Total Complaints
12 filings
CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 · model year
12 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996CHEVROLETSUBURBAN 1500 carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 SUBURBAN 1500 is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor with 2 filings, followed by suspension (2) and service brakes, hydraulic (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1996 SUBURBAN 1500, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
12 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 2 |
| SUSPENSION | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
| VISIBILITY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
IT KEEPS STALLING ON US. WE HAVE REPLACED ALL THE CENSORS, THE CONTROL MODULE AND WE EVEN REPLACED THE REAR END WE HAVE SPENT WELL OVERA THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS VEHICLE STILL WONT STAY RUNNING IT STALLS WON'T START WE HAVE FIXED EVERYTHING THE CODES ARE READING. THIS CONTINUES TO STALL IT SHUTS DOWN BY ITS SELF IT ALMOST KILLED MY WIFE AND KIDS A FEW TIMES I WANT THIS VEHICLE FULLY REPAIRED FOR FREE. I HABE ONE INCOME AND I CANT EVEN CATCH UP ON MY BILLS AS WE HAVE SPENT MORE ON HER VEHICLE TO STILL CAUSE PROBLEMS AND ME ALMOST LOOKING MY FAMILY MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR.
Mileage: 500
IT KEEPS STALLING ON US. WE HAVE REPLACED ALL THE CENSORS, THE CONTROL MODULE AND WE EVEN REPLACED THE REAR END WE HAVE SPENT WELL OVERA THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS VEHICLE STILL WONT STAY RUNNING IT STALLS WON'T START WE HAVE FIXED EVERYTHING THE CODES ARE READING. THIS CONTINUES TO STALL IT SHUTS DOWN BY ITS SELF IT ALMOST KILLED MY WIFE AND KIDS A FEW TIMES I WANT THIS VEHICLE FULLY REPAIRED FOR FREE. I HABE ONE INCOME AND I CANT EVEN CATCH UP ON MY BILLS AS WE HAVE SPENT MORE ON HER VEHICLE TO STILL CAUSE PROBLEMS AND ME ALMOST LOOKING MY FAMILY MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR.
Mileage: 500
IT KEEPS STALLING ON US. WE HAVE REPLACED ALL THE CENSORS, THE CONTROL MODULE AND WE EVEN REPLACED THE REAR END WE HAVE SPENT WELL OVERA THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS VEHICLE STILL WONT STAY RUNNING IT STALLS WON'T START WE HAVE FIXED EVERYTHING THE CODES ARE READING. THIS CONTINUES TO STALL IT SHUTS DOWN BY ITS SELF IT ALMOST KILLED MY WIFE AND KIDS A FEW TIMES I WANT THIS VEHICLE FULLY REPAIRED FOR FREE. I HABE ONE INCOME AND I CANT EVEN CATCH UP ON MY BILLS AS WE HAVE SPENT MORE ON HER VEHICLE TO STILL CAUSE PROBLEMS AND ME ALMOST LOOKING MY FAMILY MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR.
Mileage: 500
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.
Mileage: 261,000
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, FUEL FILTER AND THE TURBO CHARGER WASTE GATE SOLENOID TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 187,000.
Mileage: 180,000
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
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 COMPLETELY CHECKED OUT MY ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM, HE SAID THERE NOTHING WAS WRONG. HE SAID THAT SOME 96 SUBURBANS HAD A RUST PROBLEM WITH SOME BRAKE COMPONENTS BUT THAT MINE WAS NOT RUSTY. THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS AND HAS UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSED SOME SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENTS!!!!! *TR
Mileage: 150,000
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 RECALL ON NEWER VEHICLES. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS ABS ISSUE IS OCCURRING IN VEHICLES OUTSIDE THE PARAMETERS OF THE GM RECALL (PRE 1998 VEHICLES) AND CONSTITUTES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE DISCONNECTED THE ABS SYSTEM UNTIL TOMORROW. AT THAT TIME I WILL HAVE MY MECHANIC ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND RECTIFY IT. *TR
Mileage: 149,500
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
Mileage: 65,000
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
Mileage: 65,000
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.
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
Mileage: 119,000
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Fuel Line Leak
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.