The Chevrolet Suburban is a vehicle that's like an SUV and a truck, but also a minivan. If you're feeling confused, don't worry—you're not alone. The Suburban is a lot of things, but it's not great at being any of them. It has poor fuel economy, poor reliability (just ask any Chevy owner), and even worse serviceability.
Despite this, people still buy them in huge numbers. It's like they're trying to prove something. But these days, there are some issues with this car that you should know about before making your decision to buy one or not. There are many models available on the market, so it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. Here are 10 glaring problems with the Chevrolet Suburban.
10 Bad A/C On Chevrolet Suburbans
The A/C isn't great on pre-2016 Suburbans, and it's the most common issue on CarComplaints.com for this model.
The good news is that it's not a huge issue, it just means that you'll have to keep an eye out for leaks and check your belts every once in a while.
9 Chevrolet Suburban Maintenance
Chevy Suburbans are pretty expensive to maintain if you buy one from 2019 or earlier. The average cost per year will be about $800 for 5 years if you buy one from 2019 or newer.
The average cost per year will be about $1,500 for 5 years if you buy one in 2015 or later. If you have an older model, expect to pay even more. The average cost of running a 2011 model is over $2,000 per year!
8 Chevrolet Suburban Severity Of Repair Score
According to the RepairPal "Severity of Repair" score, the Chevrolet Suburban is more likely than most other vehicles to need severe repairs. The score of 15% is higher than an average of 12% for all vehicle models.
This SUV is probably going to need a lot more work done on it than most other cars, so be wary when buying one used. Hopefully, this doesn't translate to the newer models, but so far, there haven't been any complaints about severe repairs.
7 2009 Chevrolet Suburban Engine Problems
RepairPal also reports that many people have complained about engine problems with their 2009 Chevrolet Suburbans. Specifically, about the rate at which they consume oil. If you're considering buying one, remember that it's a great car for driving, but we recommend going for a newer model that will cost less to maintain.
In fact, the 2009 Chevrolet Suburban had so many oil consumption issues that it ranked as one of the worst vehicles for oil consumption on Car Complaints. And when you think about how expensive it is to fix engine issues like these, it makes sense. It's best to walk away from this type of used car.
6 Chevrolet Suburban Is Costly To Insure
If you have a Chevy Suburban, or if you're thinking about buying one, you might want to know how much your insurance will cost.
The average cost of car insurance for a Chevy Suburban is $1,800 per year—more than 10% of what other SUVs cost. So, not the most outrageous problem.
5 Chevy Suburban Depreciation
The Chevy Suburban depreciates at about 7% per year, or 35% in 5 years. That means that if you purchase a new Chevy Suburban today for around $60,000, it will be worth almost half that amount when you go to sell it five years from now.
The best way to save money on depreciation is by buying used cars instead of new ones. Especially if you can find one that has already dropped significantly in value over its lifetime while still being cheap to run.
4 Earlier Model Chevrolet Suburban Transmission Problems
Earlier models had many transmission issues, as reported on Car Complaints. The issue was that the torque converter clutch would apply during the shift from first to second gear, causing harsh shifts and engine bogging.
The wiring needs to be redone to resolve this problem permanently. But in many cases, it may take several attempts before it’s resolved completely.
3 Later Model Chevrolet Suburban Transmission Problems
Later models also had problems with diagnostic codes like P0776 and P0796, often caused by a pressure leak at the end of the clutch regulating valve.
To fix this problem, you'll need a new bore plug or will need to buy an updated version from Chevrolet.
2 Which Year Chevrolet Suburban Is Best?
If you're looking to buy a Chevy Suburban, the 2020 model year is best. When it comes to used prices and how much money it loses in value over time, this one makes the most sense. The 2020 model will cost less than similar models from newer years, and it will lose less of its value over time.
It's also one that has the least number of complaints, and it's not plagued with air con issues from earlier models. It would be smart to go with one that has a maintenance plan since these models come with such a severe repair score.
1 Which Suburban Model Is The Best?
If you're buying a new Suburban, go for the newest one possible. The newer models have fewer problems than older ones. If you're looking at used cars, however, look for a model made within the last three or four years. That way, you'll avoid all those pesky issues that come with owning an older vehicle.
The new Suburban is definitely an improvement over previous models. But it still has some glaring issues that might make you reconsider whether you want to buy one. Remember, a car like this is never going to make financial sense in the long run with all these problems. But if it's what gets you from point A to point B safely and comfortably, and you like this SUV, that's good enough for us.
Sources: Car Complaints, With Clutch, Car Edge