IllustrationSEATBACK RECLINING MECHANISM BROKE WHILE OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE. SEATBACK IS CURRENTLY RECLINED ALL THE WAY BACK, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE. DEALER SAYS IT WAS AGE AND FATIGUE. *AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Suburban years →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
Seats complaints
15 reportsDIFFERENTIAL FAILED. NLM
HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE OVER 2YRS AGO (#93V187000). THE RECALL REMEDY FAILED. THE BOLTS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATS FAILED TO HOLD THE SEAT.
RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED, REPAIRS FAILED (SEAT BACK COLLAPSED) RESULTING IN ACCIDENT/INJURY.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) (93V187)
INTREIOR SYSTEMS;SEAT TRACK ANCHORS AND SEATS: HAD RECALL WORK DONE IN JULY 1995FOR SEATBACK. ON FEB. 20,1996 TOOK VEHICLE BACK BECAUSE THE LEFT SEATBACK WAS LOOSE. JUNE 2, 97, THE SEATBACK BROKE AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE IN AND THEY GAVE HIM TWO BOLTS TO REPAIR THE SEAT . EACH TIME THERE WAS A CHARGE AND CONSUMER DOESN'T FEEL THAT…
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INTREIOR SYSTEMS;SEAT TRACK ANCHORS AND SEATS: HAD RECALL WORK DONE IN JULY 1995FOR SEATBACK. ON FEB. 20,1996 TOOK VEHICLE BACK BECAUSE THE LEFT SEATBACK WAS LOOSE. JUNE 2, 97, THE SEATBACK BROKE AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE IN AND THEY GAVE HIM TWO BOLTS TO REPAIR THE SEAT . EACH TIME THERE WAS A CHARGE AND CONSUMER DOESN'T FEEL THAT A CHARGE WAS IN ORDER BECAUSE IT WASN'T REPAIRED CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BOLT BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARD, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
WELDING ON SEAT BRACKET WAS INSUFFICIENT TO HOLD THE SEAT, RESULTING IN METAL FATIGUE AND FAILURE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE TWO FRONT SEATS BOLTS BROKE, CAUSING THE SEATS TO RECLINE PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS (93V-187); WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. *AK
INVOLVED IN RECALL 93V187000, DEALER MADE REPAIRS BUT THE SEATBACK COLLAPSED AGAIN. TT
SEAT RECLINER BOLTS ARE LOOSE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACK, SERVICE BULLETIN WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. TT
Official recalls
393V187000 · 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
1EA94029 · 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.