Consumer's vehicle was rear ended by another vehicle that was traveling at 30 MPH. Passenger's side seat belt came unbolted from the floorboard. As a result, passenger sustained a back injury.
The worst 1991 GMC Suburban problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Seats11
- Brakes9
- Seat belts3
- Tires3
- Acceleration1
- Body1
- Engine1
- Transmission1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1991 GMC Suburban
Recalls 2
Seats
- What is wrong
- The recliner mechanism and the seat frame may have foam and/or vinyl vetween them, creating a "soft" joint. This "soft" joint results in lower than specified bolt torque which leads to joint looseness, causing bolt fatigue and eventual bolt failure.
- Risk
- If bolt failure occurs to the driver's seat, it would allow the seat back to suddenly recline, and could result in loss of vehicle control and a vehicle crash without prior warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove the foam and/or vinyl from between the recliner mechanism and the seat frame "soft" joint and replace the recliner bolts.
Recall number 96V226000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Unanticipated heat in the transmission can force the transmission fluid out of the vent tube.
- Risk
- The vented transmission fluid can catch fire if exposedto a source of ignition.
- Remedy
- Install a longer transmission vent hose routed to the left side of the engine compartment of the vehicle.
Recall number 93V016000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 1991 GMC Suburban
Defect investigations
Engine compartment fires
An alleged malfunction in the atlernator resulting in engine compartmet fires.
EA94029
Seat back bolt breakage
There is no summary currently available
EA92022
Seat back failures
There is no summary currently available
PE92026
Brake line abrasion
There is no summary currently available
PE92005
Technical service bulletins for the 1991 GMC Suburban 4
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
1991 GMC Suburban fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2L 8‑cyl Diesel | RWD | 15 | 20 | 17 |
| 6.2L 8‑cyl Diesel | 4WD | 14 | 20 | 16 |
| 5.7L 8‑cyl | RWD | 11 | 16 | 13 |
| 5.7L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 11 | 15 | 12 |
What 1991 GMC Suburban owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Recall for collapse of driver seat,recall done, seat collapsed after recall repair???
(la superior court,case no.pc018776) a police officer became a paraplegic after the goodyear wrangler ht (lt235/85r16) experienced tread separation while driving at a high speed, resulting in vehicle rollover accident in which the officer was ejected from the vehicle. Attorney is writing in with several other incidents of tread separations and injuries, police reports are provided with detailed information. This particular incident (brian mathews) was represented in court by the law firm (greene,broillet,taylor, wheeler & panish llp). Attorney is writing in with several other incidents of tread separations and injuries, police reports are provided with detailed information.
I was driving on the 405 in los angeles at 65 MPH last thursday night at 10 pm. My left rear tire suddenly began to come apart as if the skin was coming off of it. I did not crash but was able to pull over safely onto an exit. The tire appears to be shredding like the ones I have seen on television and in the newspaper, event though it is a different firestone tire. I kept the tire and called firestone, and they said to bring it in. I drive 2 hours a day to work and I can't necessarily afford to replace all four, which I need to now do. I am also very angry because I am so careful to keep my car in working order on the los angeles freeway, which you absolutely can not pull over on safely, and it was a dangerous situation for alot of people when it happened. And I had to change my tire after a 13 hour workday. Could you please let me know if I have any recourse in this situation. (tiresize: l23585r16)( dot number: tire size: l23585r16 )
I was driving on the 405 in los angeles at 65 MPH last thursday night at 10 pm. My left rear tire suddenly began to come apart as if the skin was coming off of it. I did not crash but was able to pull over safely onto an exit. The tire appears to be shredding like the ones I have seen on television and in the newspaper, event though it is a different firestone tire. I kept the tire and called firestone, and they said to bring it in. I drive 2 hours a day to work and I can't necessarily afford to replace all four, which I need to now do. I am also very angry because I am so careful to keep my car in working order on the los angeles freeway, which you absolutely can not pull over on safely, and it was a dangerous situation for alot of people when it happened. And I had to change my tire after a 13 hour workday. Could you please let me know if I have any recourse in this situation. (tiresize: l23585r16)( dot number: tire size: l23585r16 )
The problem: the speedometer works intermittently, the brake light would come on, and the brakes would lose power. I took it to the dealer to get fixed. The brake light doesn't come on anymore. The dealer has changed all the components on the front and rear brakes. Now the brakes are really mushy and the truck pulls to the right. The dealer changed the speed sensor, but the speedometer doesn't work. My truck has been at the dealer for more than 2 weeks.
Had received recall notice 96v226000. Contacted dealer. Took vehicle on date given. Picked vehicle up. Recall work not done. Vehicle in same location. Bolts were never replaced. Original bolts still on seat & still rusty. Seatback had broke.
Rear passengers restraints do not retract or pull out. Dealer has been notified.
Front seat bolts failed.
When traveling on wet or dry pavement, upon making a gradual stop the rear brakes lock up, vehicle jumps forward. Abs light is illuminated on the dash. Consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced parts.
Compare the 1991 GMC Suburban
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Questions about the 1991 GMC Suburban
Is the 1991 GMC Suburban reliable?
Owners have filed 30 complaints about the 1991 GMC Suburban, 6.0 times a typical Suburban model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1991 GMC Suburban?
Seats, with 11 complaints. Next is brakes (9).
How many recalls does the 1991 GMC Suburban have?
2 recalls, covering seats and power train.
Was there a recall on the 1991 GMC Suburban seats?
Yes, 1 recall: 96V226000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the GMC Suburban have bad seats?
The GMC Suburban model years with the most seats complaints are 1995 (46 complaints), 1994 (12 complaints) and 1991 (11 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1991 GMC Suburban get?
Official estimates for the 1991 GMC Suburban range from 12 to 17 mpg combined. The most efficient version (6.2L 8-cyl diesel, RWD) gets 15 city and 20 highway.
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