1999 Chevrolet Suburban Problems, Recalls & Reliability
952 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 6 defect investigations. It scores 87/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 96,437 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 1999 Chevrolet Suburban sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1990–1991, 2005–2006, 2009–2010, 2012–2014, 2017–2022.
Avoid
Where 1999 sits among all Suburban years
What owners report
“Every 20,000 miles we have to put brakes on front. The brake pads are totally gone by 20,000. We are replacing wtih the best pads avaiable. This still does not help. We have replace the brakes at 21,000miles and at 40,000miles. There has to be something wrong with this system.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Suburban
“Tire dealer said tread separated, tires were replaced with same kind.( dot number: tire size: 245-75r16 )”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Suburban
“We purchased the vechicle used from the dealer listed. Vehicle has been in for brake problems when wheels are wet they shutter and lock up. The battery cracked and leaked all over the battery tray and brake lines and other frame componets. The rear door dome light switch shorted out. The front end…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Suburban
“Steering box leaked and pinion seal leaking. Also the vehicles steeing was erractic and the steering feels loose at times at speeds above 25mph. Steering box and pinion seal were fixed. The steering sensor was checked by dealer and they said there was not a problem. Car continues to drive…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Suburban
“Aparently the rear axle broke causing the vehicle to go out or control hitting another vehicle,careening off the road and rolling over coming to rest on its top. My wife the driver suffered heavy brusies,cuts and bumps.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Suburban
“Driver's side washer inoperative, jets clogged, replaced washer jets, passenger's side wiper chatters, transmission coming apart, replaced wiper transmission. Cj”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Suburban
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 357 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 89,950 miles. Half of those reports fall between 60,000 and 117,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
Fix: 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).
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE OCCUPANT PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A TRAY INSERT ON THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE TRAY INSERT CORRECTS THE NONCOMPLIANCE.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 05V379000.
Technical service bulletins
115 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1999 Suburban TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban reliable?
The 1999 Chevrolet Suburban drew 952 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 87/100, scored against the model's worst year (1994).
What are the most common 1999 Chevrolet Suburban problems?
The top reported problems for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban are brakes & stability (338 complaints), wheels & tires (108), and electrical (90).
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Suburban problems show up?
Owners most often report 1999 Chevrolet Suburban problems around 89,950 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 60,000 and 117,000 miles.
Does the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.