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 of seconds with no prior alerts. Dealership had to take apart the engine for 3,300 to find the reason and repair is an addition 4,000.
Chevrolet Suburban misfire problems
63 of the 8,048 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Suburban describe misfire or rough idle, most of them for the 2021 model year.
- owner complaints
- 63
- worst model year
- 2021
- typical repair cost reported
- $8,801
- typical mileage
- 57,000
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Check engine light 31Engine failure 13Loss of power 10Stalling 5Fuel pump 5Warning lights 3Jerking 3Harsh shifting 3
Trouble codes mentioned
P0300 2
What owners say
On 5/28/25 the vehicle was on the interstate and presented a check engine light. Shortly after getting off the interstate the vehicle limited speed. This was taken to the dealership and they replaced the #6 injector. This vehicle was identified as having a left bank tick on 11/18/22 by the dealership but could not be duplicated by the mechanic. On 5.8.23 the #8 injector was replaced due to code and the vehicle vibrating at low RPM and at stops both in park and in drive. On 5/28/25 the #6 injector was replaced due to code and rough idle. They also replaced all spark plugs. On 12/29/25 the #8 injector was replaced again due to rough idle and code. On 6.23.26 the vehicle was again taken to the dealership due to rough idle. Nothing was done. On 8/18/26 the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a rough idle again. The dealer found no codes but wanted to change the oil to troubleshoot. I allowed it telling them changing the oil would not correct the misfire. Even though the misfire was present after the oil change the shop foreman would not troubleshoot further due to no code displayed. I purchased a scanner and found 81 misfires on cylinder 7 for the current cycle.
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 later, the engine completely shut down while I was driving on the road. As I did not know what was going on and I had my newborn baby in the car, I was panicking as I was trying to figure out how to pull over to get out of traffic. Turns out there are now metal shavings in my engine according to the GM certified dealership that I had the work on the lifters done at in the first place. They are now quoting me an additional $13,000+ dollars to completely replace the engine with one that is not even brand new. Highly disappointed and concerned for my family's and I's safety while driving this vehicle. Also, not happy that I apparently need to spend $20K on a vehicle that I have only brought to certified GM dealerships for work on and I have kept in excellent condition.
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 the vehicle and there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with camshaft failure, a misfire in cylinder #6, and a fractured motor mount had caused critical engine damage. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was later towed to a service center, and the same diagnostic information was provided, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that the rumbling sound persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by telephone. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Sudden Loss of Power & Shaking: The misfire itself causes a drastic drop in acceleration. If you are merging onto a highway or trying to pass another vehicle, the sudden loss of power can leave you stranded in the path of oncoming traffic. No Stability Assistance: Because StabiliTrak and Traction Control are automatically disabled, the vehicle loses its ability to correct for skids, fishtailing, or hydroplaning. In rain, snow, or emergency swerving maneuvers, a heavy SUV becomes much harder to control. "Limp Mode" (Reduced Power): To prevent the unburned fuel from a misfire from destroying the expensive catalytic converters, the vehicle may force itself into a "Reduced Engine Power" or "Limp" mode. This limits your top speed (often to around 30 mph), which is highly dangerous if you are in the fast lane of a highway. Violent Transmission Shifting: To protect the drivetrain from the erratic power dips of a misfiring engine, the vehicle's computer will maximize transmission fluid pressure. This causes the Suburban to shift gears incredibly hard, which and feel as though the transmission is exploding
In 2025, one if the pistons misfired. It was repaired and the same issue occurred a year later causing the cam shaft to break as well. Not to mention we had an electrical failure where the dashboard didn’t work and the water pump failed right after it was in for the first piston misfiring. It was repaired at Ciocca Chevrolet in [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed a cylinder misfire and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,818.
We purchased a 2023 Chevy Suburban in January of 2026. In May the vehicle shut off on me at a stop light. The check engine light flashed after I was able to restart it. I took it to the dealer and they said they "couldn't recreate the issue" even though there was an engine misfire code on all cylinders. They told me to come pick it up and bring it back if I had further issues. The second time this happened I had issues getting the vehicle started. This was June 2026 Once I finally got it started and was driving all the service lights started going off and the check engine light started flashing. I took it to a different chevy dealer and was told the same thing. This time I had 23 different service codes that showed up. Including the engine misfire code. So we picked it up and continued to drive it. On July 10th we were towing a 7k lb camper home when we lost all power. Thankfully we weren't driving fast and we're able to stop. This left us stranded at a busy intersection for 2 hours. The car would not go out of neutral. Had we been going 70 on an interstate we could have very seriously been hurt. The car had to be towed back to the dealership where we were told the engine locked up and needed to be replaced. My husband and I had our [XXX] child in the backseat with us. This was a family car that we purchased and told twice that they couldn't find anything wrong with it. The vehicle has been at the dealership waiting on a motor since July 11th. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I had a recall serviced on a Friday which was completed by the dealership. My car sat all weekend and was not driven until Monday AM which was fine. After work, there were several warning lights that popped up and it was making a terrible noise. I was unable to drive home and had to have my car towed to the dealership. Following there inspection, my engine had to be replaced due to a known issue with this engine and GM. Cylinder #2 misfire, lost compression - lifter had spun in guide, camshaft is damaged - engine needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, I was just out of warranty so it was either pay $12,000+ for a new engine or walk away from a car that I love. I just don't understand why if GM knows this is an issue, why there is not some sort of recall on it.
Had an engine replacement in dec of 2025 and had to pay for it since wasn’t under warranty or recall. And now my replacement engine which has a warranty now. Just failed in March 2026 which about 3 months later. Had metal shavings in engine and multiple cylinders misfiring. And now I don’t have a family vehicle to drive my family around again. There should’ve been a recall on my engine, but wasn’t this is not fair. And I’m paying the price for it.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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 for this recall is N252494000.
Recall number 25V274000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain pickup trucks equipped with an 8.1l v8 engine, the crankshaft position can operate intermittently or fail completely. If the sensor operates intermittently, the ses light may illuminate and the vehicle may run rough. The engine may stall, and if so, may re-start immediately or after a cool down period.
- Risk
- If the sensor becomes completely inoperative, the engine will quit running and will not re-start. Either of these failures can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the crankshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on december 18, 2007. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 and gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 07V521000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain trucks equipped with an 8.1l v8 (rpo l8-VIN g) engine have a condition in which the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip may fracture resulting in inadequate retention of the damper.
- Risk
- If the damper comes loose, a fuel leak may result. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip free of charge. The recall began on august 31, 2006. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 and gmc trucks at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 06V289000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Suburban misfire
Which Chevrolet Suburban years have misfire or rough idle problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2021 (17 complaints), 2023 (5 complaints) and 2007 (4 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix misfire or rough idle on the Chevrolet Suburban?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $8,801 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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