2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Complaints

CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BESIDE THE HOUSE AND WAS NOT DRIVEN FOR 3-4 DAYS, THE DRIVERS SIDE OUTSIDE REAR MIRROR ASSEMBLY SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITED. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FIRE STARTED DUE TO WIRING IN THE EXTERIOR MIRROR. *SCC *JB

WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 70 MPH, CAR QUIT SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY. QUICKLY LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. LUCKILY, WE WERE ON A STRAIGHTAWAY NOT THE MOUNTAIN ROAD WE WERE TRAVELLING ONE HOUR EARLIER. CAR TOWED TO QUALITY CHEVROLET IN ESCONDIDO. DIAGNOSIS = CATASTROPHIC FUEL PUMP FAILURE.THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS. WE HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD EXACTLY THE SAME FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE, 85,000 - 90,000 MILES.*AK NOTWITHSTANDING THE DANGER, THIS REPAIR COST OVER $900 TO REPAIR. THIS IS A BAD DESIGN...FAILURE RESULTS IN A LIFETHREATENING SITUATION AND REPAIR IS EXHORBITANTLY EXPENSIVE.

MAY 8, 2003:ODOMETER 45,428 MILES. CHECK ENGINE DASH LIGHT ON. VEHICLE LEFT WITH DEALSHIP WHO STATED THAT THE CODE READ "GAS AND/OR VAPOR LEAK" BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE IT AT THIS TIME. WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS OK TO DRIVE UNTIL I COULD RETURN VEHICLE AT ALTER DATE. AUG 13 2003 I FILLED UP TANK, NORMALLY HAVE @ 3/4 TANK OF GAS, AND AFTER DRIVING 5 MILES HOME FOUND GAS RUNNING OFF THE TANK ONTO DRIVE WAY, HAD TO GET PANS TO CONTAIN IT. AUG 14 DEALERSHIP TOOK IN VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE SENDING MODULE AT A COST OF $600.00 +. WAS ADVISED IT "WAS A GOOD THING TO FILL IT UP AS IT ISOLATED THE PROBLEM".*AK

DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM, UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, SERVICE BRAKES PULSATED WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.*AK

PARKING BRAKE FAILED VEHICLE INSPECTION. MECHANIC REPLACED PARKING LEVER ASSEMBLY BECAUSE OF A STRETCHED CABLE. STILL WOULDN'T WORK. FOUND MALFUNCTIONING PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTER. LOCAL DEALER SAYS HE IS SELLING BETWEEN 10-15 PARKING LEVER ASSEMBLIES A MONTH. INSPECTION STATION SAYS THEY ARE REJECTING ON AVERAGE 15-20 VEHICLE INSPECTIONS A MONTH FROM NEW SUBURBANS BECAUSE OF EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE.

AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR SEIZED UP RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND CAUSING IT TO BE CONTAMINATED. THE DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE A/C SYSTEM. GM HAS DEVELOPED A NEW DESIGN IMPLYING THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DEFECTS IN THE SYSTEM HOWEVER; THEY ARE OFFERING NO COMPENSATION TO THE CONSUMER. *AK

THIS IS AN OLD COMPLAINT BUT IS BEING SUBMITTED BECAUSE CHEVROLET AND GMC HAVE FAILED TO CORRECT THIS. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON THE 1500 SERIES SUBURBAN HAS BEEN BROKE SINCE THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNER SHIP. I CONTACTED CHEVORLET AND GM BY EMAIL 22 DDEC 2001 AND ALL I RECEIVED WAS ACKNOWELEDGEMENT OF THE LETTER. I ATTEMPTED TO GET IT REPAIRED LAST YEAR IN JUNE AT WALLACE CHEVORLET DEALER WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. TO DATE NOTHING FROM GM OR CHEVORLET HAS BEEN DONE TO RECALL AND CORRECT THESE VEHICLES. TWO NOTES HERE: THIS DEFECT RESULTS IN VEHICLE INSPECTION FAILURES IN STATES REQUIREING INSPECTIONS. NOTE TWO: IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT BECAUSE IT FLAT OUT DOSEN'T WORK AND I TOW A 5,000 LB TRAILLER AND ALL THE BRAKES ARE IMPORTANT. AS I STATED EARILER CHEVORLET AND GM TO DATE HAS DONE NOTHING. ONE LAST POINT THE 2500 SERIES SUBURBAN HAS A PROPERLY DESIGN EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE SAME STYLE CAN BE APPLIED TO THE 1500 SERIES AND SOLVE THE ISSUE.*AK

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED, BROKE INTERNALLY. MY WIFE WENT TO TURN THE SUBURBAN AROUND (ON DIRT DRIVEWAY) AND IT QUIT ALL AT ONCE.*AK

2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR BRACKET BROKE COMPLETELY OFF THE ENGINE DROPPING THE COMPRESSOR AND BRACKET ON THE STEERING IDLER ARM AND AFFECTING THE STEERING. THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE OF THE AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM. (COMPRESSOR FAILURE AT 62.000 2 JULY 2002, NEW COMPRESSOR SEVERE NOISE AT ONLY 32,000 MILES ON IT, HOSE FAILURE MIDDLE OF MAY 2003 AND BROKEN BRACKET ON 17 JUL 03 WITH 101,420 MILES ON THE VEHICLE).*AK

FILLED THE TANK OF 2003, SUBURBAN WITH 41,776 MILES ON IT, BUT DID NOT TOP IT OFF. CONSUMER DROVE 16 MILES AND PARKED. 15-20 MINUTES LATER, SOMEONE CAME IN TO TELL CONSUMER THAT GAS TANK WAS LEAKING. EXPECTING MAYBE A SMALL DRIP, BUT FOUND A STEADY STREAM AND A PUDDLE THAT HAD SPREAD UNDER THE CAR PARKED NEXT TO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. AAA TOLD CONSUMER TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO IN TURN CALLED THE HAZMAT TEAM. FIREMEN REMOVED THE GAS TANK PROTECTIVE SHIELD, BUT COULD NOT GAIN ACCESS TO STOP THE LEAK OR PUMP OUT THE TANK. THREE HOURS LATER, VEHICLE HAD TO BE HAULED BY AN APPROVED TOW TO AN AUTHORIZED STORAGE SITE OVER THE WEEKEND. APPARENTLY, A SEAL HAD FAILED ON THE SENDING UNIT, AND THE ENTIRE SENDING UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. HAD A SPARK INGITED THE VAPORS OR SPILLED FUEL THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS.*AK