Illustration1994 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN DRIVERS SEAT FAILED DUE TO CRACK IN FRAME STRUCTURE.*AK
1994 Chevrolet Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Suburban years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 32 of 858 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 568 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 167 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
146 crash reports8 fire reports33 injury reports
What owners actually said
858 reportsSEATBELT BECAME COMEPLETELY DISASEMBLED DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
MY 1994 SUBURBAN WAS SERVICED AT R & S CHEVROLET, JOPLIN MO UNDER G M CAMPAIGN # 99V025 FOR DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH---THE SWITCH WAS WORKING PERFECTLY AT THE TIME OF SERVICE BUT IS NOW DISFUNCTIONAL AS DESCRIBED IN THE CAMPAIGN BULLETIN. *JB
ABS FAILURE, WET WEATHER, TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED GREEN, TRAFFIC FLOW BEGAN THEN STOPPED FOR AMBULANCE ON CROSS STREET, BRAKES LOCKED, MY VEH. SLID FORWARD, CUT WHEELS AND RELEASED BRAKES TO MOVE INTO TURN ONLY LANE, CLIPPED CORNER BUMPER OF VEHICLE AHEAD, I AND MY TWO CHILDREN (5 & 8 YRS) IN BACK SEAT WEARING SEATBELTS, FORTUNATEL…
Read full complaint
ABS FAILURE, WET WEATHER, TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED GREEN, TRAFFIC FLOW BEGAN THEN STOPPED FOR AMBULANCE ON CROSS STREET, BRAKES LOCKED, MY VEH. SLID FORWARD, CUT WHEELS AND RELEASED BRAKES TO MOVE INTO TURN ONLY LANE, CLIPPED CORNER BUMPER OF VEHICLE AHEAD, I AND MY TWO CHILDREN (5 & 8 YRS) IN BACK SEAT WEARING SEATBELTS, FORTUNATELY NO ONE INJURED, BRAKE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, THIS WAS THE FIRST COLLISION, MFR. DEFECT, DEALER SHOULD REPAIR.
NHTSA#8990-98-V-15-001:WINSHIELD WIPER WIRING. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AND INCREASING THE RISK OF VEHICLE CRASH. CONSUMER STATES HAS THE SAME PROBLEM, INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
WHILE USING WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. MR *JG
MR
98 V 150 000/WINDSHIELD WIPER WIRING: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WIPER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE VIN# WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WORKS INTERMITTENTLY.*AK WHILE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE FRONT WIPER MOTOR WILL NOT ENGAGE. THE WIPER HAS STOPPED TWICE WHILE SWITCHING FROM LOW TO HIGH SPEEDS. THE WIPER MOTOR ENGAGES ONLY WHEN CONSUMER STOPS AND OPENS THE HOOD TO SMACK THE MOTOR WITH A SMALL HAMMER. *JG
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A HAZARD WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MOTOR OCCASIONALLY FAILS TO OPERATE. *SCC
Official recalls
303V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
99V025000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Feb 5, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS, CREW CABS, UTILITY TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH THE POLARITY OF THE WIRING FOR THE ZERO ADJUST BRAKE SWITCH REVERSED FROM WHAT WAS SPECIFIED ON THE SWITCH DRAWING. WITH THE REVERSED POLARITY, THE CONTACTS IN THE BRAKE SWITCH CAN WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. THE BRAKE SWITCH WILL PERFORM NORMALLY UNTIL THE BRAKE SWITCH CONTACTS WEAR OUT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF THE BRAKE LAMPS WITHOUT ANY WARNING TO THE DRIVER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD FAIL TO WARN A FOLLOWING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING AND COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE SWITCH AND REVERSE THE WIRING.
98V150001 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Jul 1, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER.
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
4EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
DP00001 · 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
PE97027 · Drivers Seat Failure
Opened Jun 17, 1997 · Closed Oct 31, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGE THE DRIVERS SEAT MOUNTING FAILS, ALLOWING THE SEAT TO MOVE OR TIP REARWARD INTO A RECLINED POSITION.
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