IllustrationTHE TIRE BLEW UP - COMPLETETLY DISINTERGRATED WITHOUT WARNING - THE PRESSURE HAD BEEN CHECKED BEFORE THE TRIP AND NO ROAD HAZRARDS WERE NOTICED - HOWEVER THE CAR FOLLOWING NOTED THE TIRE LOOKED LOW BEFORE IT BLEW - SO IT HAD TO HAVE LOST PRESSURE DURING THE @10 MILES AND THEN DISENTERGRATED. *AK
1998 Chevrolet Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
10–25K
925–50K
1550–75K
1875–100K
12100–150K
1150K+
56 reports with mileage · 145 unknown
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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. 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.
9 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
201 reportsWE WERE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 70 MPH ON I-35; ALL TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED; THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS OR DEBRIS IN THE ROADWAY; WITHOUT WARNING, THE LEFT REAR TIRE CAME APART. THE TREAD CAME OFF OF THE TIRE, WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE WHILE THE WHEEL KEPT TURNING. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ON YOUR SITE, THIS APPEARS TO BE EXACTLY TH…
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WE WERE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 70 MPH ON I-35; ALL TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED; THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS OR DEBRIS IN THE ROADWAY; WITHOUT WARNING, THE LEFT REAR TIRE CAME APART. THE TREAD CAME OFF OF THE TIRE, WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE WHILE THE WHEEL KEPT TURNING. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ON YOUR SITE, THIS APPEARS TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE FIRESTONE/EXPLORER PROBLEMS.*AK
FUEL PUMP IS NOT WORKING ANYMORE, AND THE VEHICEL CANNOT START UP. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR UNDER MODERATE BRAKING. THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS INADEQUATE FOR SUCH A HEAVY DUTY 3/4 TON VEHICLE. HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES, WHEN HAVING TO BRAKE SUDDENLY, WHERE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT DISTANCE BETWEEN MY VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE BRAKES MAKE A GROANING NOISE UNDER HARD BRAK…
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THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR UNDER MODERATE BRAKING. THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS INADEQUATE FOR SUCH A HEAVY DUTY 3/4 TON VEHICLE. HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES, WHEN HAVING TO BRAKE SUDDENLY, WHERE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT DISTANCE BETWEEN MY VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE BRAKES MAKE A GROANING NOISE UNDER HARD BRAKING. ALSO, VEHICLE PULLS WILDLY AND HARD WHEN EMERGENCY BRAKING. *AK
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DISC PAD 4 TIMES IN UNDER 10,000 MILES, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS TWICE IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. I AM NOW FACING ANOTHER ROTOR AND BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT. THE ROTORS WARP VERY QUICKLY AND THE PADS DO NOT LAST, SEEMS TO ALWAYS HAVE SOME PULL WHEN BRAKES APPLIED IN NORMAL BRAKING SITUATIONS. …
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I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DISC PAD 4 TIMES IN UNDER 10,000 MILES, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS TWICE IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. I AM NOW FACING ANOTHER ROTOR AND BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT. THE ROTORS WARP VERY QUICKLY AND THE PADS DO NOT LAST, SEEMS TO ALWAYS HAVE SOME PULL WHEN BRAKES APPLIED IN NORMAL BRAKING SITUATIONS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE PULLS HARD AND WILDLY IN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATIONS.*AK
STEERING WOULD GRAB MOMENTARILY WHILE MAKING RIGHT CURVE TURNS AT 55-70 MPH. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHEN TURNING TO RIGHT VEHICLE WILL MAKE A SHARPER TURN, LIKE STEERING WHEEL IS BEING JERKED IN THAT DIRECTION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY CHANGED STEERING SENSOR. CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS, CAR COULD TIP OVER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
AT ANY SPEED AND INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES, VEHICLE GOES INTO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE TRAVELING TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. *AK. CONSUMER STATES MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER WITHIN A SHORT INTERVAL, PROBLEMS ARISE AGAIN, THE DEALER HAS STATED THE PROBLEM MAY BE A DESIGN ISSUE.*JB
ORGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE, STEELTEX TIRES, SIZE LT245/75 R16 DOT # V611B1A, AT 25,000 MILES HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF TREAD SEPARATION ON THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES, DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *TT
WHILE DRIVING AROUND CURVES STEERING WHEEL WOULD MAKE NOISE. LATER, NOISE WOULD DISAPPEAR WHILE STILL DRIVING AROUND CURVES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Official recalls
203V093000 · 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.
98V033000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor
Feb 17, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OR BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTOR/HUBS WERE BUILT WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION GRAY IRON THAT CAN FAIL DURING THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A DRIVER CONTINUES TO DRIVE WITH A CRACKED ROTOR, THE CRACKS COULD CONTINUE AROUND THE WHEEL MOUNTING BOLT CIRCLE AND ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A WHEEL SEPARATION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROTORS FOR A CORE DATE OF "287" AND, IF FOUND, REPLACE THE ROTOR.
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
1EA99011 · 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.