IllustrationINTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON WET PAVEMENTS, THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND THE PEDAL BECOMES HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
1993 Chevrolet Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Suburban years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Chevrolet Suburban are substantially higher than 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: 17 of 499 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 370 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
90 crash reports2 fire reports21 injury reports
What owners actually said
499 reportsTHE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED THE FIRST TIME ON A BRIGHT SUNNY DRY DAY , I WAS UNABLE TO BRING MY SUBURBAN TO A STOP WITH PLENTY OF DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS CITED FOR UNASSURED CLEAR DISTANCE SINCE NO SKID MARKS OR OTHER EXPLANATION COULD BE GIVEN AT THE TIME. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS AND CL…
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THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED THE FIRST TIME ON A BRIGHT SUNNY DRY DAY , I WAS UNABLE TO BRING MY SUBURBAN TO A STOP WITH PLENTY OF DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS CITED FOR UNASSURED CLEAR DISTANCE SINCE NO SKID MARKS OR OTHER EXPLANATION COULD BE GIVEN AT THE TIME. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS AND CLOSE CALLS SINCE THE FIRST ACCIDENT. WE HAVE NOT HAD THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM REPLACED AND WERE UNAWARE THAT THE UNIT MIGHT CAUSE PROBLEMS UNTIL WE RECENTLY SAW THE RECALL WHICH EXPLAINS PERFECTLY THE TYPE OF INCIDENTS WE HAVE HAD TO TRY TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WE DEFINATELY WANT THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER TO PURSUE THE ANTI-LOCK RECALL ON THE 1993 SUBURBANS. THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRED. I COMPLAINED BITTERLY TO GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ALL BUT $350 WAS COVERED IN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH THE GEARSHIFT IN THE OVERDRIVE POSITION. THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT MAINTAIN A LOCK IN THE OVERDRIVE POSITION AND WOULD CONSTANTLY SHIFT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 3RD AND OVERDRIVE GEAR.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE ABS SYSTEM KICKS IN, AND THE ABS BRAKES ARE WORK INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
TRAVELLING AT 25 MPH, APPLIED BRAKES AND THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM CAME ON. THEY DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP. BRAKES MADE A LOUD MOTOR RUNNING TYPE NOISE AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INTERMITTENTLY INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
BRAKES APPLIED, ABS SEEMED TO START WORKING, THEN A 'RELEASE' SEEMED TO HAPPEN THAT CAUSED VEHICLE TO REQUIRE MUCH LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. THEY SEEMED TO 'RELEASE' AND EVEN THOUGH STANDING ON THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE TOOK MUCH TOO LONG TO STOP. ABS WAS DISCONNECTED 1.5 YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF THIS BEING VERY UNSAFE. DEALER HAD NO I…
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BRAKES APPLIED, ABS SEEMED TO START WORKING, THEN A 'RELEASE' SEEMED TO HAPPEN THAT CAUSED VEHICLE TO REQUIRE MUCH LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. THEY SEEMED TO 'RELEASE' AND EVEN THOUGH STANDING ON THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE TOOK MUCH TOO LONG TO STOP. ABS WAS DISCONNECTED 1.5 YEARS AGO BECAUSE OF THIS BEING VERY UNSAFE. DEALER HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG AND NO FIX. WE FELT VERY UNSAFE AS IT WAS AND IT HAPPENED MANY TIMES. COULD NOT MAKE IT HAPPEN TO SHOW DEALER. THEY SEEMED UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
WHILE MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A REAREND ACCIDENT. *AK
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHCLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
ABS IS NOT WORKING, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER CLAIMS NEEDS EHCU UNIT TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK *ML
NO SUMMARY
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
3DP00001 · Oem Hitch Receiver Platform Cracking
Opened Jan 31, 2000 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
THE PETITION ALLEGES THAT CRACKS IN THE HITCH RECEIVER PLATFORM MAY LEAD TO SEPARATION OF THE TRAILER AND LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL
EA95026 · Poor Brake Performance
Opened Sep 20, 1995 · Closed Sep 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
POOR PERFORMANCE OF ABS BRAKES
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.