The best Suburban years to buy are 2018 and 2020. Avoid the 2015 and 2021: a hard brake pedal from a failing vacuum pump on the 2015 redesign, and engine and lifter failures on the 2021 redesign, give them the most complaints.
Best years: 20182020 Years to avoid: 20152021
Every Suburban year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 46 | - | 1 | Engine | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 150 | - | 4 | Engine | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 127 | 249 | 4 | Engine | Average |
| 2021 | 208 | 431 | 12 | Engine | Skip this year |
| 2020 | 44 | 117 | 0 | Engine | Good buy |
| 2019 | 79 | 152 | 0 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good year |
| 2018 | 84 | 139 | 0 | Engine | Good buy |
| 2017 | 142 | 251 | 0 | Brakes | Average |
| 2016 | 220 | 366 | 0 | Brakes | Average |
| 2015 | 432 | 849 | 0 | Brakes | Skip this year |
| 2014 | 59 | 107 | 0 | Other | Good year |
| 2013 | 118 | 230 | 0 | Other | Average |
| 2012 | 101 | 210 | 0 | Other | Good year |
About the Suburban
The Suburban is Chevrolet's longest full-size SUV. Both redesign years in our data had a rough start. The 2015 drew hundreds of complaints about a brake pedal that turns hard, which led to recall 19V645 after a federal investigation. The 2021 drew engine failures, lifter problems and fuel pump module faults; GM later recalled many 6.2-liter V8s from 2021 to 2024 for engine bearing failures.
- 2012-2014: Older generation, 5.3 V8 and six-speed.
- 2015-2020: Redesign. Hard brake pedal and steering complaints on 2015.
- 2021 on: Redesign with independent rear suspension. Engine and lifter complaints.
Suburban warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Chevrolet files with NHTSA. 5,059 Suburban bulletins are on file in total.
Customer Satisfaction Program - On certain vehicles, customers were inadvertently charged for standard content, laminate glass windshield, due to the content being mislabeled.
Customer Satisfaction Program - certain vehicles may have a condition where the battery is at risk for a drain following an over-the-air update.
Customer Satisfaction Program - Certain model years and vehicle may have a condition where the battery is at risk for a drain following an over-the-air update.
Customer Satisfaction Program - certain may have a condition where the battery is at risk for a drain following an over-the-air update.
Customer Satisfaction Program.
Customer Satisfaction Program - may have a condition where the battery is at risk for a drain following an over-the-air update.
Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition where the connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components in these vehicles may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Suburban
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Engineering analysis EA26005 · 2021–2024 · opened Aug 2026
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001.
Recall query RQ26001 · 2021–2024 · opened Jan 2026, closed Aug 2026
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001.
Engineering analysis EA25007 · 2021–2024 · opened Oct 2025
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM).
Preliminary evaluation PE25001 · 2021–2024 · opened Jan 2025, closed Oct 2025 · led to recall 25V274
On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine.
Engineering analysis EA21002 · 2012–2014 · opened Sep 2021
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L.
Preliminary evaluation PE21010 · 2021 · opened Apr 2021, closed Aug 2023
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM).
Preliminary evaluation PE18012 · 2015, 2016 · opened Nov 2018, closed Apr 2022 · led to recall 19V645000
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverad...
Suburban vs rivals
Questions
What is the best year for the Chevrolet Suburban?
2018 and 2020. The best Suburban years to buy are 2018 and 2020. Avoid the 2015 and 2021: a hard brake pedal from a failing vacuum pump on the 2015 redesign, and engine and lifter failures on the 2021 redesign, give them the most complaints.
Which Chevrolet Suburban years should I avoid?
2015, 2021. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Chevrolet Suburban average.
Why does the Suburban brake pedal get hard?
On 2015-2016 Suburbans, the brake vacuum pump can fail and leave the pedal hard at low speed. GM recalled many trucks and SUVs under recall 19V645 to update software. Check the VIN for open recalls.
Based on 1,810 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.