRUCK PULLS WHEN BRAKING. TBS FIX IMPLEMENTED WITH LITTLE TO NO IMPROVEMENT. LAST TIME AT DEALER, DEALER SAID GMC HAS PROBLEM WITH 3/4TON SUBURBAN BRAKES BUT DOESN'T HAVE FIX. NOTHING HE CAN DO. TRUCK HAS HAD COMBINATION VALVE REPLACED, REAR SHOES REPLACED, FRONT PADS REPLACED (5X TOTAL), CALIPERS REPLACED, ROTORS REPLACED, TIE RODS REPLACED, IDLE ARM REPLACED, STEERING BOX AND PITMAN ARM REPLACED, FRONT BRAKE HOSES REPLACED, CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED, AND ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO FIX TO THE PROBLEM. BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY THE VEHICLE WILL GO AND HOW HARD IT WILL TRY TO GET THERE. AS AN ENGINE DESIGNER I FIND IT AMAZING THAT GM HAS A HANDLING/SAFETY ISSUE OF THIS MAGNITUDE. THIS IS A BIG TRUCK TO HAVE SUCH A CONTROLABILITY PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. A SHAULL

NHTSA complaint #746971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Columbus, IN

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

TRUCK PULLS WHEN BRAKING. TBS FIX IMPLEMENTED WITH LITTLE TO NO IMPROVEMENT. LAST TIME AT DEALER, DEALER SAID GMC HAS PROBLEM WITH 3/4TON SUBURBAN BRAKES BUT DOESN'T HAVE FIX. NOTHING HE CAN DO. TRUCK HAS HAD COMBINATION VALVE REPLACED, REAR SHOES REPLACED, FRONT PADS REPLACED (5X TOTAL), CALIPERS REPLACED, ROTORS REPLACED, TIE RODS REPLACED, IDLE ARM REPLACED, STEERING BOX AND PITMAN ARM REPLACED, FRONT BRAKE HOSES REPLACED, CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED, AND ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO FIX TO THE PROBLEM. BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY THE VEHICLE WILL GO AND HOW HARD IT WILL TRY TO GET THERE. AS AN ENGINE DESIGNER I FIND IT AMAZING THAT GM HAS A HANDLING/SAFETY ISSUE OF THIS MAGNITUDE. THIS IS A BIG TRUCK TO HAVE SUCH A CONTROLABILITY PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. A SHAULL

NHTSA complaint #746971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Charles, MO

STEERING

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, STEERING WHEEL "OVERSTEERS" WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE.

NHTSA complaint #842189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kooskia, ID 1 injured

STEERING

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH GOING AROUND A CURVE, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE SUBURBAN BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT CORRECT FROM THE STEERING ATTEMPT. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ROTATED AT 360 DEGREES, BUT WOULD NOT CORRECT THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE. GMC WOULD NOT RESPOND TO COMPLAINT.

NHTSA complaint #823406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kooskia, ID Crash 1 injured

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH THE STEERING WHEEL CAME LOOSE AND WAS ABLE TO BE TURNED 360 DEGREES, RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE HITTING A WALL DUE TO A LOOSE BOLT IN STEERING COLUMN.

NHTSA complaint #823140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Akron, OH

STEERING:LINKAGES

TIE RODS BROKE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #525400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hialeah, FL

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

CONSUMER HAD HIS STEERING SHAFT REPLACED BECAUSE THE CAR WAS DRIVING FUNNY. MANUFACTURER SAID THAT IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #813764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Redlands, CA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #603135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saugus, CA

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

STEERING COLUMN FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #508388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 GMC Suburban problems

← Full 1996 GMC Suburban report