IllustrationREAR ENDED SOMEONE DUE TO THE INABILITY TO STOP IN TIME DUE TO THE POOR PERFORMANCE OF THE 1993 GMC SUBURBAN BRAKING SYSTEM. BRAKES ARE A VERY BIG PROBLEM ON THIS TRUCK
1993 GMC Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
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: 4 of 212 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 161 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
31 crash reports4 fire reports6 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
161 reportsWHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR OF VEHICLE AND VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP.*AK
DUE TO SEVERAL PAST ABS INCIDENTS, ONE RESULTING IN A COLLISION, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR COMPLIANCE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01I006000. SUBSEQUENTLY, PANIC STOP MAXIMUM BRAKING IS DELAYED. THERE IS EXCESSIVE RESISTANCE TO INITIAL BRAKE PEDDLE MOVEMENT AS IF THERE IS NO BOOST. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1/2 SECOND, WITH HE…
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DUE TO SEVERAL PAST ABS INCIDENTS, ONE RESULTING IN A COLLISION, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR COMPLIANCE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01I006000. SUBSEQUENTLY, PANIC STOP MAXIMUM BRAKING IS DELAYED. THERE IS EXCESSIVE RESISTANCE TO INITIAL BRAKE PEDDLE MOVEMENT AS IF THERE IS NO BOOST. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1/2 SECOND, WITH HEAVY PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE PEDDLE, ACTUAL WHEEL BRAKING CAN BE FELT TO PROGRESSIVELY INCREASE AND RESISTANCE TO PEDDLE MOVEMENT REDUCES. AT THIS POINT BRAKING FEELS ABOUT NORMAL. DEALER TECHNICIAN ON TEST DRIVE CONFIRMED THIS DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM. HOWEVER, TECHNICIANS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY MALFUNCTIONING COMPONENTS.*AK
SAILED THROUGH A RED LIGHT WITH BRAKES APPLIED, BOTH ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 35 MPH, WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP DID NOT HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK
EA95026; POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH AND APPLYING BRAKES NORMALLY, ABS KICKED IN AND VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD. THIS HAPPENED WHEN WEATHER WAS PERFECT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE FALL OF 1993. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM, DEALERSHIP DID NOT FIND A…
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EA95026; POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH AND APPLYING BRAKES NORMALLY, ABS KICKED IN AND VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD. THIS HAPPENED WHEN WEATHER WAS PERFECT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE FALL OF 1993. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM, DEALERSHIP DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER PRESSED BRAKES AND THEY FAILED. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SOME GRAVELAND. THESE WERE ABS BRAKES.*AK
EA95026, POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE; INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY LOCK UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO A SLIDE. THIS CONDITION HAS LED TO TWO REAR END CRASHES. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL RATTLED, THE DEALER FOUND THE BEZEL TO BE CRACKED AND BROKEN. CONSUMER F…
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EA95026, POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE; INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY LOCK UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO A SLIDE. THIS CONDITION HAS LED TO TWO REAR END CRASHES. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL RATTLED, THE DEALER FOUND THE BEZEL TO BE CRACKED AND BROKEN. CONSUMER FEELS VEHICLE GETS BAD GAS MILEAGE. THE TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSES AND LINE SEALING WERE LEAKING. *SLC
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *ML
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.