What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2005 Chevrolet Suburban

Typical pattern

9.4% of complaints about the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2005 vehicle — around the middle of the 245 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is electrical system (37 complaints), typically at 5.3 yr or about 69,720 miles.

Complaints
159
Median age at failure
7.8 yr
Median mileage
85,000 n=110
Crash / fire / tow
4.4% of reports
Safety recalls
7

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Electrical system
37 reports · 69,720 mi
5.3 yr
0%
Service brakes
18 reports · 95,000 mi
10.7 yr
11.1%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

06V289000 2006-08-03
Engine cooling

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AN 8.1L V8 (RPO L8-VIN G) ENGINE HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL PULSE DAMPER RETAINER CLIP MAY FRACTURE RESULTING IN INADEQUATE RETENTION OF THE DAMPER.

IF THE DAMPER COMES LOOSE, A FUEL LEAK MAY RESULT. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

06E043000 2006-05-19
Fuel system

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 USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.

THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

05V163000 2005-04-22
Seat belts:rear/other

ON CERTAIN CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE 2ND ROW CENTER OCCUPANT SEAT BELT ROUTING MAY MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO POSITION THE LAP PORTION OF THE SAFETY BELT LOW AROUND THE HIPS OF OCCUPANTS, ESPECIALLY SMALLER OCCUPANTS, SEATED IN THIS POSITION. APPROPRIATE USE OF A CHILD SEAT OR BOOSTER SEAT, AS RECOMMENDED FOR SMALL CHILDREN, DOES IMPROVE THE FIT CONDITION FOR THIS USER GROUP. IN ADDITION TO INSTRUCTIONS ON PROPER INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD RESTRAINT (WITH CHILD SEATS OR BOOSTERS), SPECIAL VERBIAGE FOR RESTRAINING OLDER CHILD IS INCLUDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. ALSO, THE S

A LAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT ROUTING THAT IS NOT LOW AND SNUG ON THE HIPS CAN ALLOW THE LAP BELT TO RIDE UP ON AN OCCUPANT'S ABDOMEN INSTEAD OF FITTING LOW AROUND THEIR HIPBONES, AND THEREFORE, CAN EXPOSE THEM TO MORE RISK OF ABDOMINAL AND INTERNAL ORGAN INJURY.

05V103000 2005-03-18
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHROD RETAINER MAY BE MISSING. IF THE RETAINER IS MISSING, THE BRAKE BOOSTER PUSHROD COULD DISENGAGE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL.

THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF BRAKES WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

05V055000 2005-02-14
Power train:manual transmission:shift pattern indicator

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT." UNDER CERTAIN VEHICLE STARTING CONDITIONS, THE SHIFT LEVER POSITION INDICATOR LOCATED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER MAY NOT ILLUMINATE. IF THE SHIFT LEVER POSITION INDICATOR DOES NOT ILLUMINATE, THE DRIVER MAY NOT KNOW WHICH GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN.

THE VEHICLE MAY MOVE IN AN UNINTENDED DIRECTION RESULTING IN POSSIBLE INJURY TO OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.

05V043000 2005-02-08
Service brakes, hydraulic

CERTAIN TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND VANS EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH HYDRO-BOOST BRAKE ASSEMBLIES, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR MAY CRACK AND SEPARATE FROM THE HYDRO-BOOST ASSEMBLY DURING NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WERE OPEN, FRAGMENTS FROM THE ACCUMULATOR COULD CAUSE INJURY TO PEOPLE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. THE PRESENCE OF THIS CRACK OR FRACTURED SURFACE COULD ALLOW THE HYDRAULIC FLUID TO LEAK FROM THE ACCUMULATOR CIRCUIT OF THE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY. THE LOSS OF FLUID WOULD CAUSE INCREASED STEERING AND BRAKING EFFORT AND A CRASH MAY OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNI

04V376000 2004-08-02
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 5.3L (RPO L59) V8 ENGINES, THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE RETAINER SCREWS WERE NOT MANUFACTURED TO SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY BREAK.

IF THE TUBE RETAINER SCREW BREAKS, FUEL COULD LEAK FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER JOINT, THE ENGINE MAY STALL AND, IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD OCCUR.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 41,000 mi 3.3 yr in service
THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2005 CHEVY TAHOE HAS BEEN ACTING ERRATICALLY. SOMETIMES IT WILL WORK NORMALLY. OTHER TIMES, IT WILL NOT REGISTER AT ALL. ADDITIONALLY TIME IT WILL READ ERRONEOUSLY WHEN DRIVING TRAFFIC SPEEDS. THE SELECTION PROCESS DID NOT ALLOW ME TO REGISTER A TAHOE, ONLY A SUBURBAN, WHICH IS WHY THE VEHICLE INFORMATION LOOKS AS IT DOES. *TR
Electrical system mileage not reported 3.3 yr in service
2005 CHEVY SUBURBAN SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT SHOW THE RIGHT SPEED. FIRST IS WAS UP BY 30MPH EVENTUALLY IT SETTLED DOWN TO 10 MPH AND THAT IS WHERE ITS STUCK, IT DOES NOT SHOW MY PROPER SPEED ANY MORE. *TR
Electrical system 63,500 mi 3.3 yr in service
SPEEDOMETER WOULD GO UP WHEN I INCREASED SPEED BUT WOULD NOT GO BACK DOWN WHEN THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE SPEEDOMETER TO RESET TO ZERO BY REPEATEDLY STARTING AND TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT MONTH THE NEEDLE WOULD DO THE SAME THING. I COULD RESET IT THE SAME WAY. AS OF NOW ITS PEGGED AT THE BOTTOM AND I CANNOT RESET IT. *TR
Service brakes 64,481 mi 8.6 yr in service
STARTED ENGINE, DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR WITH NO PRESSURE, BRAKE AND STABILITY WARNING LIGHT GO ON. I BACK UP, THEN GO INTO DRIVE, TRAVEL ABOUT 50 FEET, APPLY PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL AND AGAIN NO PRESSURE ON PEDAL, SUBURBAN SLOWLY STOPS FORWARD MOVEMENT ON LEVEL SURFACE. I RETURN SUBURBAN TO PARKING AREA AND TURN OFF ENGINE, CALL SERVICE SHOP AND MAKE APPOINTMENT FOR REPAIR. NEXT WEEK, 4/22 SLOWLY DRIVE SUBURBAN 1 MILE TO REPAIR FACILITY FOR SERVICE. 4/23 REPAIR MANAGER CALLS TO TELL ME THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE EXCESSIVELY RUSTED. *TR

Other Suburban model years

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