1989 GMC SUBURBAN — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
24
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
1
Investigation
Overview of the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN
The 1989 GMC SUBURBAN has received a total of 24 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 2 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SEATS, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. The most commonly reported problems involve the Seatsfront Assemblyrecliner (3 complaints), Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust Systememission Control (2 complaints), and Steering Steering Wheelhandle Bar (2 complaints).
Recalls for the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN
NHTSA has recorded 2 recalls for the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN, potentially affecting up to 2,307,087 vehicles.
Recall 93V187000 — SEATS
| 604,207 vehicles affected
Defect: THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN 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.
Consequence: IF BOLT FAILURE OCCURS TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WOULDALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL 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.
View full details →Recall 93V016000 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
| 1,702,880 vehicles affected
Defect: UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.
Consequence: 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.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN
24 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seatsfront Assemblyrecliner | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust Systememission Control | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering Steering Wheelhandle Bar | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical Systemwiringfront Underhood | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipmentapplianceair Conditioner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasolinedeliveryfuel Pump | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainautomatic Transmission | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Beltsfront | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Beltsfrontbuckle Assembly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Beltsfrontretractor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Beltsrearother | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Components | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsmaster Cylinder | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steeringhydraulic Power Assistpump | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WE PURCHASED A 1989 GMC SUBURBAN IN FEBRUARY 2003. AT THAT TIME THE PERSON WE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM TOLD US THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THE PAINT HAD BEEN RECALLED, BUT HE HAD NEVER CHECKED INTO IT. UPON US TAKING DELIVERY I BEGAN TO SEARCH ON THE WEB AND CAME UPON YOUR INFORMATION AND TOOK THE ADVICE OF CONTACTING OUR LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER AT OUR CHEVY DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TOO OLD AND THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. TODAY 6-31-03 I CALLED THE GM SERVICE CENTER AND WAS GIVEN A SERVICE # OF 1-1-146-15140, AND TOLD TO CALL A DIFFERENT # GIVEN THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. I THEN CALLED WITH THIS REFERENCE# AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF THE YEAR AND MILEAGE THEY WOULD NOT LOOK AT THE PAINT, AND THERE WERE "NO OPEN PAINT CLAIMS RECORDED" I ASKED WHAT THIS MEANT AND THE WOMAN SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS OPEN ON THIS YEAR FOR PAINT. I DID NOT ARGUE WITH HER, AS I HAD ALREADY TOLD HER I HAD LOOKED UP THIS RECALL ON THE WEB. THE TWO SIDE SEATBELTS IN THE MIDDLE ROW OF SEATS. DON'T WORKVERY WELL, THEY GET STUCK HALF WAY OUT A LOT.
WE PURCHASED A 1989 GMC SUBURBAN IN FEBRUARY 2003. AT THAT TIME THE PERSON WE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM TOLD US THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THE PAINT HAD BEEN RECALLED, BUT HE HAD NEVER CHECKED INTO IT. UPON US TAKING DELIVERY I BEGAN TO SEARCH ON THE WEB AND CAME UPON YOUR INFORMATION AND TOOK THE ADVICE OF CONTACTING OUR LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER AT OUR CHEVY DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS TOO OLD AND THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. TODAY 6-31-03 I CALLED THE GM SERVICE CENTER AND WAS GIVEN A SERVICE # OF 1-1-146-15140, AND TOLD TO CALL A DIFFERENT # GIVEN THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. I THEN CALLED WITH THIS REFERENCE# AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF THE YEAR AND MILEAGE THEY WOULD NOT LOOK AT THE PAINT, AND THERE WERE "NO OPEN PAINT CLAIMS RECORDED" I ASKED WHAT THIS MEANT AND THE WOMAN SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS OPEN ON THIS YEAR FOR PAINT. I DID NOT ARGUE WITH HER, AS I HAD ALREADY TOLD HER I HAD LOOKED UP THIS RECALL ON THE WEB. THE TWO SIDE SEATBELTS IN THE MIDDLE ROW OF SEATS. DON'T WORKVERY WELL, THEY GET STUCK HALF WAY OUT A LOT.
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. STEELTEX RADIAL LT TIRES. *AK THE TIRE PRESSURE HAD RUN LOW, BUT NEVER MORE THAN 2 PSI HIGH. (NEVER ANY IMPACT) THE BLOWOUT HAPPENED ON A SMOOTH ROAD AT A LOW SPEED. THERE WERE NEVER ANY REPAIRS DONE TO THE TIRES. THE BLOWOUT HAD A "T" SHAPED 4-5" EDGE OF TREAD, WITH A LEG OF "T" THAT EXTENDED FROM THE TREAD NEAR THE BEAD. FIRESTONE CONSIDERED THIS IMPACT DAMAGE AND WOULD NOT REPLACE. *SCC *JB
THE TIRE BLEW UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT. THIS CAUSED A WRECK AND PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER.*AK (TIRESIZE: LT26575R16)
Safety Rating for the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN
NHTSA has opened 1 investigation into potential safety defects in the 1989 GMC SUBURBAN.
Other Model Years of the GMC SUBURBAN
- 1984 GMC SUBURBAN — 5 complaints
- 1985 GMC SUBURBAN — 6 complaints
- 1986 GMC SUBURBAN — 4 complaints
- 1987 GMC SUBURBAN — 8 complaints
- 1988 GMC SUBURBAN — 8 complaints
- 1989 GMC SUBURBAN (current)
- 1990 GMC SUBURBAN — 28 complaints
- 1991 GMC SUBURBAN — 33 complaints
- 1992 GMC SUBURBAN — 105 complaints
- 1993 GMC SUBURBAN — 254 complaints
- 1994 GMC SUBURBAN — 490 complaints
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