IllustrationCONSUMER HAS REPLACED 8 FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES LT24575R16 BECAUSE OF TREAD SEPARATION, BULGES AND BELTS COMING THROUGH TIRE, ONE OF THE TIRES ONLY GIVE 5 MILES BEFORE IT POPPED, BRAKE LINE LEAKAGE DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION (4/00).
1997 Chevrolet Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Suburban years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 76 of 414 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.
- Steering. Review the 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 92 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports13 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
414 reportsONGOING PROBLEM WITH REAR WHEEL BRAKES SYSTEM NOT WORKING. VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED/REPAIRED BY TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. ALSO, FOUR ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND TURND MORE THEN TWICE EACH. PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK
EXCESSIVE FRONT DISC PAD WEAR - VEHICLE PULLS TO LEFT WHEN BRAKING - DESCRIPTION IS THE SAME FOR EACH INCIDENT - PADS REPLACED AND DRUMS TURNED AT 9948 AND 33000 MILES - OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THESE BRAKES. *AK
STEERING ON THIS VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IS NOT POSITIVE, HAS A FLOATING.. WANDER THAT MAKES IT FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE NO STEERING, AND WHEN YOU TRY TO RECOVER, IT OVER CORRECTS AND SWAYS. *AK
ENGINE KNOCKING OCCURS AT COLD TEMPERATURES 35F OR BELOW SOUNDS COME FROM LOWER ENGINE RODS POSSIBLY OR CRANKSHAFT . --DEALER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE BOTH PROBLEMS
WHEN TRAVELING ON WET PAVEMENT ABOUT 10-15 MPH AND UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A GRADUAL STOP, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO A SKID, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK *YC
WHILE STOPPING, APPLYING BRAKE, HEARD A CLUNK NOISE AND FELT A JARRING. AFTER PARKING, TRIED TO PUT INTO REVERSE AND COULD NOT. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FORWARD BUT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. NOW UNABLE TO GET INTO GEAR AND IT DOES NOT SHIFT. NO REVERSE. THE BRAKE PROBLEM BECAME APPARENT WITH A GRINDING NOISE WHILE MOVING THROUGH STO…
Read full complaint
WHILE STOPPING, APPLYING BRAKE, HEARD A CLUNK NOISE AND FELT A JARRING. AFTER PARKING, TRIED TO PUT INTO REVERSE AND COULD NOT. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FORWARD BUT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. NOW UNABLE TO GET INTO GEAR AND IT DOES NOT SHIFT. NO REVERSE. THE BRAKE PROBLEM BECAME APPARENT WITH A GRINDING NOISE WHILE MOVING THROUGH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. FAILED CALIPERS AND RESULTING IN DAMAGED ROTORS AND PADS. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL IS GOING TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT OR WHEREVER THE STEERING TAKES THE VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED STEERING WHEEL SENSOR. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED ELECTRICAL FAILURES, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HOWEVER NOT RECTIFIED. MJS
LEFT REAR CARGO DOOR OF CHEVROLET SUBURBAN NEVER OPENED QUITE RIGHT. YOU HAD TO PUSH IN ON THE DOOR, PULL THE LATCH, AND THEN OPEN IT. OVER TIME IT HAS BECOME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OPEN. TIP TOP CHEVROLET IN FAIRBANKS, AK, WON'T FIX IT. I BELIEVE IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
Official recalls
203V159000 · 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.
03V093000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior
Mar 7, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS, AND PICKUP TRUCKS MAY DEVELOP A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IT COULD RESULT IN AN INOPERATIVE SWITCH, HEAT DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND/OR IGNITION OF COMPONENTS IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND A SUBSEQUENT VEHICLE FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 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 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
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
5EA02006 · 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.
EA00013 · Battery Leaks Acid
Opened May 2, 2000 · Closed Jun 28, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
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
EA99011 · Erratic Power Steering Assist While Driv
Opened May 12, 1999 · Closed Feb 27, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION (ODI) HAS INVESTIGATED ALLEGATIONS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST FLUCTUATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FOR DETAILS AND A BASIS FOR THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUSIONS, PLEASE SEE THE CLOSING REPORT IN THE EA99-011 PUBLIC FILE.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.FUTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS SUBJECT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.THE ENGINEERING IS CLOSED.
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