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1990 Chevrolet Suburban

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1990 Chevrolet Suburban do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 118.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 54 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seats. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports7 fire reports3 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

6 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2000
Seat Belts

MIDDLE SEAT SEATBELTS ON BOTH SIDES, LOCK UP AND CANNOT BE USED. REPLACED 3 TIMES, 1ST UNDER WARRANTY, HAVE SINCE PAYED FOR IT TWICE, AND THEY LAST LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WE CURRENTLY USE THE CAR WITHOUT PASSENGERS IN THE MIDDLE SEAT USING THE SEATBELTS, CAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING THEM. …

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MIDDLE SEAT SEATBELTS ON BOTH SIDES, LOCK UP AND CANNOT BE USED. REPLACED 3 TIMES, 1ST UNDER WARRANTY, HAVE SINCE PAYED FOR IT TWICE, AND THEY LAST LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WE CURRENTLY USE THE CAR WITHOUT PASSENGERS IN THE MIDDLE SEAT USING THE SEATBELTS, CAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING THEM. TONY'S CHEVROLET IN WASILLA AK. HAS BEEN THE SERVICER THAT REFUSES TO FIX THE SEATBELTS FOR FREE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE ONES THAT INSTALLED THE ONES THAT DON'T WORK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717780

Mileage unknown · Jun 6, 1999
Seat Belts

RETRACTABLE SEATBELTS REPEATEDLY FAIL. BELTS TWIST AND GET JAMMED IN RETRACTING PART ATTACHED TO FLOOR OF VEHICLE. CAN'T ALWAYS UNJAM, THEREBY LEAVING PASSENGERS UNBELTED. HAVE BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND CONTACTED GM IN TROY, MICHIGAN. SEATBELTS CONTINUE TO FAIL. DEALERSHIP, O'DONNELL CHEVROLET IN SAN GABRIEL…

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RETRACTABLE SEATBELTS REPEATEDLY FAIL. BELTS TWIST AND GET JAMMED IN RETRACTING PART ATTACHED TO FLOOR OF VEHICLE. CAN'T ALWAYS UNJAM, THEREBY LEAVING PASSENGERS UNBELTED. HAVE BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND CONTACTED GM IN TROY, MICHIGAN. SEATBELTS CONTINUE TO FAIL. DEALERSHIP, O'DONNELL CHEVROLET IN SAN GABRIEL, CA SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX PROBLEM AND TO TAKE ELSEWHERE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #707247

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 1998
Seat Belts

RETRACTABLE SEAT BELT FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #780436

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 1998
Power TrainSeat Belts

DRIVESHAFT CLINKING CONTINUALLY, UNABLE TO RESOLVE.

NHTSA ODI #538110

Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 1997
Seat Belts

MIDDLE SEAT LAP BELT IN CENTER WILL NOT TIGHTEN IF A CSS IS PLACED IN IT OR AN INDIVIDUAL. WOULD LOOSEN UP AFTER VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. WHEN CSS IS IN SEAT, WOULD TILT OVER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #816967

Mileage unknown · Nov 13, 1995
Seat Belts

SEATBELT RETRACTOR LOCKS UP AND BUCKLE DOES NOT FASTEN. TT *JB

NHTSA ODI #974926

Official recalls

3

93V187000 · Seats

Nov 16, 1993

THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. THIS "SOFT" JOINT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN SPECIFIED BOLT TORQUE WHICH LEADS TO JOINT LOOSENESS, CAUSING BOLT FATIGUE AND EVENTUAL BOLT FAILURE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF BOLT FAILURE OCCURS TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WOULDALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FOAM AND/OR VINYL FROM BETWEEN THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME "SOFT" JOINT AND REPLACE THE RECLINER BOLTS.

93V119000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor

Aug 2, 1993

SEVERE CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT AT THE JOINT OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER SECTION AND THE CAST OUTER SECTION CAN CAUSE THE SECTIONS TO SEPARATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SEPARATION OF THE ROTOR SECTIONS CAN CAUSE LOSS OFBRAKING ABILITY IN THE AFFECTED WHEEL. THIS COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCE AND/OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH NEW ROTORS WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION COATING. HOWEVER, IF REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LININGS ARE NECESSARY, IT WILL BE DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE SINCE BRAKE LININGS ARE NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS.

93V016000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Feb 1, 1993

UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VENTED TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN CATCH FIRE IF EXPOSEDTO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Remedy: INSTALL A LONGER TRANSMISSION VENT HOSE ROUTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA94029 · Engine Compartment Fires

Opened Jul 29, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

AN ALLEGED MALFUNCTION IN THE ATLERNATOR RESULTING IN ENGINE COMPARTMET FIRES.