IllustrationAFTER BRAKING 2 TO 3 TIMES THE BRAKES STAGGER, SHUDDER GRABBING AND STICKING, SEEMS LIKE THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM IS HAPPENING EACH AND EVERY TIME BRAKES ARE APPLIED.
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
11 reportsWHILE MAKING A SUDDEN STOP THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TRAVEL. CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES TO THE FLOORBOARD IN ORDER TO STOP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
I WAS ENTERING THE I-205 SOUTHBOUND ON RAMP OFF OF MILL PLAIN BLVD IN VANCOUVER, WA WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY APPLIED HER BRAKES. I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY MY BRAKES, BUT THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT LIMP ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I TRIED TO PUMP THE BRAKES, BUT THE PEDDLE STAYED LIMP AND ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I…
Read full complaint
I WAS ENTERING THE I-205 SOUTHBOUND ON RAMP OFF OF MILL PLAIN BLVD IN VANCOUVER, WA WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY APPLIED HER BRAKES. I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY MY BRAKES, BUT THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT LIMP ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I TRIED TO PUMP THE BRAKES, BUT THE PEDDLE STAYED LIMP AND ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I DIDN'T PANIC BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE ANY REASON FOR THE DRIVER TO SLAM ON HER BRAKES--THERE WAS NO ONE IN FRONT OF HER AND THERE WAS NO ONE PULLING IN FRONT OF HER, AND WE WERE ENTERING THE I-205 ON-RAMP. THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM BETWEEN OUR VEHICLES. I FIGURED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WOULD MOVE ON AS WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY ON-RAMP. SHE THEN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE FREEWAY ON RAMP. AT THIS POINT THE SPEED WAS PROBABLY LESS THAN 20 MPH. AS I WAS REACHING FOR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, MY SUBURBAN BUMPED INTO THE BACK OF HER 1987 ACURA. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE BRAKES ON MY SUBURBAN WORKED FINE. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDDLE AFTER BOTH VEHICLES CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP FROM THE IMPACT MOTION. I THEN PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE AND IT WAS GOOD. I BACKED UP A BIT AND THE BRAKES WORKED FINE. I DROVE FORWARD A BIT AND UNTO THE SHOULDER AND THE BRAKES WORKED FINE. THE ROAD WAS DRY AND THE SKY WAS SUNNY. I COULDN'T EVEN FATHOM THE BRAKES FAILING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, THEN IT DAWNED ON ME THAT SINCE THEY FAIULED ONCE THEY COULD FAIL AGAIN ABD POSSIBLY WITH MORE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. I TOOK THE SUBURBAN TO VANCOUVER CHEVROLET FOR A BRAKE CHECK AND EXPLAINED TO THE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY SAID THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING DOWN AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING DOWN MEANS. I CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AFTER I GOT HOME AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND IT WAS GOOD. I HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH A LIMP BRAKE PEDDLE ON THE SUBURBAN BEFORE. I NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE PEDDLE. THERE NEVER WAS ANY SPONGINESS OR ANY ANY INDICATION OF A BRAKE PEDDLE PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS INCIDE
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE LIGHT COMES ON , THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 55 TO 60 MPH THE ABS LIGHT COME BLINKING ON AND OFF. THEN WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE IT DOESN'T FEELS LIKE IS WORKING AS IF SHE STEPPED ON BRAKES HARDER, THE BRAKES MAKES A METAL NOISE. MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED, AND CONSUMER HAD MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FADE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, RESULTING IN A COLLISION.
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAIL TO STOP VEHICLE EFFICIENTLY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.
OCCASIONALLY DURING NORMAL BRAKING THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR. *AK
ABOUT 20 FEET BEFORE A COMPLETE STOP REAR ANTI LOCK BRAKES GO OUT. 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.