Total Complaints
21 filings
CHEVROLET SUBURBAN · model year
21 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987CHEVROLETSUBURBAN carries 21 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 4 fires, 1 injury, 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 1987 SUBURBAN is fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2) and tires (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 1987 SUBURBAN, 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
21 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
1987 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SAW SMOKE, PULLED OVER THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *MC (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *JB A VEHICLE QUESTIONAIRE WAS MAILED TO CUSTOMER TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE COMPLAINT. *TR
WHILE IN MOTION, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL. THE OFFICER REPORTING LISTED THIS AS EQUIPMENT FAILURE BECAUSE THE RIGHT REAR TIRE'S RIM WAS STILL ATTACHED. IT HAD SHEARED OFF THE HUB. THE STUDS HAD BROKEN OFF OF THE HUB ASSEMBLY WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE AND RIM TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. *JG
I BOUGHT 2 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HTS IN JULY 2000 FOR OUR SUV. I FOUND A TWO INCH TEAR IN ONE AFTER 2,500 MILES, ABOUT 800 OF WHICH WAS SUSTAINED HIGHWAY DRIVING DURING A HOT JULY. THERE WAS NO BRUISING AROUND THE TEAR AND IT LOOKED CLEAN INSIDE, BUT FIRESTONE COMPANY TIRE STORE WHERE I BOUGHT IT SAID I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING AND REFUSED TO REFUND MY MONEY. I PURCHASED TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM A MORE HONORABLE COMPANY ON SEPT. 1. I WOULD LIKE FIRESTONE TO REFUND MY MONEY AND I WILL HAPPILY GIVE THEM THEIR DANGEROUS AND DEFECTIVE TIRES BACK.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235R7515 )
I BOUGHT 2 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HTS IN JULY 2000 FOR OUR SUV. I FOUND A TWO INCH TEAR IN ONE AFTER 2,500 MILES, ABOUT 800 OF WHICH WAS SUSTAINED HIGHWAY DRIVING DURING A HOT JULY. THERE WAS NO BRUISING AROUND THE TEAR AND IT LOOKED CLEAN INSIDE, BUT FIRESTONE COMPANY TIRE STORE WHERE I BOUGHT IT SAID I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING AND REFUSED TO REFUND MY MONEY. I PURCHASED TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM A MORE HONORABLE COMPANY ON SEPT. 1. I WOULD LIKE FIRESTONE TO REFUND MY MONEY AND I WILL HAPPILY GIVE THEM THEIR DANGEROUS AND DEFECTIVE TIRES BACK.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235R7515 )
SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2000 - TRUCK PARKED IN PARKING LOT THE THE SURFSIDE MOTEL, POINT PLEASANT, NJ WITH ALL WINDOWS OPENED APPROX. 1". SPARE TIRE IN TIRE WELL IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. TEMP OUTSIDE WAS ABOUT 90. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDORCRA TIRE SIZE: 235/85/R16 )
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
HORN HAD STOPPED WORKING ABOUT SEVEN TIMES WITHOUT A WARNING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH VACUUM TO APPLY BRAKES. THEREFORE WAS FORCED INTO THE INTERSECTION, PUT IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP. HAD BEEN REPAIRED TWICE BY THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE COMPUTER CHIP. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH VACUUM TO APPLY BRAKES. THEREFORE WAS FORCED INTO THE INTERSECTION, PUT IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP. HAD BEEN REPAIRED TWICE BY THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE COMPUTER CHIP. *AK
BRAKING SYSTEM HAS BEEN INCONSISTENT DURING THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE. MORE OR LESS PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, ESPECIALLY DURING EMERGENCY STOPPING. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
BRAKE LINE FAILURE.
SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTED FROM USE OF CRUISE CONTROL.
FUEL TANK MOUNTED OUTSIDE FRAME.
WHIILE DRIVING DOWN ON FREEWAY CONSUMER LOST POWER OF REAR WHEELS- AND COULD NOT RE ENGAGE- CAUSING A NEAR AUTO ACCIDENT FROM THE REAR.
BRAKES FAILED.
WATER PUMP FAILED.
WHILE TRYING TO START THE AUTO, IT MADE A VERY HIGH PITCHED NOISE AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AUTO CAUGHT A FIRE AND BURNED, NO INJURIES. *AK
REAR BRAKES ARE LOCKING UP WHEN APPLYING BRAKES EVEN AT A SLOW SPEED. *AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO GAS LEAK IN FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. *SD
THERE IS A BROKEN BAFFLE IN THE FUEL TANK. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
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.