Chevrolet Suburban Complaints

9,782 consumer complaints on file.

#11721619March 3, 2026
ENGINE
Regarding a catastrophic engine failure involving my 2023 Chevrolet Suburban equipped with the 6.2L L87 engine. There is an active GM service bulletin that we never received from either Crabtree or GM. Vehicle details: • Purchased in North Carolina in 2024 • Approximately 4,000 miles at purchase (used, still under factory warranty) • Currently at approximately 60,000 miles • Within the 5yr/60k powertrain warranty at the time of failure Incident details: On Friday 2/20, the engine experienced a confirmed catastrophic failure while my wife was driving on the interstate at highway speed. The vehicle abruptly lost power, creating a significant safety hazard. She was able to maneuver to safety, but the situation presented a serious risk of injury. GM has since towed the vehicle and confirmed catastrophic engine failure. We have been provided a rental vehicle - not a comparable one either (they refuse to address that also). Given the safety exposure and warranty status, I am evaluating potential potential claims including breach of warranty, implied warranty of merchantability, and any product liability considerations. I am also interested in understanding leverage for buyback, diminished value, risk of serious injury to my wife, or extended warranty resolution. I have preserved documentation, service records, and a written account of the incident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721229March 1, 2026
AIR BAGS
While driving home vehicle slid on black ice and spun out. While spinning curtain airbags and driver seat deployed and battery died. Sis not hit anything
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721260March 1, 2026
POWER TRAIN
On February 28, 2026 at approximately 6:08 PM, while traveling at approximately 40 mph on S. Third Street Extension near Route 119 in Mebane, NC, my 2026 Chevrolet Suburban High Country experienced a sudden catastrophic drivetrain failure at 2,010 miles with no prior warning symptoms. A loud bang was heard, and the vehicle decelerated sharply. Dashboard warnings appeared for transmission and steering service. The vehicle continued approximately 60 feet while producing severe grinding noises before all four wheels locked completely and the engine stalled. The vehicle was rendered completely inoperable and stranded in the roadway. My wife was a passenger. OnStar was contacted and dispatched local law enforcement to provide traffic control while the vehicle was disabled. OnStar also arranged emergency towing to Modern Chevrolet in Burlington, NC. This failure is consistent with the transmission control valve body defect covered under NHTSA Recalls 24V797 and 26V085 affecting GM 10-speed automatic transmissions (10L80). GM has been aware of this defect since at least 2024 yet vehicles continue to experience catastrophic wheel lockup.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721068February 27, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Vehicle accelerated while driving. The RPMs gage turned red; however, the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road with other cars coming. After the vehicle came to a full stop it would not move. Finally it started moving slowly and I was able to get off the road. When the tow truck arrived the vehicle would only go forward. No reverse. Error message on dashboard picture attached
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720994February 27, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The drivers side, female end, of the seatbelt comes undone when cold. This is reproduced every single time it is cold for approximately 5 minutes of driving until the inside of the vehicle warms up. This happens with both primary divers of the vehicle. We took it to the dealership we bought it from but because there is not a current recall and they cannot reproduce the issue since our current temperature is in the 40s, they won’t replace it under warranty. No warning systems go on when this happens while driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720068February 24, 2026
ENGINE
On February 21st at approximately 9:30 AM, I was driving my brand-new 2026 Chevy Suburban High Country when I began hearing an unusual noise from the engine. There were zero dashboard warnings — no check engine light, no alerts, nothing indicating a failure. Out of caution, I immediately headed to the dealership so they could inspect it. I was driving slowly and carefully when, without any warning whatsoever, the engine suddenly and completely seized. The vehicle locked up abruptly. I barely had enough time to try to move toward the shoulder, and I was unable to fully clear the roadway — the rear half of the vehicle remained partially in traffic. It was an extremely dangerous situation. What is especially alarming is that I was not on the highway at the time. Had this occurred while traveling 80–85 mph on SH-130 in Texas — which is a normal speed limit there — the outcome could have been catastrophic. A complete engine seizure at highway speeds could have caused a major accident involving multiple vehicles. Even more concerning, my Chevrolet app (connected through OnStar) still shows no issues or alerts with the vehicle. The attached pictures are from the My Chevrolet app on Sunday, 02/22/2026, around 11:13 AM. This is a brand-new vehicle, and I was informed yesterday that the dealership has requested a full engine replacement. I have no timeline for the repair. For a vehicle of this price point, a sudden engine seizure with zero warnings is deeply concerning from both a safety and reliability standpoint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720174February 24, 2026
ENGINE
Driving on Highway at approx 70mph, lost propulsion and speedometer went to 0. Came back after approx. 5 seconds. After exiting highway and stopping, clear knocking/clanging noise from engine. GM states full engine replacement needed. This is a 2025 6.2 V8, thought these issues were fixed?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720225February 24, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Pulling off from a stop sign on a hill, the car wouldn't accelerate and rolled back hitting a pedestrian and then jerked forward aggressively burning rubber on the tires. I smell the transmission burning. Luckily the lady didn't want to press charges.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11720149February 24, 2026
ENGINE
Engine locked up going 75mph on highway. The vehicle's 6.2L V8 engine was recalled in 2025. Result of recall inspection was to change oil type to 0w-40. The vehicle is in the process of being inspected by dealer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719948February 23, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Just purchased this vehicle used from a business in Moyock, NC. The mileage at purchase was 92,860. We checked Carfax and it showed two previous owners and had a steady maintenance history. On the way home (2 hour drive) and after the vehicle had warmed up it started showing signs of transmission problems. This was not noticeable on the test drive. The RPMs skyrocketed, the car went into neutral, once we got it back into gear it would hardly accelerate. It was a long long drive home! We took it to our local mechanic and must replace the transmission at a cost of $7,000. We will not use the manufacturer's transmission product as a replacement after reading all the complaints that are so similar to ours. Definitely not what we were expecting to have to do within a week of the purchase. There could have been injuries if my wife had not been following me and knew something was wrong when the vehicle slowed down significantly. No one was injured, except for our pride and wallet.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719978February 23, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
I have read reports online of the two thousand sixteen chevy suburban turning off completely while driving.I have experienced this not once not twice.But three times now, with my chevy, suburban. This is a severe safety issue and can lead to death or major financial loss
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720007February 23, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Year: 2019 Make: GMC Model: Suburban Mileage: Approximately 125,000 miles (purchased under 90,000 miles) 1. Transmission Failure My vehicle is experiencing clear signs of transmission failure, including: •Hard downshifting/clunking •RPM fluctuations while cruising •Shuddering between approximately 30–50 mph •Vibrations while idling •Hesitation and irregular shifting These symptoms have progressively worsened and are consistent with widespread complaints I have found from other 2019 Suburban owners. This appears to be a known issue affecting multiple vehicles. 2. Rear Liftgate / Electrical Malfunction The rear trunk/liftgate has closed on its own without warning multiple times. I have personally been struck in the head several times as a result. This presents a serious injury risk, especially for families loading children or cargo. There is clearly an electrical or sensor malfunction causing this behavior. 3. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) System Activating Randomly The most alarming issue is that the automatic emergency braking system has activated on its own multiple times while driving on the turnpike with no obstruction present. This has nearly caused accidents on several occasions. Unexpected braking at highway speeds creates an extremely dangerous situation for both my family and surrounding drivers. These issues are not minor inconveniences — they are serious safety hazards. Sudden braking, unintended liftgate closure, and transmission failure all create significant risk of injury or collision. Given the number of similar complaints publicly reported by other owners, I am requesting that NHTSA formally investigate these defects and determine whether a recall should be issued for affected 2019 GMC Suburban vehicles. I am extremely concerned for the safety of my family and others on the road. Please confirm receipt of this complaint and advise if additional information is needed. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719940February 23, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Transmission, got a message stating the service transmission or won’t be able to shift. Took it in to the dealership was advised that car can shut down at any moment. As that what they have been seeing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719559February 21, 2026
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The check engine and traction control light came on in my car. This was accompanied by a clanking sound, shaking. The panel said “ SERVICE ESC” “ service traction control” and “ forward collision system unavailable” The Chevrolet light logo on the back of my car will also not turn off occasionally whenever the car is turned off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719462February 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
My [XXX] Daughter lost the ability to put the vehicle in reverse while running errands on a Saturday. We had to push the truck out of the parking spot "backwards" in neutral in order to get the vehicle in a position to put it in "drive". She had been going in and out of shopping centers (forwards and backwards) earlier when the reverse suddenly stopped. I dropped the vehicle at a nearby auto shop in a fit of desperation (maybe 1/2 mile away). They told me they thought the transmission was shot, so I picked it up and took it to Andean Chevrolet (Dealer) in Cumming, GA. While driving it to Andean on Tuesday (2/17), the transmission went into low acceleration mode where I couldn't go into upper gears and topped-out at 3,500 rpm's max for the 13+ miles (30 min) drive. Andean confirmed on Friday (2/19) that the entire transmission is shot with metal all inside of the fluid, gears being broken, and the valve body being broken. The truck is 5.5 years old with 93K mile on it and we were just shocked. The repair for GM Reman transmission was quoted at ~$9.2K and we just finalized a call directly with GM Customer Service to see if GM would offer any discounts to the Dealer on the repairs. We are still waiting on that result while the repairs are being made. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719442February 20, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
My vehicle was subject to a GM recall involving inspection of the 6.2L engine. The recall inspection was completed by an authorized GM dealership at 58,581 miles. The vehicle was cleared as passing the recall criteria and returned to me. Within fewer than 10 miles after leaving the dealership following the recall inspection, at approximately 58,590 miles, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of propulsion while traveling at highway speed (approximately 65 mph) on a divided U.S. highway while ascending an incline. The vehicle shifted into neutral and lost engine power without warning. Steering and braking remained functional, but the vehicle lost forward motive power in the left lane of traffic. Attempts to restart the engine resulted in a loud mechanical thud, and the engine would not restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealership. The engine is now being replaced. Prior to this incident, the vehicle had previously undergone an oil consumption test related to engine concerns before the recall campaign. This failure occurred shortly after the vehicle was inspected and cleared under the recall procedure. I am reporting this due to the sudden loss of propulsion at highway speed following recall inspection and the subsequent need for complete engine replacement.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718829February 18, 2026
POWER TRAIN, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, and the vehicle decelerated unintendedly. Additionally, the vehicle failed to exceed 42 MPH. Later in the day, the gear shifter was shifted to reverse; however, the vehicle failed to reverse as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission valve body failure. The contact was informed that the transmission valve body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was at the dealer from December 2024 until June 2025. The vehicle was picked up from the dealer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the fuel pump had failed, and the battery was drained. The contact was informed that the battery and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718698February 18, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sun Roof has leaked. The Sun roof leaked a considerable amount of water and it came through the head liner around the ceiling mounted control panel as well as the back of the car. This is the second time it has happened and I have been told it is not covered under warranty. Through online blogs and forums I have found that this is a common issue with 2021 and newer tahoes and suburbans. And that is a reoccurring problem that is commonly not fixed properly by the dealers This causes a safety and health issue as well as an unacceptable vehicle defect. 1.) From a safety standpoint, if I am driving down the highway and a large amount of water starts pouring out of the headliner on the driver it causes a major distraction that could lead to high speed accident. 2.) From a health issue, regular water leaks could lead to vehicle mold and water damage. I have children, if they become susceptible to the mold it could cause health issues for me or my children. 3.) The water that pours out of the ceiling lands on the dash electronics which could lead to more vehicle issues by damaging electronic controls. It is my opinion that this is a major vehicle defect and something should be done by the manufacturer to correct it. I have made a complaint to the Chevy Customer service under reference #890 780 85
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718392February 17, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2016 transmission was jerking, shuddering, vibrating, ruff shifting and stopped moving in traffic. My safety was at risk, I turned off a major boulevard onto a neighborhood street, my SUV stopped shifting and stopped, I had to contact my son to come to help to push by hands out of traffic.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718424February 17, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Purchased a brand new vehicle on 23Dec2025 (evening) and then drove it home and parked it in my garage. Vehicle was in my garage at 64 miles on the odometer. Vehicle started smoking and the transmission cooler line had the catastrophic failure spilling oil all over the street, driveway, and garage. It was towed from my garage to the selling dealer (Walser Polar Chevrolet in White Bear Lake, MN) on 24Dec2025. Service center confirmed a manufacturing defect in the transmission cooler line from the factory.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Chevrolet Suburban