GMC SUBURBAN · model year

1994 GMC SUBURBAN

490 NHTSA complaints, 70 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1994GMCSUBURBAN carries 490 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 70 crashes, 5 fires, 25 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 1994 SUBURBAN is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 234 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor (42) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer (26). 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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1994 SUBURBAN. 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.

490
Complaints
70
Crashes
5
Fires
25
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

490 filings

Crashes Reported

70 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP234
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR42
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER26
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS24
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC11
SEATS11
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS9
TIRES9
TIRES:TREAD/BELT7
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR5
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR4

Recent Complaints

20080502TIRES

TREAD / TIRE SEPARATION BIG BUBBLE IN TIRE SEVERE SHAKING / SEVERE PULLING THOUGHT MY TRUCK NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT VERY VERY VERY BAD. *TR

Mileage: 162,528

20080502FireTIRES

TIRE SEPARATION CAUSING BUBBLE IN TIRE /CAUSING SHAKING / PULLING SEVERELY TO RIGHT SIDE. *TR

Mileage: 161,528

20080502TIRES

TIRES SEPARATING CAUSING MAJOR BUBBLE AND PULLING AS WELL AS SHAKING. *TR

Mileage: 156,880

20080502FireTIRES

TIRE WOBBLE/ NO SEPARATION YET CAN FEEL IT PULLING / DID WAIT FOR THIS ONE TO BUBBLE UP AND SEPARATE WASN'T GOING TO WAIT ANOTHER 3 WEEKS FOR AN ACCIDENT POSSIBLY FATAL TO HAPPEN HAD THIS LAST REMAINING ONE REMOVED FROM MY VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 162,528

20060616VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED AFTER BEING MANUALLY "HELPED" SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE, BUT NO LONGER. WHEN I CONTACTED GMC, THEY TOLD ME THE CURRENT RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. I HAVE PURCHASED THE CIRCUIT BOARD MYSELF AND WILL NOW NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE INSTALL IT. RECALL NEEDS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL VIN #'S. I WAS TOLD BY THE GMC TOLL FREE NUMBER THAT IT WAS NOT A "SAFETY" ISSUE, SORRY. *NM

Mileage: 18,000

20051228VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON I ENCOUNTERED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS ONCE WHILE THE UNIT WAS ACTIVATED AND ONCE WHILE IT WAS NOT. *NM

20051016VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE. GM REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 98V150001 STATING RECALL VOIDED AFTER 70,000 MILES. I GUESS THE BARD TURNS "GOOD" AFTER REACHING THE MILEAGE? *JB

Mileage: 131,300

20050728FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

DT A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT AND LINES, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. CONTACTED GM, AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE. *AK

20050629VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

DT: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHEN TURNED WILL INTERMITTENTLY COME ON AND OFF. SOMETIMES IT HAS TO BE DONE MANUALLY, AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, BUT OCCASIONALLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP IN THE MIDDLE. DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THEN, RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT WAS TOLD THIS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER RECALL DUE TO T VIN. *AK

Mileage: 75,000

20050520VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE OWNS A 1994 GMC SUBURBAN. HE STATES THAT HE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER WASHER MOTOR BECAUSE IT IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON SOME GMC VEHICLES, BUT THE MANUFACTURER TOLD HIM THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUETO VIN. THE PROBLEM STARTED INTERMITTENTLY AND IT BECAME WORSE.*AK

20050520SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE OWNS A 1994 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. THEY ARE PERFORMING POORLY. THERE ARE ABS BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THIS VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS EVER SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. HE HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT IT WOULDN'T LAST VERY LONG. THE PROBLEM WOULD CONTINUE TO COME BACK. ALSO, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

20050506VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

DT : WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL PREVIOUS RECALLS IN 1998 AND 2003 HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. GMC HOTLINE SAID THEY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO DO THE RECALL. *AK *SB *NM

Mileage: 100,000

20050201SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED CAUSING FRONT WHEEL TO COLLAPSE CAR WAS IN PARKING LOT AND MOVING SLOWLY BALL JOINTS REPLACED BY GARAGE. *AK

Mileage: 113,000

20040422VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

PAINT FLAKING. I SHOWED IT TO SERVICE DEPT, THEY SAID GM WOULD NOT REPAIR

Mileage: 130,000

20040422UNKNOWN OR OTHER

PAINT FLAKING. I SHOWED IT TO SERVICE DEPT, THEY SAID GM WOULD NOT REPAIR

Mileage: 130,000

20040422VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

DIESEL K2500 SUBURBAN. INJECTION PUMP SUFFERED A PROBLEM WITH INTERMITTENT FUEL CUTOUT. SOLUTION WAS REPLACEMENT OF INJECTION PUMP. REPEATED DEALER ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE EXACT PROBLEM WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. SEAT MOUNT FAILED. THIS CAUSED SEAT TO TILT ON BASE & TORQUE REMAINING MOUNTS. THE WIPER MOTOR CUT OUT AT RANDOM. GM ACKNOWLEDGES THIS PROBLEM FOR OTHER MODELS, BUT NOT FOR MINE. THIS WOULD CAUSE FAILURE OF MOTOR FUNCTIONS (IN MY CASE, THE WIPER WOULD NOT START IF PARKED, BUT WOULD START IF PULLED OUT OF PARK POSITION). BRAKES ARE THE MOST INTERESTING PROBLEM. WHILE THERE MAY INDEED BE A PROBLEM WITH PEDAL SUDDENLY GOING TO THE FLOOR I THINK THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN MOST OF THOSE CASES MAY ACTUALLY BE AS FOLLOWS. I HAD TO BRAKE FAIRLY HARD IN UNEXPECTED TRAFFIC, AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FIRED. I WAS MOVING NOT FASTER THAN ABOUT 50 MPH AT THE TIME, BUT IT TOOK (MEASURED) 642 FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AT NO TIME DID I RELEASE THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPE

20040422FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

DIESEL K2500 SUBURBAN. INJECTION PUMP SUFFERED A PROBLEM WITH INTERMITTENT FUEL CUTOUT. SOLUTION WAS REPLACEMENT OF INJECTION PUMP. REPEATED DEALER ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE EXACT PROBLEM WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. SEAT MOUNT FAILED. THIS CAUSED SEAT TO TILT ON BASE & TORQUE REMAINING MOUNTS. THE WIPER MOTOR CUT OUT AT RANDOM. GM ACKNOWLEDGES THIS PROBLEM FOR OTHER MODELS, BUT NOT FOR MINE. THIS WOULD CAUSE FAILURE OF MOTOR FUNCTIONS (IN MY CASE, THE WIPER WOULD NOT START IF PARKED, BUT WOULD START IF PULLED OUT OF PARK POSITION). BRAKES ARE THE MOST INTERESTING PROBLEM. WHILE THERE MAY INDEED BE A PROBLEM WITH PEDAL SUDDENLY GOING TO THE FLOOR I THINK THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN MOST OF THOSE CASES MAY ACTUALLY BE AS FOLLOWS. I HAD TO BRAKE FAIRLY HARD IN UNEXPECTED TRAFFIC, AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FIRED. I WAS MOVING NOT FASTER THAN ABOUT 50 MPH AT THE TIME, BUT IT TOOK (MEASURED) 642 FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AT NO TIME DID I RELEASE THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPE

20040422SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

DIESEL K2500 SUBURBAN. INJECTION PUMP SUFFERED A PROBLEM WITH INTERMITTENT FUEL CUTOUT. SOLUTION WAS REPLACEMENT OF INJECTION PUMP. REPEATED DEALER ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE EXACT PROBLEM WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. SEAT MOUNT FAILED. THIS CAUSED SEAT TO TILT ON BASE & TORQUE REMAINING MOUNTS. THE WIPER MOTOR CUT OUT AT RANDOM. GM ACKNOWLEDGES THIS PROBLEM FOR OTHER MODELS, BUT NOT FOR MINE. THIS WOULD CAUSE FAILURE OF MOTOR FUNCTIONS (IN MY CASE, THE WIPER WOULD NOT START IF PARKED, BUT WOULD START IF PULLED OUT OF PARK POSITION). BRAKES ARE THE MOST INTERESTING PROBLEM. WHILE THERE MAY INDEED BE A PROBLEM WITH PEDAL SUDDENLY GOING TO THE FLOOR I THINK THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN MOST OF THOSE CASES MAY ACTUALLY BE AS FOLLOWS. I HAD TO BRAKE FAIRLY HARD IN UNEXPECTED TRAFFIC, AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FIRED. I WAS MOVING NOT FASTER THAN ABOUT 50 MPH AT THE TIME, BUT IT TOOK (MEASURED) 642 FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AT NO TIME DID I RELEASE THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPE

20040301VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. *AK

Mileage: 14,000

20040213CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

1994 GMC SUBURBAN. WHEN BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT BE SHUTOFF BY HITTING BRAKES. IF SWITCH FAILS, HITTING BRAKES WILL SLOW VECHILE, BUT CRUISE CONTROL WILL GIVE IT MORE GAS. DATE OF INITIAL ACCIDENT IS APPROXIMATE SINCE I DO NOT HAVE PAPERS WITH ME. SWITCH HAS FAILED TWICE SINCE THAT AND WAS FAILED AFTER THE ACCIDENT.*AK

Mileage: 102,000

Compare 1994GMCSUBURBAN to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1994 GMC SUBURBAN have?
The 1994 GMC SUBURBAN has 490 NHTSA complaints, 70 crashes, 5 fires, 25 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 GMC SUBURBAN?
The most-complained component for the 1994 GMC SUBURBAN is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 234 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER.
Is the 1994 GMC SUBURBAN safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.