1996 Chevrolet SUBURBAN 1500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
149,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 9 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 4 | 44.4% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 22.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 2 |
| Suspension | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Equipment | 1 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 2; Suspension: 2; Electrical System: 1; Equipment: 1; Fuel System, Diesel: 1; Service Brakes: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 3
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2006: 2; 2007: 1; 2008: 2; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2015: 1; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10159662 · 2006-06-12 (June 12, 2006)
WHILE BRAKING TO STOP IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ON CLEAR DRY DAY, ABS MOMENTARILY ACTIVATED THEN RELEASED ALL BRAKES CAUSING VEHICLE TO REAR-END TRACTOR TRAILER. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT ROTOR INTO TWO PIECES WITH FULL HUB SEPARATION. PEDAL REMAINED HARD BUT ABS PREVENTED ANY BRAKING. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 119,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10159662 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10177055 · 2006-12-27 (December 27, 2006)
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT ROTOR (SEPARATED INTO TWO PIECES) CAUSED COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING TO ALL WHEELS AND SUBSEQUENT CRASH INTO REAR OF TRACTOR TRAILER ON HIGHWAY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10177055 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10202242 · 2007-09-08 (September 8, 2007)
AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR AWHILE IT DEVELOPS A VERY SEVER SHAKING. IT IS TO THE POINT IT KNOCKS STUFF OFF THE DASH AND OUT OF THE CUP HOLDERS. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES CHANGED, ROTATED, BALANCED. THIS DOES NOTHING TO HELP. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10202242 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10236761 · 2008-08-03 (August 3, 2008)
1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 - MILEAGE 149,000 - PROFESSIONALLY MAINTAINED & CLEANED. RECENTLY THE VEHICLE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES AT LOW SPEEDS UNDER ALL EXCEPT VERY LIGHT BRAKE APPLICATIONS. ABS WILL ACTIVATE AT VEHICLE SPEEDS OF LESS THAN APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH DURING BRAKING. THIS UNNECESSARY ACTIVATION CAUSES VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCES TO INCREASE AND HAS CAUSED ONE "NEAR MISS" AT A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION WHEN THE VEHICLE BRAKES RELEASED DUE TO THE ABS APPLICATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE ABS AND THAT GM HAS ISSUED A R…
Owner-reported narrative. 149,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236761 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10249184 · 2008-11-18 (November 18, 2008)
THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ON THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN VERY POOR SINCE IT WAS BUILT. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHER OWNERS AND COLLISION SHOPS WHO SAY THAT THE FAILURE OF THE ABS TO WORK PROPERLY HAS CAUSED THEIR ACCIDENTS. I MYSELF HAD A VERY CLOSE CALL THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE AS I WAS STOPPING, ONE WHEEL HIT A WET SPOT AND ALL FOUR WHEELS STOPPED THEIR BRAKING ACTION AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT RECOVER THE BRAKING FUNCTION FOR OVER 3 SECONDS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT/PROBLEM. AND, ALTHOUGH HE COMPLETE…
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10249184 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10280452 · 2009-08-14 (August 14, 2009)
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND FLUID WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ON. CALLED CHEVY AND WAS TOLD NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE THIS HAS STARTED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10280452 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10357314 · 2010-09-24 (September 24, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 DIESEL 6.5. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AT LEAST FIFTEEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE INJECTION PUMP WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT, …
Owner-reported narrative. 180,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10357314 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10795331 · 2015-11-22 (November 22, 2015)
DISCOVERED WHILE REPLACING THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY, THE U BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE REAR AXLE HOUSING TO THE LEAF SPRINGS HAD ALMOST RUSTED THRU. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT EASILY RECOGNIZABLE AS THE CONFIGURATION OF LOWER PLATE THAT THE U BOLTS GO THRU CONCEALS THE RUSTED PORTIONS OF THE U BOLT. ALSO, THE CONFIGURATION OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED PLATE CAPTURES ROAD SALT, CORRODING THE U BOLTS. IF THESE BOLTS FAILED, THE REAR AXLE WOULD DISLODGE FROM THE VEHICLE WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS.
Owner-reported narrative. 261,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10795331 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.