1991 Chevrolet Suburban problems & reliability
52 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 Chevrolet Suburban. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (3 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1991 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seats → | 12 | 23% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 11 | 21% |
| Power Train | 9 | 17% |
| Tires | 7 | 13% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 8% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 4% |
| Steering | 2 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 4% |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I have a set of hankook optimo 727 tires on my family suburban, and one of them blew out suddenly, and unexpectedly. The tire that blew out only had 14,596 miles on it. The size is p235-75-15. All four of these tires were installed in february 2016, and the vehicle was always kept in my garage. The tire that blew out…”
Tires · filed Aug 19, 2020
“Frame where steering box is attached failed. Flexing from normal use caused the area around the mounting bolts to crack and would ultimately separate the steering box from the frame if left unrepaired. Reports of frame failures on 4x4 versions have been circulating for some years due to the higher stress caused by the…”
Steering · filed Dec 6, 2010
“Tl*the contact owns a 1991 chevrolet suburban. While driving 60 mph, the contact experienced valve stem failure, which caused it to crack. The tire flattened and was ruined as a result. The dealer stated that they never heard of the valve stem failure. Through online research, the contact experienced various recalls…”
Tires · filed Jul 9, 2008
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA94029 · opened Jul 29, 1994 · closed Jul 31, 1996
Technical service bulletins
4 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 Chevrolet Suburban.
Diagnosis of cracked or broken transmission case. *tt 2006 and prior cars and light duty trucks. *tt
020730024A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2005
Diagnostic information for intermittent transmission downshift, slip, busy/cycling tcc or noisy cooling fan. *tt
990730016A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2002
COLD ENGINE KNOCK. *TW
376105 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1995
New cast iron exhaust manifold and stainless steel gasket to correct engine noise condition. *tw
376602A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 1995
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1991 Chevrolet Suburban in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1991 Chevrolet Suburban?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.