Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1994 GMC Suburban, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic270
- Visibility72
- Tires17
- Seats12
- Electrical system11
- Power train10
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Seat belts9
- Fuel system, gasoline7
- Service brakes, air6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 25 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 7 1994 Suburban vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 3 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 1994 GMC Suburban failed the safety check 0.89% of the time — 33% less often than the average 1994 passenger car (1.33%). Median odometer at inspection: 188,161 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
5 1994 cars are on the New Zealand register; 80% 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
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1994 GMC Suburban.
| 2003064 17 Mar 2003 | Other Certain vehicles (not involved in recall 98-150), may experience a windshield wiper failure due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. If th… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS, CREW CABS, UTILITY TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH THE POLARITY OF THE WIRING FOR THE ZERO ADJUST BRAKE SWITCH REVERSED FROM WHAT WAS SPECIFIED ON THE SWITCH DRAWING. WITH THE REVERSED POLARITY, THE CONTACTS IN THE BRAKE SWITCH CAN WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. THE BRAKE SWITCH WILL PERFORM NORMALLY UNTIL THE BRAKE SWITCH CONTACTS WEAR OUT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF THE BRAKE LAMPS WITHOUT ANY WARNING TO THE DRIVER.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
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 1994 GMC 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 |
| 623509 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH VACUUM POWER BRAKE ASSIST AND EBC4 ABS BRAKE MODULES MAY COMMENT THAT THEIR VEHICLES EXHIBIT POOR BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, THIS MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO BRAKE PEDAL FEEL. *SLC |
| 623419 | SPECIAL POLICY BULLETIN REGARDING PRODUCT ENHANCEMENT BRAKE SYSTEM SUBJECTIVE FEEL / POOR BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE. *TT |
| 623411 | THIS SPECIAL POLICY PRODUCT ENHANCEMENT COVERS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH VACUUM POWER BRAKE ASSIST AND EBC4 ABS BRAKE MODULES EXHIBITNG POOR BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE / BRAKE SYSTEM SUBJECTIVE FEEL. *TT |
| 615106 | PRODUCT RECALL CAMPAIGN INVOLVING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 608388 | BRAKE LEAD/PULL AND FRONT BRAKE WEAR. *MJS |
| 606765 | SOME CAB CHASSIS, CREW CAB, AND PICKUP MODELS MAY EXHIBIT A BRAKE LEAD / PULL AND FRONT BRAKE WEAR. *TT |
| 602774 | VEHICLES LEADING OR PULLING TO EITHER SIDE WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND PREMATURE FRONT BRAKE WEAR, ESPECIALLY VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO TOW A HEAVY LOAD. *YC |
| 601128 | VEHICLE LEADING OR PULLING TO EITHER SIDE WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES OR FRONT BRAKE WEAR NOT MEETING EXPECTATIONS. *YC |
| 52352 | BROKEN REAR CARGO DOOR HINGE (INSTALL REPLACEMENT HINGE). *TW |
| 39304 | COLD ENGINE KNOCK. *TW |
| 10246631 | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules |
| 10168979 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. E version update is to add administrative details. |
| 10165876 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. |
| 10141381 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. |
| 10008883 | 93-00 FULL SIZE UTILITIES (GMT 400 OLD STYLE ONLY) AC BLOWS WARM AND THE HIGH SIDE PRESSURE IS TOO HIGH. *MJ |
| 10007838 | DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT |
| 10002567 | WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE DUE TO CRACKED BOULDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THIS SPECIAL POLICY COVERS THE CONDITION FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS OR 70,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST FROM THE DATE THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PLACED IN SERVICE REGARDLESS OF OWNERSHIP OR FOR THESE VEHICLES CURRENTLY OUTSIDE OF THIS COVERAGE UNTIL FEBRUARY 29, 2004. *TT |
| 10001125 | SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT - WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURES. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE
OEM HITCH RECEIVER PLATFORM CRACKING
POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation