1991 Chevrolet SUBURBAN: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
25 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
106,744 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1991 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 25 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 20.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 16.0% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 8.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 4.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 4.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Tires | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 4 |
| Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Gas Recirculation Valve (Egr Valve) | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 1 |
Tires: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 4; Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Gas Recirculation Valve (Egr Valve): 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 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 | 1 |
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: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 20 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 6 |
| 1996 | 5 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
1995: 6; 1996: 5; 2000: 4; 2001: 1; 2002: 2; 2003: 2; 2008: 2; 2010: 2; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Tires leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior 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 10017479 · 2003-04-24 (April 24, 2003)
THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN PRESSED WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017479 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019363 · 2003-05-07 (May 7, 2003)
THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD SEPARATED. THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE ARE DEFECTIVE. THE SAME PART FOR THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED FOR THE RECALL BRAKE PART AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAMPAIGN WAS CLOSED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO INDICATE WHAT WAS REPAIRED DUE TO NOT BEING THE ORIGINAL OWNER RECALL 93V119000. *CM *SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019363 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10233685 · 2008-07-09 (July 9, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED VALVE STEM FAILURE, WHICH CAUSED IT TO CRACK. THE TIRE FLATTENED AND WAS RUINED AS A RESULT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE VALVE STEM FAILURE. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED VARIOUS RECALLS PERTAINING TO VALVE STEM FAILURES AND CRACKS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 51,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233685 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10234247 · 2008-07-14 (July 14, 2008)
PEP BOYS FUTURA SCRAMBLER A/P TRUCK TIRE BLOWOUT DUE TO BELT SEPARATION. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 11,976 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234247 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10328457 · 2010-05-02 (May 2, 2010)
TREAD SEPARATION AROUND 9/10 OF TIRE STEEL BELTS SHOWING. RUBBER SEPARATING FROM SAME. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 137,186 miles reported. Look up ODI 10328457 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10370051 · 2010-12-04 (December 4, 2010)
FRAME WHERE STEERING BOX IS ATTACHED FAILED. FLEXING FROM NORMAL USE CAUSED THE AREA AROUND THE MOUNTING BOLTS TO CRACK AND WOULD ULTIMATELY SEPARATE THE STEERING BOX FROM THE FRAME IF LEFT UNREPAIRED. REPORTS OF FRAME FAILURES ON 4X4 VERSIONS HAVE BEEN CIRCULATING FOR SOME YEARS DUE TO THE HIGHER STRESS CAUSED BY THE FRONT AXLE AND THE USE OF OVERSIZED TIRES. IN THIS CASE THE SUBURBAN IS A 1/2 TON 2WD UNIT AND HAS ALWAYS RUN ON FACTORY SIZED TIRES. CRACKS WERE FIRST NOTICED JANUARY 2005 WITH 106744 MI DURING A REPAIR JOB FOR A LOOSE FRAME …
Owner-reported narrative. 106,744 miles reported. Look up ODI 10370051 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11350271 · 2020-08-19 (August 19, 2020)
I HAVE A SET OF HANKOOK OPTIMO 727 TIRES ON MY FAMILY SUBURBAN, AND ONE OF THEM BLEW OUT SUDDENLY, AND UNEXPECTEDLY. THE TIRE THAT BLEW OUT ONLY HAD 14,596 MILES ON IT. THE SIZE IS P235-75-15. ALL FOUR OF THESE TIRES WERE INSTALLED IN FEBRUARY 2016, AND THE VEHICLE WAS ALWAYS KEPT IN MY GARAGE. THE TIRE THAT BLEW OUT SHOWED NO SIGNS OF SUN OZONE DEPLETION, AND AGAIN, IT NEVER SAT OUTSIDE IN THE SUN. ADDITIONALLY, THE TIRE THAT BLEW OUT HAD ALOT OF TREAD DEPTH LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERLOADED, AS I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN IT AT THE TIME OF TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 159,929 miles reported. Look up ODI 11350271 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 485333 · 1995-06-19 (June 19, 1995)
TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 485333 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
93V016000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 1993-02-01 (February 1, 1993)
UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.
Consequence: THE VENTED TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN CATCH FIRE IF EXPOSEDTO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy: INSTALL A LONGER TRANSMISSION VENT HOSE ROUTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA campaign record ↗93V119000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
Reported: 1993-08-02 (August 2, 1993)
SEVERE CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT AT THE JOINT OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER SECTION AND THE CAST OUTER SECTION CAN CAUSE THE SECTIONS TO SEPARATE.
Consequence: SEPARATION OF THE ROTOR SECTIONS CAN CAUSE LOSS OFBRAKING ABILITY IN THE AFFECTED WHEEL. THIS COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCE AND/OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH NEW ROTORS WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION COATING. HOWEVER, IF REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LININGS ARE NECESSARY, IT WILL BE DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE SINCE BRAKE LININGS ARE NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗96V226000 · Seats
Reported: 1996-11-04 (November 4, 1996)
THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL VETWEEN 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.
Consequence: IF BOLT FAILURE OCCURS TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WOULD ALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FOAM AND/OR VINYL FROM BETWEEN THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME "SOFT" JOINT AND REPLACE THE RECLINER BOLTS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗