1993 Chevrolet Suburban: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 499 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is service brakes, hydraulic (71% of complaints); the 1991 and 1992 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall May 2006
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 499 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Tl*the contact owns a 1993 chevrolet suburban. While an occupant was attempting to strap herself in the vehicle with the lap and shoulder belt, the buckle fell off in her hand. The manufacturer stated that they could not assist due to the fact that the vehicle was over ten years old. The dealer could make repairs at an estimated cost of $400. The failure and current mileages were 154,000.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Nov 2008
“Rear upper shock bracket. Cracked and fell off vehicle- with doing inspection of welds, also found that the rear frame stress fracture cracks. Going from shock brackets back to the gas tank. Second complaint: driverseat mounting bracket, cracked causing seat to be unstable. *tr”Owner report · Structure · Dec 2007
“The spare tire inside the cab of the vehicle exploded. The tire mfr. Was general tire. Ameri 550as lt245/75r16. Dot#ad11c9b153. *nm”Owner report · Tires · May 2004
Show 7 more owner reports
“When making a turn at high speeds steering wheel/brakes locked up temporarily. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak *nm”Owner report · Steering · Apr 2004
“Driver's side seat belt will not retract into the retractor. *ak consumer noted the seat belt would not retract properly leaving it useless in a crash. *ph *nlm”Owner report · Seat Belts · Oct 2003
“Consumer states windshield wiper motor does not work properly. As a result, sometimes windshield wipers work, and sometimes they do not work. When the indicator is turned to the off position windshield wipers will work. Then, there are times when consumer cannot turn them off. Consumer's husband received a recall on chevrolet, suburban,1994, but consumer had not received a recall notice on her chevrolet, suburban,1993. Husband has not had a problem with his vehicle, but she has.*ak”Owner report · Visibility · Sep 2003
“Intermittently, the windshield wipers became inoperable, obstructing the driver's view. The dealer stated there was no recall on this vehicle. A recall had been issued on similar makes and models, however this vehicle was not included due to the VIN. *ak *scc *jb”Owner report · Visibility · Jun 2003
“The windshield wipers worked intermittently, there was a recall regarding the issue, however the vehicle identification number was not included. *jb”Owner report · Visibility · Feb 2003
“ABS fails on uneven surfaces, such as washboard roads and when hitting bumps during braking. ABS perform poorly in most conditions, including dry pavement. They do provide some benefit on snow/ice. However, my ABS has now failed and overall braking performance is better. This system, and the logic in the controller, need significant changes. *jb”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Jan 2003
“Traveling at highway speed, the right rear cooper 31x1050r15 tire tread separated, causing my chevrolet suburban to rollover 1 and 1/2 times. These tires were 21 months old, with approximately 45,000 miles on them. They were rotated every 3000 miles, the car was aligned every six months and I checked the pressure regularly. I had a tread separation with my previous cooper 30x950r15. The dealer said my load was excessive for the tire so I weighed my truck and he recommended the 1050r15s. The suburban did a great job of cradling us and fortunately we didn't hit anything on our tumble and slide into the median. *nlm”Owner report · Tires · Sep 2002
When filing, owners marked a crash in 90 of these complaints and injuries in 34 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.
Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1992-1994 CHEVROLET AND GMC SUBURBANS EQUIPPED WITH VACUUM POWER-BRAKE ASSIST AND EBC4 ANTI-LOCK BRAKE (ABS) MODULES. THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT POOR BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW BRAKE PEDAL PAD. IN ADDITION, DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE-BOOSTER OUTPUT ROD AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.
How other years compare
Check your exact Suburban by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1993 Chevrolet Suburban reliable?
NHTSA has 499 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 1993 Chevrolet Suburban. The most complained-about area is service brakes, hydraulic (71% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1993 Chevrolet Suburban problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 120,000 miles or less.
Does the 1993 Chevrolet Suburban have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning fuel system, gasoline. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.