1996 Chevrolet Suburban problems
NHTSA has received 531 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Suburban, and 33% of them involve brakes. Next are electrical system (11%) and wipers, windshield & visibility (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 531 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 33% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 25 and 17
- Injuries and deaths
- 18 and 10
- Typical mileage
- 93,000 miles 36 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 1 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 5 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 6 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 1 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 6 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 2 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 9 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Of the 36 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 93,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 25 complaints mention a crash; 17 complaints mention a fire; 18 injuries reported; 10 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 7th most-complained-about out of 35 model years of the Chevrolet Suburban with enough data (346 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
While driving at 55 MPH and without prior warning vehicle shut down, and consumer coasted to the side of the road and tried to start, the vehicle wouldn't go forward or backward due to the transmission going out. This is the 2nd time it has happened on this vehicle.
Consumer states that when the brakes are applied the pedal goes to the floor, resulting in extended stopping distance, causing the vehicle to collide into another. The vehicle was at the dealer a few days prior to the collision. The dealer informed the owner that the vehicle was in normal operation. Owner has had brake lines/calipers/rotors and pads put on the front of the vehicle prior to collision.
Driving from work-snowy/icy conditions. Smelled a strange odor in vehicle going from I-270s to I-370w ~ 1/4 mile from ramp. Traffic moderate. Traveling 45 MPH I tapped brakes, they went all way to floor. Turned off electrical equipment. Used engine braking selecting 3-2-1 to slow vehicle. Vehicle slowed, applied emergency brake - drove to brake down lane. Vehicle stopped-white smoke coming around edges of hood.