Rear Axle is grinding. Took vehicle into dealer and it is the well documented rear axle issue but this vehicle is not included in a recall. The differential fluid was replaced and figure 8s were done but there is still grinding. The rear axle also drags at times when in auto 4wd. The dealer said the next step would be to replace the axle. This is the issue: Differential Noise/Failure: Reports indicate a rubbing noise while turning, often attributed to the rear differential. In some cases, the entire rear differential has required replacement.
Chevrolet Suburban grinding brakes problems
127 of the 8,048 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Suburban describe grinding or squealing brakes, most of them for the 1994 model year.
- owner complaints
- 127
- worst model year
- 1994
- typical mileage
- 53,333
Is there a fix? There are 11 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
ABS 31Brake failure 18Jerking 5Wipers 4Slipping 4Harsh shifting 4Pulling 3Steering noise 3
What owners say
Unmodified 2022 Chevrolet Suburban with 53K mi, driving 25 mph on paved county road. Without warning the upper ball joint on the right front side sheared off. There were no sounds, no bumps or grinding, truck is routinely maintained, cleaned and inspected - this was out of the blue. If we had been going faster it could have been a disaster. The dealer confirmed it is the upper ball joint. Significant mechanical damage has included the upper control arm and drive line (4wd). We are working with GM to get this repaired. It certainly seems like a Serious Safety issue. I have seen many reports of this problem.
Transmission has to be replaced due to transmission slipping and delayed shifting under heat and prolonged highway driving. This issue also causes SUDDEN hard shifting, hard breaking, shaking of the steering wheel, along with grinding of gears!! This is a safety issue to to no warning signs at all along with a sudden drop in speed and power!! While driving on the interstate or highway this sudden change can cause the vehicles behind you to rear end you or cause a pile up!!! The driver has no control of vehicle when these issues happen!! A loss in control due to shaking of the steering wheel is a huge issue!!! Lack of shifting or hard shifting causes a SUDDEN stop of vehicle with no warning signs while driving!! It is going to cause a crash!!!! These are serious and dangerous issues that Gm will NOT do a recall for!! GM is aware of the issues due to Suburban, Tahoe and Silverado vehicles in the year models 2018-2023 having this reoccurring issue!!! I recall needs to be done to save someone’s life!!!!! I have only had my suburban for 8 months!! I was not made aware of this issue at all!!!!!! This also causes rough idle!!!!!!!!
I was driving when I received messages saying service ESC, Forward collision System Unavailable, & Service Traction Control. The vehicle began to shake hard when I applied brakes, had loss of power when pressing the gas pedal, and sounded like metal grinding. All of this put my children & I at risk as we were on interstate 35 with cars flying past us and I’m losing power. Initially the spark plugs and coil was were changed to no repair. It was towed to a dealership where they confirmed the lifter & cam failed which put metal in the oil. My only option is a full engine replacement costing 20k on a vehicle that’s 4yrs old. It’s not ok that I have to spend that in order to get my 70k car drivable. Im now without a car, still paying a car note, unable to get my kids places, and having to get help from friends all bc GM can’t build a quality vehicle. I also haven’t been able to get a loaner car. This isn’t happening in only the 6.3L. This is a widely known issue with the 5.3L as well. *There were ZERO warning signs that something was wrong. Drive just fine that morning*
The check engine light came on at 14k miles indicating there was an emissions error. The brakes squeal and have had to be replaced 3 times since the original purchase in March of 2024. After the third replacement of brakes they still squeal. Even if the car is not braking it makes the noise. The radio shuts on and off constantly. Chevy reported they are aware of the issue but there is no fix at this time. The dealerships reset the radio but the issue persists. I’ve had to park the car because I’m afraid the brake issue is much more than they’re willing to admit.
I had to replace my rear differential due to grinding and metal shavings in the rear end. Recently had to take my truck in for repairs due to the motor mounts breaking. Discovered the front differential is also damaged with metal shavings due to grinding. The auto shop reached out to the local Chevy dealership to order the part to place. Was told the front diff is on back order due to this being a common problem.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the brake pedal seized while depressed, and the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and "Brake System Failure" and another unknown message were displayed. The contact coasted to the shoulder of the road and parked the vehicle before shutting off. The contact's husband then restarted the vehicle and drove to the residence while the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the master brake cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
While on a highway trip, suburban began to slip gears. It became very jerky and also began to accelerate while on flat ground in cruise control and rpm revved up to 6. It continued slipping gears and jerking and also making odd grinding noises. Test drive with mechanic and Issue has been confirmed that transmission needs rebuilt as torque convertor is the problem. There was absolutely no warning before this began. We were told that this had not been a recall yet but is definitely an issue with the 2019 Suburban.
Recently invoice date 12/15/2022 The transmission was replaced with a remanufacture transmission while under warranty coverage because it was making noise and grinding during shifting. The remanufacture transmission grinds in between gear shifting and it vibrates as if my tires are driving over traffic control grids near the solid yellow shoulder line just before pulling over onto the shoulder. My transmission was replaced at 77-887 I now have approximately 80.121 miles just 2,000 miles as of 1/15/2023 on the remanufacture transmission and it has already has problems. I am soon to return it to the dealer to have it replaced for a second time.
The contact's wife owns a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving and exceeding 45 MPH, the vehicle was jerking with a loud grinding sound. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure recurred, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle was almost struck by a semi-truck. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure, but no appointments were available to be scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
- Risk
- As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑630‑2438, Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006 or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
Recall number 19V645000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles manufactured July 9, 2013, through July 22, 2013; and 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles manufactured July 16, 2013, through July 23, 2013; and model year 2014 GMC Yukon vehicles manufactured July 13, 2013, through July 18, 2013; and model year 2014 GMC Yukon XL vehicles manufactured on July 22, 2013. The rear brake caliper bolts may not be fully tightened. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
- Risk
- Loose caliper bolts may cause reduced braking performance and result in lengthened stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts on both rear brake caliper brackets. Any bolts found loose will be replaced and tightened. This service will be performed, at no charge. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020 and GMC at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's recall number is 13247.
Recall number 13V342000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only.
- Risk
- This can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel speed sensor, and check the peak-to-peak output voltage to ensure the wheel speed signal is within specifications. The recall began september 22, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 05V379000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- This could result in a loss of brakes which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the vehicles for the brake pedal pushrod retainer and install one if it is missing free of charge. The manufacturer began contacting owners by telephone on march 10, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 05V103000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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 warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge. The recall began on march 23, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, gmc trucks at 1‑866‑996‑9463 and hummer at 1‑800‑732‑5493.
Recall number 05V043000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.
- Risk
- Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.
- Remedy
- Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact cadillac at 1‑866‑982‑2339; chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438; gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463; or hummer at 1‑866‑486‑6376.
Recall number 04V045000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a clearance condition between the front right-hand brake pipe and the body cross sill that could decrease to the point of allowing contact during the life of the vehicle. If contact occurs and the brake pipe becomes damaged, in half of the brake system there can be a loss of brake fluid and pressure. The brake warning lamp will be activated when the brake fluid level reaches the indicator limit.
- Risk
- During braking, the pedal will be lower than normal and stopping distances will be longer. If this occurs when stopping distance is limited, a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the front right-hand brake pipe for wear. If there are signs of wear, this section of the brake pipe will be replaced with a new designed brake pipe section. If there are not signs of wear on the brake pipe, the dealer will install a spacer clip to ensure sufficient clearance between the brake pipe and the body cross sill.
Recall number 00V345000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with vacuum power, 4-wheel disc brakes. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems." these vehicles were built with a kinked brake booster vacuum supply hose.
- Risk
- These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 105.
- Remedy
- Dealers will re-route the brake booster vacuum supply hose.
Recall number 00V222000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. One or both front brake rotor/hubs were built with an out-of-specification gray iron that can fail during the life of the vehicle.
- Risk
- If a driver continues to drive with a cracked rotor, the cracks could continue around the wheel mounting bolt circle and ultimately result in a wheel separation.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rotors for a core date of "287" and, if found, replace the rotor.
Recall number 98V033000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor
- What is wrong
- Severe corrosion due to road salt at the joint of the stamped steel center section and the cast outer section can cause the sections to separate.
- Risk
- Separation of the rotor sections can cause loss ofbraking ability in the affected wheel. This could result in increased stoppingdistance and/or loss of vehicle control and an accident.
- Remedy
- Replace the front brake rotors with new rotors with a corrosion protection coating. However, if replacement of brake linings are necessary, it will be done at owner's expense since brake linings are normal maintenance items.
Recall number 93V119000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Suburban grinding brakes
Which Chevrolet Suburban years have grinding or squealing brakes problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1994 (19 complaints), 1999 (13 complaints) and 1997 (11 complaints).
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