2021 Chevrolet Suburban problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (69) · Power Train (36) · Fuel/Propulsion System (18)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Chevrolet Suburban model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
36 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (12)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/Mechanical 2025-04-24 · campaign 25V274000 · 597,571 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number
Power Train:automatic Transmission:fluid/Lubricant:valves/Valve Body 2024-10-24 · campaign 24V797000 · 463,295 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
Risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Exterior Lighting:lighting Control Module:software 2022-11-03 · campaign 22V827000 · 338,735 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Daytime Running Lights that do not deactivate as intended may cause a glare, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will provide an over-the-air (OTA) update for the Body Control Module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 15, 2022. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222382220.
Seat Belts:critical Fasteners 2022-08-11 · campaign 22V617000 · 484,155 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (M) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left or right side third-row seat belt buckle assembly may have been improperly formed.
Risk: A seat belt with a deformed rivet may not properly restrain an occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rivet head formation on both the left and right side third-row seat belt buckle assemblies and replace seat belt buckle assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed September 28, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 1, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft 2022-01-27 · campaign 22V036000 · 1,789 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, and Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles. The rear wheel driveshaft assemblies may have internal components that were not heat-treated properly, possibly resulting in driveshaft failure.
Risk: Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and/or right rear driveshaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 14, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212351030.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump:control/Drive Module 2021-09-23 · campaign 21V739000 · 14,939 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump power control module may cause the fuel pump to fail or operate intermittently, which can interrupt fuel flow to the engine, and cause an unexpected engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump power control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 14, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212332040.
Steering:steering Control Module 2021-06-17 · campaign 21V455000 · 26,847 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. A software issue may cause a loss of power steering assist at startup or while driving.
Risk: Increased steering effort, particularly at lower speeds, increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: The power steering module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 13, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212333900.
Air Bags:srs Malfunction Warning Lamp/Light 2021-06-10 · campaign 21V421000 · 285,622 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM), causing the air bag malfunction indicator light to inconsistently illuminate.
Risk: The air bag malfunction indicator light may fail to warn the driver of a problem with the air bag, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212338110.
Seat Belts:rear/Other 2021-03-18 · campaign 21V190000 · 94,641 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Suburban, and Tahoe vehicles with third-row seating. The third-row outboard seat belts may have been entrapped or misrouted behind the outboard seat-folding mechanism, which could result in damaged seat belts.
Risk: A damaged seat belt can break during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third-row outboard seat belts, replacing any damaged seat belts, and rerouting them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 21, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313000.
Seat Belts:critical Fasteners 2020-12-23 · campaign 20V811000 · 470 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
Risk: If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.
Seat Belts:critical Fasteners 2020-12-17 · campaign 20V792000 · 624,216 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The seat belt brackets may not be secured to the seat frame in the front-row center seating position.
Risk: If a seat-belt bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the front-row center seat position, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect left-side and right-side front-row center seat-belt bracket attachments and reassemble it correctly as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202314670.
Seats:critical Fasteners 2020-11-25 · campaign 20V735000 · 94 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles. During general assembly, a repair involved removal of one or both front seats. The attachment bolts for the front seats may not have been properly reinstalled after the repair was completed.
Risk: If an occupied front seat has loose or missing attachment bolts, it may move during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seated occupant.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat attachments for both front seats and install attachment bolts as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N202312720.
Service bulletins (1,367)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-26 · PIT5698F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi provides diagnostics tips on how the lin bus works and how to diagnosis it.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-10 · PIT5801F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates diagnostic tips for air leveling suspension system.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-04 · PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-20 · PIC6551C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a mec reset for wireless projection issues
Unknown Or Other 2026-07-21 · PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
pi to help diagnose a/c concern
Unknown Or Other 2026-07-21 · PIT5509N · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,367 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-29 · Unknown Or Other“in the evening i was driving home locally and noticed a slight lurch in the car when coming to a complete stop at the stoplight. from there i proceeded into my neighborhood. there was a sudden and very loud bang sound like metal and an explosion. immediately the engine failed and my vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. i also smelled a lot of…”
2026-10-27 · Engine“failing coolant flow control valve. this is a known issue affecting the same engine and model year and vin is not covered. this is ridiculous. …”
2026-10-26 · Engine“got code and engine light. p1098 for engine coolant control valve position sensor. gm supposedly added a 15 year warranty extension for this valve as it has failed on many vehicles. special coverage # n352508341 shows and says it should cover 2021-2023 suburbans. checked with dealership and they say its not covered. why not? its like a $1300 …”
2026-10-23 · Power Train“i was driving 60 miles per hour on the 101 highway around 8:30am and a couple error messages suddenly appeared on my dash - one regarding traction control and the other regarding esc. my engine light continuously flashed. i took the car into the dealership and they requested 3k to take apart the engine to figure out the issue. they now state that …”
2026-10-23 · Power Train“car misfired and had ticking noise. car began to consistently shake when i was on the highway. known issue 2021 chevrolet suburban. v8 engine. dynamic fuel management lifter failure. driving on the 101 highway and an error message for traction was relayed on dash, followed by esc error, followed by blinking engine light. it happened in the span …”
2026-10-13 · Engine And Engine Cooling · 160,000 mi“the contact owns a 2021 chevrolet suburban. the contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, the vehicle shuddered and shut off completely without warning. an attempt was made to restart the vehicle, but the engine failed to restart. the vehicle was towed to a dealer, where a diagnostic inspection revealed a lifter failure, and the engine was repla…”
2026-10-06 · Power Train“cylinders were misfiring and lifters had to be completely replaced along with pushrod and camshaft. this cost me $7018.64 to fix out of my own pocket. received the vehicle back, and there was a slight ticking sound that was new to me. scheduled to bring the vehicle back in and 2 days before i was scheduled to go in and approximately 1000 miles late…”
2026-09-23 · Engine And Engine Cooling · 140,000 mi“the contact owns a 2021 chevrolet suburban. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light flashing. there was a rumbling sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle started shaking. the contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. the contact attempted to restart…”
2026-09-22 · Engine · 19,000 mi“the contact owns a 2021 chevrolet suburban. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. the vehicle went into limp mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. the vehicle was driven to the nearest dealer in limp mode. a diagnostic test was performed, and the mechanic discover…”
2026-09-22 · Electrical System · 68,448 mi“the contact owns a 2021 chevrolet suburban. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the radio display screen was blank. additionally, the vehicle turned on and off independently, the doors locked and unlocked independently, and the liftgate closed independently. the contact stated that the power running board failed to operate as needed and f…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.