Model year record

2018 Chevrolet Suburban recalls & problems

The 2018 Chevrolet Suburban has 4 safety recalls and 84 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine (19 complaints).

Recalls4safety recalls

Complaints84filed by owners

Crashes · fires3 · 0reported in complaints

NHTSA overall4 ★crash-test stars

2018 Chevrolet Suburban in an NHTSA crash test — NHTSA crash test

1 recall for this model year carries an NHTSA do not drive advisory. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Safety recalls

Power trainMay 7, 2026

Transfer case (4-wheel drive)

Recall 26V28900066 vehicles

NHTSA advisory: do not drive affected vehicles until repaired.

Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles with four-wheel (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and certain 2015-2020 Suburban, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Tahoe vehicles. A component missing from the drivetrain transfer case may cause the front and/or rear wheels to lock up without warning to the driver.
Risk: Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.

Service brakesOct 24, 2019

Service brakes

Recall 19V761000652,967 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

Components: Service brakes; Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Wheel speed sensor/tone ring; Electronic stability control (esc)

Service brakes, hydraulicSep 6, 2019

Power assist › Vacuum

Recall 19V6450003,456,719 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.

Seat beltsSep 26, 2018

Rear/other

Recall 18V67300015,800 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: If the child seat is not properly secured in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2018 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 SUV 4WD

Overall★★★★★

Frontal crash	★★★★★
Side crash	★★★★★
Rollover	★★★★★
Rollover risk	20.3%

Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional

2018 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 SUV RWD

Overall★★★★★

Frontal crash	★★★★★
Side crash	★★★★★
Rollover	★★★★★
Rollover risk	21.2%

Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional

2018 Chevrolet Suburban NHTSA side crash test — NHTSA side barrier crash test

2018 Chevrolet Suburban NHTSA side pole crash test — NHTSA side pole crash test

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

Suburban C1500 2WD

19mpg combined

City / highway	16 / 23 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

5.3 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 6-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

Suburban C1500 2WD FFV

19mpg combined

City / highway	16 / 23 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

5.3 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 6-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

Suburban K1500 4WD

18mpg combined

City / highway	15 / 22 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

5.3 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 6-spd · 4-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel

Suburban K1500 4WD FFV

18mpg combined

City / highway	15 / 22 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

5.3 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 6-spd · 4-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Engine	19	0	0	88,000 mi
Power trainAutomatic transmission	19	1	0	98,000 mi
Electrical systemInstrument cluster/panel; Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer	17	0	0	68,000 mi
Service brakes	13	0	0	—
Unknown or other	10	0	0	—
Steering	8	0	0	—
Seat belts	5	0	0	—
Air bags	4	2	4	10,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system	4	0	0	52,000 mi
Wheels	4	0	0	—
Vehicle speed control	3	0	0	—
Electronic stability control (esc)	2	0	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Engine
On August 7, 2026, while driving a rental vehicle in the Denver, Colorado area with my family, including two young children, the vehicle unexpectedly lost engine power while traveling downhill. The engine shut off, resulting in a significant reduction in brake assistance and creating an extremely dangerous situation. We were able to bring the vehicle to a stop without a collision or injury. After restarting the vehicle, the check-engine light illuminated. The vehicle was no longer considered safe to operate and ultimately required towing by the rental operator. The exact mechanical cause is UNKNOWN. I do not know whether the vehicle was subsequently inspected or repaired by a qualified…
Aug 7, 2026
Power train
My 2018 Chevrolet Suburban is experiencing transmission problems that raise serious concerns about the reliability and potential safety of General Motors transmissions used in trucks and SUVs from this period. When I contacted an independent transmission repair shop to describe the problems, the employee immediately asked whether my vehicle was a 2014â2018 model. When I confirmed it was a 2018 Suburban, she explained that the shop encounters transmission problems in these vehicles regularly. Her familiarity with the issue, before even inspecting my vehicle, was particularly concerning. This is now the second 2018 General Motors vehicle in my household to experience significant…
Sep 15, 2026
Electrical system
My suburban shut off 5 times while turning. Very unsafe given I have 4 children and it could have been while we were driving on the freeway, which could have been fatal.
Oct 8, 2026
Power train
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact's husband noticed an abnormal sound and the vehicle independently stopped. The contact stated that the instrument cluster displayed a blank screen. The contact's husband attempted to shift the gear shifter, however the gear shifter failed to shift as intended. The contact stated after several attempts, the gear shifter shifted as intended. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed…
Jan 19, 2026 · 108,000 miles
Power train
My husband was driving our 2018 Chevy Suburban when it suddenly stopped accelerating and he could no longer shift gears. Luckily, this happened while he was driving down a gravel road (approx 25-30mph). If he would have been driving at highway speeds, it is likely that he could have lost control of the vehicle. Our Suburban had no issues to this point and had always run well. We take it in for routine maintenance. We had it towed to a local repair shop, and they informed us that something had happened with the transmission and that it would need to be replaced. I have found several GM transmission recalls and our situation sounds similar to reference N252536750. Again we had no warning…
May 5, 2026
Electrical system › Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while purchasing an aftermarket warranty coverage, the warranty company informed the contact that there was a mileage discrepancy based on the Carfax report. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 123,959; however, the Carfax report listed the mileage at 129,000 one month prior to the purchase.
Mar 23, 2026 · 129,000 miles
Unknown or other
Transmission problems 124,994 miles . It's the same defects as the 2019-2025 defects.
Mar 7, 2026
Power train
The transmission just stopped working no warning just wouldnât go into gear. Then I turned it off and back on and was able to limp home itâs slipping bad .
Mar 16, 2026

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.