Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1989 GMC Suburban, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Seats4
- Seat belts3
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Steering2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Tires2
- Equipment1
- Power train1
- Electrical system1
- Unknown or other1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 5 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1989 GMC Suburban failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 1989 passenger car (0.81%). Median odometer at inspection: 55,142 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
1 1989 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 1989 GMC Suburban.
| 1995096 1 Jun 1995 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, the service-part fuel tanks may have one or more pairs of the six projection welds which attach the sender-unit ring to the tank that do no… |
| 1993153 15 Nov 1993 | Seats And Restraints ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH BUCKET SEATS WITH KNOB TYPE RECLINER MECHANISMS, A FRONT SEAT RECLINER BOLT MAY FATIGUE AND BREAK. THIS MAY ALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUD… |
| 1993141 14 Oct 1993 | Powertrain NOTE: R/V SUBURBAN TRUCKS - 2 WHEEL AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. VEHICLES MAY DEVELOP AN ABNORMAL PRESSURE BUILD-UP IN THE TRANSMIS… |
| 1993120 20 Aug 1993 | Brakes On certain K1500, Astro, Safari and Suburban vehicles, corrosion of the composite front brake rotors could cause separation of the stamped steel centre section … |
| 1989145 16 Oct 1989 | Emissions THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1101 - EMISSION DEVICE. MISSING EMISSION CONTROL LABEL. |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. THIS "SOFT" JOINT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN SPECIFIED BOLT TORQUE WHICH LEADS TO JOINT LOOSENESS, CAUSING BOLT FATIGUE AND EVENTUAL BOLT FAILURE.
UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.
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 GMC told its dealers about the 1989 GMC Suburban: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 39070 | NEW CAST IRON EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND STAINLESS STEEL GASKET TO CORRECT ENGINE NOISE CONDITION. *TW |
| 10007838 | DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
SEAT BACK BOLT BREAKAGE
SEAT BACK FAILURES
TRAILER HITCH SEPERATION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation