Power Train Problems of Chevrolet Suburban - part 2

History of transmission shifting issues shortly after purchase (cpo from dealership). Vehicle was taken to two separate dealerships, several times for this issue while still under the 100,000 mile cpo warranty. Dealerships claimed they could not replicate the issue, however problem continued. Now at 1198xx miles, the transmission failed while driving. Was accelerating from stop and and the vehicle bucked, the rpms jumped, the service indicator illuminated, and when the vehicle stuck in limp mode. I spoke with one of the dealerships and explained the history and suggested my vehicle failure was exactly as described in the safety recall and they informed my VIN was not included in any recall or service campaign and the could do nothing for me. I called the gm customer service number, pled my case and was told the same thing.

See all problems of the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

Valve body issues under powertrain factory warranty. Recall needed due to unreasonable national parts delay.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

6. 2l l87 engine failure with 36,000 miles on it. While driving on the highway and attempting to pass another vehicle that was traveling on a 2-lane highway the car suddenly died, and the transmission shifted into neutral. When I noticed the vehicle would not accelerate, I looked down and saw the push to start warning and tried to restart the vehicle with no response. I had to allow the vehicle I was passing to get ahead of me before I could swap back into that lane to get out of the way of oncoming traffic eventually coasting onto the side of the road to a complete stop. The vehicle I was passing slowed down after the engine died not knowing what I was doing and drove right beside me blocking the lane until I signaled for them to go ahead so I could get back into the lane. If the vehicle in the oncoming lane had not slowed down to allow me time to get back into the proper lane a head on collision would have occurred. This 2023 vehicle was purchased used 14days prior from a gm certified dealership and had no warning lamps on the dash and showed no indication a failure was about to occur. The vehicle was driving perfectly normal until the failure occurred. Once the vehicle was towed to the dealership it was determined the engine had failed due to crankshaft bearings. The dealership explained there were no available replacement gm engines and could possibly be a lead time of 6 months before a replacement engine could arrive. I purchased the vehicle for $60,000 and the engine fails 14 days later and now I could be without a vehicle for 6 months and the dealership did not have any loaner vehicles available.

See all problems of the 2023 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

The transmission shift solenoid stopped working going down the road which caused the vehicle to stall. Going from 65mph to dying without any warning signs no check engine no issues driving before. Check engin came on after the fact took it to a parts store to run the code came back with shift solenoid. More then likely need a new transmission for $6k.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

Driving on the highway and I started to slow down even while pressing the accelerator. Pulled over and turned the car off and then back on. I was able to almost get to an exit but then it completely stopped moving. Turned it off and on again but car would not move. Not a single light turned on until the last time I attempted to move the car. Had it towed to chevy dealer and transmission was completely out. Had 2 different mechanic places (dealer and private) tell me that it is extremely common once a 2020 Suburban hits around 100k miles. That is completely irresponsible of gm to not put something out so that owners can at least have knowledge that there could be a potential problem. No warning signs, no lights on that is an accident waiting to happen and a potential wrongful death lawsuit coming your way if something isn’t put out.

See all problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

While driving at normal highway speed, the vehicle speed is suddenly reduced and it feels and sounds like the transmission has shifted into low gear. The following warning light activated: reduced acceleration drive with care. The gm dealership service center stated that the transmission control valve body needed to be replaced. They indicated that this was a known issue. I believe a safety recall should be issued for this defective part.

While driving from work to the gym (03/04/25), I was stuck in traffic due to a wreck; when traffic started moving again, I didn't. It was like it was in neutral and was just sitting there revving the engine. It finally started moving but clearly not functioning properly. A few miles later the check engine light came on with a "reduced acceleration drive with care" message displayed on the dash. I limped it into the parking lot and as I tried to back into a parking space the vehicle stalled and put itself in park. Finally was able to get it into a parking space to wait for a tow truck to have it towed back to the dealership. Chevy dealership has informed us that it needs a torque converter and a valve body (03/06/25) and they will create a "spac case" with gm as it is still under power train warranty. No eta on parts. Supposed to hear from hertz on a rental (no more than $45 coverage a day; so likely not going to get a similar vehicle as a rental); no further news as of today 03/07/25. We bought the vehicle less than a month ago and haven't even made the first payment (other than the down payment); looks like that will occur and we won't even have a car to show for it.

My certified used 2019 chevy Suburban, with all routine maintenance completed, transmission abruptly failed. The vehicle was just serviced the month prior and with no current issues revealed during that appointment. We have never seen a transmission just fail suddenly with no warnings, no light on dash, and the transmission fluid was a good color and with no burn smells. My wife had just been on the 35 freeway and a moment before exited off to where we were going to eat breakfast, had she still been on the freeway, it could have been catastrophic as she had three of my children in the car with her. I researched the internet; gm has had many transmission problems on Suburban and other model cars from 2015-2019 with their currently being a class action on the other models.

See all problems of the 2019 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle hesitated to upshift while the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear while the gear shifter was in use. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local service center, where it was diagnosed and determined that there were metal shavings in the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The transmission had been replaced prior to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

See all problems of the 2017 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

The “add engine oil” light kept coming on and I initially thought it was because they forgot to reset it after my oil change because my car wasn’t reading it was due for one. I came to find out that my car is likely burning excess oil, according to the dealership, since all of the oil was gone. Gm says that it’s normal to burn oil and as long as it’s up to 2 quarts between oil changes it’s fine. The dealership recommended that I get oil consumption test and sometimes it burned more oil than normal and other times it did not. We had to go every 1,000 miles which was an issue because it’s our main vehicle for family transportation and sometimes I would have to go under 1,000 miles because we needed it for a longer trip and would be over if waited until we got back. Also, my engine fan was making a very loud noise that would run for a while after my car was turned off and I was told multiple times it was fine until one time they checked it and it was indeed an engine malfunction and my engine would overheat when I went above a certain speed. The first fix wasn’t right and had to go back. I wasn’t burning enough oil to warrant gm to do anything.

Vehicle suddenly died and wont restart. The fuel control module was previously replaced. There was a recall for certain vins but mine wasn't included even though I experienced the failure of the recalled part! this is extremely dangerous for the vehicle to suddenly die under way. In 2022 the fuel control module was replaced after the dangerous failure. The NHTSA recall that was for this part but excluded my vehicle is n212332040. You need to immediately include other vins for this recall! today I experienced the same symptoms. The car died while in gear and running and would not restart. The dealer is diagnosing the issue to determine if it is the same fuel control module. I highly suspect it is. If it isn't, there is another extremely dangerous defect with this vehicle.

My transmission went out at 116,000 miles. We were having intermittent issues since 100k miles.

On January 29, 2025, while my wife was driving our 2022 Chevrolet Suburban with a 6. 2l gas engine on a state highway, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration and power to the wheels while accelerating to the posted 55 mph speed limit. This occurred without any prior warning, creating a highly unsafe situation in morning commute traffic. The vehicle was immediately taken to a Chevrolet dealership, where the issue was diagnosed as a failed transmission control valve. This failure, which resulted in a complete loss of power while driving at highway speeds, is a known defect affecting certain gm models. The part in question, the transmission control valve, is currently in high demand and is on a national backorder due to numerous similar failures. A recall has already been issued for diesel engine models with the same problem, but no recall exists for the gasoline-powered versions like ours. Chevrolet has confirmed the diagnosis and is aware of the issue, but the replacement part is currently on a national backorder, and the repair has been delayed indefinitely. Since the incident, the vehicle has been undriveable, causing significant inconvenience, and Chevrolet has been unable to provide an estimated date for repair. The sudden loss of power created a dangerous situation on a busy highway, as there were no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the failure. This is particularly concerning given that the part involved is on backorder due to the widespread nature of the issue. Chevrolet's lack of a clear repair timeline, coupled with the fact that this issue has been identified in other models, raises questions about the company's response and whether a broader recall or safety bulletin will be issued for vehicles like ours. The vehicle’s failure has not only been a major inconvenience but also a safety concern, highlighting the need for urgent attention to address this defect.

Catastrophic transmission failure while driving on highway trip with family. Thankfully did not completely lock up drive train, but such a catastrophic failure could have caused a transmission/engine lock up leading to a serious accident. Drove to nearest chevy dealer (everett chevy morganton nc), inspected, validated catastrophic transmission failure. Vehicle towed back to hendrick chevy monroe nc. Hendrick confirmed catastrophic transmission failure, required complete transmission replacement. I requested failed part evaluation/warranty review. Escalated to chevy customer support. Hendrick replaced transmission 1/29/2025. Hendrick upgraded to new thermal bypass valve per service bulletin #21-na-199 as part of complete transmission replacement. Vehicle was serviced previously on 11/1/2025 for routine oil change and inspection, with transmission noted as "good. " onstar monthly diagnostic for December 26, 2024 indicated engine and transmission system "good/ok".

On[xxx], at approximately [xxx], while driving on [xxx] at a speed of 80 mph, my vehicle suddenly lost all power and shut down without warning. I had no choice but to steer to the shoulder lane amidst high-speed traffic on the busy interstate. After coming to a stop, the car would not restart, leaving me stranded in a highly precarious situation. As the weather conditions worsened, turning into a blizzard, and darkness set in, I contacted gm roadside assistance for help. I was informed that assistance would take at least an hour to arrive. Feeling unsafe, I called local law enforcement. The officers arrived and parked behind my vehicle with their flashers on to ensure approaching drivers would slow down and avoid an accident. This was an extremely distressing and frightening experience. After an hour, gm roadside assistance called back and informed me they were unable to find an operator to tow the vehicle. By this time, the officers on-site had contacted a local tow company for my safety. The tow company advised me that I would need to pay in cash for their services, which I accepted due to the urgency of the situation. They towed the vehicle from [xxx] to their yard in douglas, wyoming. I then arranged for a ride to cheyenne, wyoming, where I had to report to work that night. This incident not only jeopardized my safety but also left me with significant unexpected expenses and inconvenience, all due to what I believe is a manufacturing defect in the vehicle. A new vehicle should not experience such catastrophic failure, and the delayed response from gm roadside assistance compounded the problem. I respectfully request the following actions 1. A thorough investigation into the root cause of the sudden failure. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2024 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving 10 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 24v797000 (power train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 93,000.

Transmission gives out after 2 min.

See all problems of the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

Hi, my name is [xxx] . I have two major issues with my 2021 Chevrolet Suburban: the value body failed for the 2021 Suburban in December, causing engine power reduction and the engine transmission was not shifting properly. This was covered by my extended warranty, which I paid $2500 extra for at the time of purchase. Also, this VIN is for a chevy Suburban duramax diesel. The emissions control module ( ecm ) light has come on several times, starting from about 20k miles to now 61k miles. I noticed the ecm light comes on at about a 8k mile interval. I take it into the dealership and they have told me this is due to a software issue and then they reset the light. This has happened on at least 4 occasions since about 20k miles. However, now at 61k miles, they are telling me that the exhaust system has a leak and it may not be a covered repair under even my extended warranty. Basically, general motors has kicked the can down the road on the ecm issue until it is no longer under warranty, and now they want me to pay for this expensive repair. This is wrong, I hope you can protect me and other duramax owners from gm's unscrupulous business practices. You can reach me at [xxx] for more details. Thank you, I am considering legal action against gm for this issue. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine failure, losing engine coolant and engine oil. After change oil, roughly 1500 miles, engine losses about 3-4qts of oil.

When traveling at highway speeds our vehicle suddenly lost all engine power. Driving in the passing lane of [xxx] at 75 mph our 2023 Chevrolet Suburban rst 6. 2 lost all engine power and went into neutral. We were barely able to make it over to the right breakdown lane without getting hit and making it with no power. We were stranded on the busy interstate for three hours with my wife and three young kids in a very dangerous location. They were scared and because we barely made it into the breakdown lane and so close to speeding traffic had to stand outside of the vehicle close to the woods further from dangerous traffic. The Suburban was flatbedded to nearest Chevrolet dealer where we were told the engine was seized and would need to be totally replaced. We were lucky to be alive but now stranded 1000 miles away from home as we were returning from a vacation in florida. The sudden lose of all engine power traveling on the highway with our entire family was both scary and dangerous. The Suburban has now been in the shop for three weeks with no date in sight to be ready and 1000 miles away. This was a truly dangerous situation and thankfully we came out unscathed but I fear someone else may experience the same type of failure and not be so lucky. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

On 12/28/2024, while accelerating on the highway, I received without warning a reduced engine power warning and the rpm's were racing when I depressed the gas pedal. I was in moderate traffic in excess of 55 mph and had difficulty safely making it to the right shoulder of the roadway as traffic was passing by at a greater rate of speed than I was able to travel. The vehicle would not go more than 30-35 mph and it would not go into reverse after I was able to make it to a safe location. It was towed to a local dealership where I was later advised it was a transmission issue (valve body). The vehicle remains at the dealership awaiting repair as there is a large backorder for the valve body (I was told 8 at this point).

Rear drive shaft friction message on the display read: service transmission now unable to shift soon.

Transmission failed and needed to be replaced.

While driving our 2023 Chevrolet duramax diesel Suburban, I was waiting, at a complete stop, against the median to make a u turn. When the traffic cleared, I began the turn when I suddenly noticed a nearly complete loss of power, hesitancy of engine engagement, and little response to the gas pedal being depressed. Then an error message appeared on the dashboard stating "low acceleration warning". There was very little acceleration power available. The rear wheels seemed to spin. I was perilously endangered while making a u-turn across lanes because of this loss of power. The vehicle was then taken immediately to our local Chevrolet dealer who diagnosed a error code message (p0700, 0747) related to transmission valve and injectors. We are very concerned that this was a dangerous occurrence and should be further investigated. We have a 30-year history of Suburban ownership, however this is our first diesel model. We have never had problems of this significance, or seen this error message before. Since this diesel Suburban is nearly new, we are particularly concerned about the durability and safety of this vehicle. Please see attached servive report. The ac compressor was also failed and replaced.

Driving down the interstate and the vehicles transmission just stopped working. The d on the dashboard started blinking and would not keep moving. When attempting to accelerate the vehicle’s engine just revved would not move. It was dangerous and no warning prior to this issue.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the engine revved; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was restarted, shifted to neutral(n) and then drive(d) and driven for a short while before the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to a family members’ residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 159,000.

Had to replace transmission at 103000 miles. Regularly maintained no harsh driving. No warning signs it was going out till it happened.

See all problems of the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban 🔎.

My Suburban is having the same issues as the most recent recall on the 2021-2025 Chevrolets. The issue is with pretty much all of the motors that go from the v8 to the 4 cylinders. It's doing the same exact thing a friend of mine's 2019 tahoe did. It's making a loud knocking/ticking noise. When you first get to going it starts almost sputtering which can cause issues if you're in oncoming traffic trying to cross roads.

Car jerking and lurching forward in stop and go traffic. Mechanic confirmed transmission failure.

Vehicle transmission bangs at 50-65mph so much so that the vehicle goes into limp mode. Code appear on dash, must shut truck off and wait on side of road til goes back to normal idle. Restart vehicle, the engine light stays on for the next 3 starts then clears til it happens again.

Connecting rod bearing failure at 62,000 miles.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the transmission failed due to transmission oil that went bad and subsequently damaged the transmission. The failed transmission is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the transmission failure created unsafe driving conditions by reducing vehicle control, particularly in situations requiring acceleration or deceleration. This could have resulted in a collision if the vehicle lost power while in motion. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, the problem has been confirmed by an independent service center, which diagnosed the transmission failure as a result of degraded transmission oil. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. It has only been inspected by an independent service center. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? yes, there were symptoms prior to the failure. These included occasional transmission slipping and delayed gear shifts, which began several months before the complete transmission failure. No warning lamps or dashboard messages appeared. This issue is of significant concern as the vehicle was purchased as a certified pre-owned vehicle in 2022 and the transmission should not have failed this early. I am requesting an investigation into this issue to determine if it warrants a recall to prevent future safety risks for other drivers.

On October 27, coming back from a family trip at 10 pm at night on a major highway, the Suburban all of a sudden quit. Traveling at 70 miles per hour, all of a sudden, when pressing the gas pedal, the car would not accelerate and the rpm gauge was erratically moving. The car started to slow down till it eventually just quit and it would not go anymore. We were stranded in the middle of the highway with cars coming and going both ways. It was scary, it was dark, and dangerous. A tow truck was called and they told the Suburban to a Chevrolet dealership 60 miles away. The following day, the dealership informed us that the transmission was not repairable and that they had found metal pieces in the transmission. They informed us that the only way to repair was to replace with a new transmission. They informed us that these transmissions are faulty and that it’s common for them to replace transmissions in Suburbans about twice a month. We were not happy to find this out because this is the second transmission in a second Suburban that we have owned that we have had to spend $12,000 on between both vehicles. The car was out of warranty, therefore, the expense was totally on us. I need help trying to see if I can get reimbursed for these expensive faulty transmissions that are not our fault! we have serviced car when due. There were 4 small children in the car and we could’ve had a tragic accident because car quit suddenly! please help!.

I had just slowed down to pull into work, stepped on the gas and the Suburban started chugging. After pulling into a parking space I could no longer more forward in drive. After shifting through all the gears, I no longer had reverse, and to move my vehicle off to the side for the tow company, I had to put it in nuetral to go forward. I had no warning lights on the dash, no errors when a mechanic scanned it. It obviously needs a new 6l80 transmission, which I see a similar class action suit for. The only blessing is that, by chance, my kids were not in our family vehicle when the tranmission broke. I had driven them to and from school just hours earlier. And that I made it safely to work, not broken down on the side of any busy roads.

While traveling back from labor day weekend on September 1, 2024, I was driving in the dallas fort worth area when I experienced loss of power to our vehicle on a major highway (ne820 and blue mound rd) and directly on a bridge with my entire family in the vehicle (4 kids and all of our luggage). It was a very dangerous and scary situation. We had to wait one hour for a tow truck to come and take my vehicle to the closest gm dealership. I was left stranded, 3 hours from my home with my four children and luggage. The Chevrolet dealership contacted me 9 days later and informed me the technician looked at the vehicle and determined the engine was locked up/seized. It would take 9 months to get the vehicle back into the shop to determine what caused the issue and then take 6-12 months for a new engine. I have a family of 6 and I'm left car-less for two years. Yet I still have to make the monthly payment on a vehicle that I won't be driving or be in possession of. My biggest issue: gm has known that they have had engine issues for many years. Particularly, with dynamic fuel management causing lifter issues which leads to engine failure, yet never disclosed this to me when I purchased the vehicle. Furthermore, they never disclosed that the issue was so prevalent that motors were back ordered for over a year. Consumers are being misled into spending their hard earned money on vehicles that have major mechanical design flaws known to the manufacturer. Once the mechanical flaw is realized, the vehicle can't be repaired for up to two years. Hiding this data from consumers should be criminal. Furthermore, general motors to this point has been no help, with the gm customer satisfaction team telling us they can't do anything until a dealer diagnosis the issue, and the dealer stating they can't diagnose the issue until may of next year, at which time they would then look to order the motor which will take 9-12 months to deliver and install.