1,053 of the 2,323 complaints filed about the GMC Suburban are about the braking system — 45% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1994.
1,053
Complaints
45%
Share of all complaints
177
Crashes
7
Fires
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OR COMING TO STOP THE ABS SEEMS TO ENGAGE AND CAUSE ERRATIC STOPPING AND EVEN HARD STOPPING AT TIMES. THE BRAKE PEDAL KICKS BACK AND IS HARD TO PRESS DOWN AND STOPPING IS VERY DIFFICULT.
NHTSA complaint #10851489 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES COMING UP TO A STOPLIGHT IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. WIDESPREAD HEAVY CORROSION/DETERIORATION OF BRAKE LINES RESULTED IN RUPTURE OF BRAKE LINE OVER LEFT REAR WHEEL. EMERGENCY/PARK BRAKE USED TO AVOID ACCIDENT. CLEARLY A MATERIALS DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM, IN MY OPINION.
NHTSA complaint #10650386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
THE BRAKES FAILED AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. THE BRAKE LINES WERE BADLY RUSTED, MUCH WORSE THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS HAD IT HAPPENED AT A GREATER SPEED!
NHTSA complaint #10641473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP IN A BUSINESS PARKING LOT, BRAKE PEDAL UNEXPECTEDLY WENT TO FLOOR, VEHICLE RAN OVER CURB/STOP, DAMAGING SUSPENSION. CAUSE OF INCIDENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE A RUPTURED METAL BRAKE LINE, CAUSED BY SEVERE CORROSION. A SECOND LINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE SMALL PIN HOLE, WHICH HAD NOT YET RUPTURED, BUT COULD HAVE FAILED AT ANYTIME.
NHTSA complaint #10550873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND SHUT OFF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. TWO YEARS AGO THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND IS CURRENTLY MORE FREQUENT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR HUBS PRIOR TO THE RECALL AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE DEALER ALSO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE ON 12 18 09 AND STATED THAT THE SPEED SENSORS NEEDED TO BE CLEANED AND RESEALED. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT RECALL # 05068 IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VIN IS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS QUOTED $300 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
NHTSA complaint #10296533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKE LINES RUSTING THROUGH; LOST REAR BRAKES FIRST TIME (EARLY 2008) AND I HAD 2 BRAKE LINES MANUFACTURED THAT WERE OF HIGHER QUALITY THAN ORIGINAL; THIS TIME LOST FRONT BRAKES - METAL LINE STARTED LEAKING RAPIDLY; NOW HAVE TO REPLACE ALL REMAINING BRAKE LINES TO FEEL SAFE. SUBURBAN 2500.
NHTSA complaint #10293375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS RANGING FROM APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 MPH AND BRAKING, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGED. THE FAILURE HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND INCREASED HIS STOPPING DISTANCE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ONE YEAR AND HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
NHTSA complaint #10266604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGED WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. IN ADDITION, THE STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD INCREASE DURING BRAKING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE ABS SENSOR FAILED. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 95,000. UPDATED 04/15/09. *LJ UPDATED 04/16/09.
NHTSA complaint #10262003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ABS FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. HE STATED THAT THE ABS ACTIVATES EVEN WHEN THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE NOT SLIPPERY DUE TO RAIN OR ICE. THE ABS ENGAGES ITSELF WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS COMING TO A STOP ON DRY PAVEMENT, WHICH INCREASES THE STOPPING DISTANCE. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED; HOWEVER, HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT DID NOT INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS NOT LOCATED IN THE NHTSA DATABASE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE GMC ISSUED RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,070. UPDATED 02/24/09. *LJ UPDATED 02/24/09.
NHTSA complaint #10256484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WE OWN A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN . WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE WHICH HAS NEVER (TIL THIS TIME) BEEN IN A CRASH. ON PERFECTLY DRY PAVEMENT, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTION WHILE COMING TO A STOP. IT SOUNDS AND FEEL LIKE THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ARE PULSATING AND GREATLY REDUCES MY BRAKING CAPABILITY WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS OCCURS WHILE COMING TO A STOP FROM A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT AN IMMEDIATE REPAIR BE PERFORMED AND BE PAID FOR BY GM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. KINDLY CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS WE TRANSPORT OUR CHILDREN AND OTHER ADULTS ON MANY OCCASIONS. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.
NHTSA complaint #10245026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 1-5 MPH, THE ABS ACTIVATED WITHOUT CAUSE OR WARNING WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE CONTACT'S WIFE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ABS ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS OF DECEMBER 17, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000. UPDATED 03/14/08. *LJ THERE WAS DAMAGE TO EITHER VEHICLE, NO INFORMATION WAS EXCHANGED.
NHTSA complaint #10212090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I HAVE A 1998 GMC SUBURBAN JUST PURCHASED AND I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN RECALL #05V379000. RESULT WAS MY WIFE SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY. DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL BUT I SURE DON'T WANT HER DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL IT IS FIXED! I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THIS YEAR (1998) IS NOT EFFECTED! YEAH, RIGHT!
NHTSA complaint #10206982 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTILOCK BRAKES WOULD ENGAGE DURING SPEEDS UNDER 5 MPH AND A BUZZING NOISE COULD BE HEARD. A LOCAL MECHANIC REMOVED AND CLEANED THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE ANTILOCK BRAKES, HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 111,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
NHTSA complaint #10193331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AND NO OTHER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 100,100 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 06/08/07.
NHTSA complaint #10190422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A MECHANIC ,WHO REPLACED THE FRONT HUB BEARINGS. THIS VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL # 05V379000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 85,000, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
NHTSA complaint #10186828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN BRAKING AT SLOW SPEEDS, THE ABS KICKS IN AND INCREASES THE STOPPING DISTANCE NEEDED. AFTER 3 TRIPS TO DEALER (AND OVER $500 IN REPAIRS) FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. THEY CHECKED THE RECALL, BUT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT LISTED. I HAVE SINCE SEEN THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THEIR VEHICLES AND THAT HUNDREDS OF OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THE "REGIONAL" RECALL DIDN'T COVER THEM. IT SEEMS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THERE IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THIS BRAKING SYSTEM AND THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS AND GM SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING THIS BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE GETS HURT (OR WORSE).
NHTSA complaint #10184408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKES DO NOT AND HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED (STILL ORIGINAL OWNER). SPEED SENSITIVE STEERING DOES NOT AND HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY AS WELL. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS $$$ HAVE BEEN SPENT AT THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP AND AT QUALIFIED AUTOMOBILE SERVICE REPAIR CENTERS CONTINUALLY REPLACING PARTS AND SOMETIMES THE SAME PARTS OF THE YEARS, THIS CONTINUES TO THIS DAY EVEN THOUGH THE SUBURBAN IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF. THIS INCLUDES MASTER CYLINDER, BRAKE PADS, CYLINDERS, ETC. THIS BRAKING DEFECT SEEMS TO BE EXPERIENCED BY MANY OWNERS OF THE 1997 GMC SUBURBAN C1500. WHY HASN'T SOMETHING BEEN DONE BY GM ENGINEERS TO LOCATE AND FIX THIS PROBLEM?
NHTSA complaint #10177448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED DURING A LOW-SPEED BRAKING SITUATION, THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL WHICH FELT AS IF THE ABS HAD ACTIVATED. AFTER THIS INCIDENT THERE WAS AN INCREASED THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ABS SENSOR WAS RUSTED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 05V379000, WHICH PERTAINED TO THE HYDRAULIC ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10175950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ABS ENGAGED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V37900, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10171223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 5 MPH, THE ABS ACTIVATED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #05V379000 REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10168936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.