1999 Chevrolet Suburban 1500: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 74 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is service brakes, hydraulic (57% of complaints).
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
74
owner complaints
0
fire reports
100,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No fire reportsNo recall campaignsProblems tend to appear late (median 100,000 mi)Weak spot: service brakes, hydraulic (57%)
Common problems
Computed from 74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic (brakes)57% · 41 complaints
Service Brakes (brakes)8% · 6 complaints
Steering (steering wheel, rack, power assist)6% · 4 complaints
Structure (body, frame, doors, rust)4% · 3 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling (engine, radiator, overheating)4% · 3 complaints
Latches/Locks/Linkages (door locks, latches, hood release)4% · 3 complaints
“Brake lines rusted through front passenger side causing minor accident dec 2015 separate incident:: high-pressure fuel line rusted through causing fuel to spray around the front of gas tank area unnoticed for 2 trips. Thankfully no fire resulted.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jan 2017
“The passenger side rear door lock failed in the locked position. The auto locks do not affect it nor can the lock be manually unlocked from the inside. The door cannot be opened at all from inside or out. No indication of breakage occurred, it just froze up one day with normal use.”Owner report · Structure · Jun 2016
“This is a design and a manufacturing defect. It's a manufacturing defect because the doors are failing in large numbers and it's a design defect because the doors can't be unlocked manually when the power locks fail. The dealer said the door actuators and latch assemblies must be replaced. What happens is rivets on the lock assembly are coming loose and when the window is half way down it hits the rivets causing the lock to jam and the door can not be opened. In a panic situation, collision or car fire the passengers not knowing why they can not open the door would have to climb over the seats to get out which may not be possible if there is a front end collision or fire.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Sep 2015
Show 7 more owner reports
“The suv does not stop and the ABS activates when coming to a stop (approximately 5 mph). I noticed there is gm recall no. 05068 but my model is not included. That is strange because all of the suv and pickup trucks around that time are included, my model is not. ABS light sometimes is on and sometimes not during these episodes. This safety issue happens periodically over many years with this vehicle.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Aug 2015
“Driving on interstate and was slowing down to exit onto off-ramp. Brakes went to floor. Was able to coast and use emergency brake to stop vehicle. After getting the vehicle home, found the right back metal brake line was leaking with a hole in it and was rusted. Never had a brake line rust and go bad in 60 years. I saw there is a investigation with the chevy brake lines corroding. *tr”Owner report · Service Brakes · Apr 2015
“Turning out of my office parking lot I heard a "pop" - - - as I proceeded down the road I noticed a "funny wiggle" when I changed lanes or turned - - - I pulled off the road into a large parking lot and began inspecting the front suspension - - - then I noticed that the front stabilizer bar was broken completely in two where it meets the frame on the passenger side - - - glad I was not going 70mph on the interstate. *tr”Owner report · Suspension · Feb 2014
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 chevrolet suburban k1500. The contact stated that the rear brake lines were corroded, causing him to lose fluid to the rear brakes. After inspection, he also noticed that the front brake lines were wearing prematurely. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact diagnosed the vehicle and performed the repairs. The current and the failure mileages were 121,000. Updated 12/29/11 *bf the consumer stated he experienced low speed anti-lock brake failure as described in the recall. Updated 02/29/12”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Nov 2011
“Brake line running from front of vehicle to rear on driver side completely rusted through. Fuel line fittings are just as bad. Fittings on rear a/c went up over three years ago, haven't had ac. *tr”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Nov 2011
“1. Driving down a mountain road. 2. Brake failure. Barely any brakes. Smoke was coming from my front left wheelwell. 3. No action taken yet to repair. Need to replace corroded brake lines with stainless steel. *tt”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Aug 2011
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 chevrolet surburban 1500. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, he applied the brakes and the pedal depressed to the floor. The vehicle coasted to a stop. Upon exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed that there was a brake fluid leak. More brake fluied was added and the vehicle was driven home. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed. The failure mileage was 59,000.”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Jul 2011
When filing, owners marked a crash in 5 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all Suburban 1500 years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.
Check your exact Suburban 1500 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
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Is the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 reliable?
NHTSA has 74 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban 1500. The most complained-about area is service brakes, hydraulic (57% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 100,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.