Model years Chevrolet Suburban
2021 Chevrolet Suburban
Complaints about this year name fuel pump far more often than the other years of this generation — 12% of them, about 30× the usual rate of 0.4%.
First year of a new generation. The Chevrolet Suburban was redesigned for 2021. A first year carries problems nobody has found yet, and they are found by the people who buy it — which is worth knowing before you become one of them.
NHTSA opened a defect investigation into this model year.
| Complaints filed | 184 |
|---|---|
| Median for this model | 27 |
| Involving a crash | 6 |
| Involving a fire | 1 |
| Recalls | 12 |
| NHTSA crash rating | 4/5 |
| EPA combined | 17 mpg |
What the complaints were about
- engine — 52.2% of this year's complaints, against 12.4% across the other years of this generation (4.2×).
- pump — 35.3% of this year's complaints, against 8.9% across the other years of this generation (4×). Owners wrote it as: pump, module, fuel pump, control module.
- prior — 23.4% of this year's complaints, against 5.7% across the other years of this generation (4.1×). Owners wrote it as: prior, including, stranded, propulsion.
Words owners used for the same problem are counted together, so a fault written four different ways is measured once. Grouped by which complaints they appear in, not by a list anyone wrote in advance.
Also unusual this year
- mechanic — 9% of complaints, 23× usual
- other — 18% of complaints, 3× usual
- independent — 7% of complaints, 18× usual
What owners wrote
the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the map sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to another mechanic, where it…
We have a defective engine that stopped working after 120 miles. We can drive the car because it can leave us on the road or catch fire, this is what the mechanic told us, GMC option is to buy another car.
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint filings, with identifying details removed.
Recalls for this year
- 21V455000 STEERING Fixed free of charge.
- 22V036000 POWER TRAIN Fixed free of charge.
- 20V792000 SEAT BELTS Fixed free of charge.
- 20V811000 SEAT BELTS Fixed free of charge.
- 20V735000 SEATS Fixed free of charge.
- 21V739000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE Fixed free of charge.
- 21V421000 AIR BAGS Fixed free of charge.
- 21V190000 SEAT BELTS Fixed free of charge.
Showing 8 of 12. The rest are on NHTSA's site.
How this was worked out
Every year of the Chevrolet Suburban was compared against its own history rather than against other cars, which removes popularity and age from the answer — a common car draws more complaints at equal reliability, and an older one has had longer to accumulate them. A year is flagged when it drew at least 2.5× this model's median and at least 50 complaints.
This is a fault record, not a review. Nobody files a federal complaint to say the car was fine, so it shows what tends to go wrong — not whether owners liked it, and not whether it is a good car.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations, retrieved . Look this vehicle up directly on NHTSA's site to check anything here.
Own a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban? What happened to yours?
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