Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic223
- Tires92
- Electrical system58
- Steering52
- Power train47
- Visibility44
- Engine and engine cooling33
- Suspension33
- Fuel system, gasoline27
- Latches/locks/linkages23
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 49 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 55 1999 Suburban vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 41 people died inside them, and 20 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban failed the safety check 1.65% of the time — 6% less often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 182,783 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
14 1999 cars are on the New Zealand register; 93% arrived as used imports, 7% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban.
| 2000270 17 Nov 2000 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the body cross sill may contact the front, right-hand brake pipe. This could eventually wear a hole in the brake pipe over the normal life … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE OCCUPANT PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Chevrolet told its dealers about the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634905 | SOME VEHICLES WILL NOT MOVE WHEN 4-WHEEL DRIVE IS REQUESTED, NOISE, SHUDDER, POOR PERFORMANCE, TRANSMISSION / TRANSFER CASE SLIPS, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT, SLIPS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *TT |
| 634899 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE SERVICE 4WD INDICATOR ILLUMINATING WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B2725 SET. *TT |
| 634839 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 634805 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON HIGHER THAN EXPECTED ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. *TT |
| 634788 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A MILD TO SEVERE ENGINE PING (COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS SPARK KNOCK) USUALLY WORSE DURING ACCELERATION AND / OR AN ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP. *TT |
| 634723 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A MILD TO SEVERE ENGINE PING (SPARK KNOCK) DURING ACCELERATION AND / OR ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0332 SET. *TT |
| 628934 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP IS ILLUMINATED, NO 3RD AND 4TH GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, THE TRANSMISSION FEELS LIKE IT SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL OR A LOSS OF DRIVE OCCURS. *TT |
| 628858 | SUBJECT REGARDING LOSS OF HVAC SYSTEM MODE AND/OR TEMPERATURE CONTROL. *TT |
| 627635 | INFORMATION REGARDING SECURITY LAMP ILLUMINATION ON THE INSTUMENT PANEL, ENGINE STALLS. *YH |
| 625163 | INFORMATION REGARDING SECURITY LAMP ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, ENGINE STALL, NO START, AND DIAGNOSIC TROUBLE CODE B2960. *SLC |
| 623100 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A SECURITY LAMP ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, ENGINE STALL, NO START CONDITION, AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B2960. *TT |
| 617764 | CAMPAIGN PARTS BULLETIN REGARDING FMVSS NECK EXTENSION REQUIREMENTS. *TT |
| 617750 | SUBJECT REGARDING FMVSS NECK EXTENSION REQUIREMENTS. *TT |
| 609708 | SUBJECT REGARDING WATER INTRUSION INTO REAR COMPARTMENT. *TT |
| 6089929 | A CONDITION WITH THE AUXILIARY TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER OMITTED FROM CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HEAVY DUTY TRAILERING PACKAGE (Z82). *TT |
| 6089003 | GENERAL MOTORS HAS DECIDED THAT SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE THE AUXILIARY TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER OMITTED. *TT |
| 608388 | BRAKE LEAD/PULL AND FRONT BRAKE WEAR. *MJS |
| 608377 | GENERAL MOTORS HAS DECIDED THAT SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.8L OR 5.3L ENGINES AND 4L60-E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, AND VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.73 REAR AXLES AND ORDERED WITH THE HEAVY-DUTY TRAILERING PACKAGE MAY NOT HAVE INCLUDED THE MERCHANDISING-INTENT AUXILIARY TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER. *TT |
| 607943 | SUBJECT REGARDING AUXILIARY TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER OMITTED. *TT |
| 607680 | GENERAL MOTORS HAS DECIDED THAT SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE INCLUDED THE MERCHANDISING-INTENT AUXILIARY TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER (KNP). *TT |
| 607627 | GENERAL MOTORS HAS DECIDED THAT SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE INCLUDED THE MERCHANDISING-INTENT AUXILIARY TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER (KNP). *TT |
| 606765 | SOME CAB CHASSIS, CREW CAB, AND PICKUP MODELS MAY EXHIBIT A BRAKE LEAD / PULL AND FRONT BRAKE WEAR. *TT |
| 10248444 | Vehicle Recalls |
| 10246631 | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Brake line corrosion failure
Brake line corrosion failure
UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATION
STEEL WHEEL RIM FRACTURE
THROTTLE STICKING CLOSED
ERRATIC POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE DRIV
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation