2018 Chevrolet SUBURBAN: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
81 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
42,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 27 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 81 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 18 | 22.2% |
| Braking behavior | 18 | 22.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 11.1% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 9.9% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 2.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 2.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 18 |
| Power Train | 15 |
| Electrical System | 14 |
| Service Brakes | 12 |
| Unknown Or Other | 10 |
| Steering | 8 |
| Seat Belts | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
Engine: 18; Power Train: 15; Electrical System: 14; Service Brakes: 12; Unknown Or Other: 10; Steering: 8; Seat Belts: 5; Air Bags: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 9 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 54 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 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 16 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 | 9 |
2018: 4; 2019: 7; 2020: 5; 2021: 9; 2022: 12; 2023: 16; 2024: 6; 2025: 13; 2026: 9
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 18 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 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 11089761 · 2018-04-23 (April 23, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL AND BOUNCED BACK ONTO THE ROADWAY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT END OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED SHOULDER AND NECK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE DRIVER ALSO SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING LOT WHERE IT WAS AWAITING I…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11089761 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11129703 · 2018-09-15 (September 15, 2018)
THE FILLER NECK ON MY 3 MONTH OLD 2018 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500, HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF AN O RING THAT WAS MISSING, CAUSING THE FUEL TANK NOT TO PRESSURIZE PROPERLY CAUSING THE FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO SEND AN OBD II FAULT.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11129703 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11163326 · 2018-12-25 (December 25, 2018)
DEFECTIVE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT. WOULD NOT EXTEND OUT.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11163326 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11163327 · 2018-12-25 (December 25, 2018)
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MISS FIRING. FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR ON CYLINDER #1.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11163327 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11186543 · 2019-03-13 (March 13, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTERWARDS, THE "FAILURE TO OPEN RIGHT DOOR, ROLL WINDOW DOWN, AND PUT BACK UP" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BANNER CHEVROLET (5173, 5950 CHEF MENTEUR HWY, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70126, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE OVERHEATED, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHIC…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,311 miles reported. Look up ODI 11186543 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11208243 · 2019-05-17 (May 17, 2019)
FRAME WAX PEELING, RESULTING IN CORROSION. AT THE CURRENT RATE, CORROSION WILL AFFECT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME IN THE FUTURE. PROBLEM MAY HAVE RESULTED FROM IMPROPER WAX APPLICATION TECHNIQUE OR IMPROPER PREPARATION OF FRAME PRIOR TO WAX APPLICATION. NORMAL VEHICLE USE.
Owner-reported narrative. 26,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11208243 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11228616 · 2019-07-01 (July 1, 2019)
INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS FRONT END COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HIT BETWEEN FRONT WHEEL AND FRONT BUMPER. WAS LEAVING A STOP SIGN WHEN HIT. VEHICLE THAT HIT ME WAS GOING AT LEAST 40 MPH.
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11228616 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11258738 · 2019-09-28 (September 28, 2019)
THE CAP LESS FILLER'S AUTOMATIC FLAP BROKE. WE NOTICED THIS SHORTLY AFTER WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE
Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11258738 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
18V673000 · Seat Belts:Rear/Other
Reported: 2018-09-26 (September 26, 2018)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.
NHTSA campaign record ↗19V645000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist:Vacuum
Reported: 2019-09-06 (September 6, 2019)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Consequence: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
NHTSA campaign record ↗19V761000 · Service Brakes | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Wheel Speed Sensor/Tone Ring | Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
Reported: 2019-10-24 (October 24, 2019)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Consequence: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
NHTSA campaign record ↗26V289000 · Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)
Reported: 2026-05-07 (May 7, 2026)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and certain 2015-2020 Suburban, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe vehicles. A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.
Consequence: Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.
NHTSA campaign record ↗