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2018 Chevrolet Suburban Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban, most often about the engine (23% of complaints, typically around 88,000 miles). It is 20th of 25 Suburban model years by number of complaints and has 4 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2018 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Engine
19 complaints · 23%Half of these problems showed up before 88,000 miles.
I purchased this vehicle in dec of 2019 used. 35,000 miles. Now has 88,000 and the transmission went out. Regular oil changes. No warning lights. No issues. Stopped running. After having someone look at it to see what the issue was, the mechanic said the entire transmission has to either be rebuilt or replaced.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked with the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an…
Transmission
19 complaints · 23%Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
Vehicle was parked and engine off and kids were getting into car when one of the kids pulled in the shifter and shifted the vehicle into gear. The vehicle began to roll. The Suburban was stopped when it hit another vehicle parked behind. The slope was small and the impact was inconsequential. Upon further inspection…
I purchased this vehicle in dec of 2019 used. 35,000 miles. Now has 88,000 and the transmission went out. Regular oil changes. No warning lights. No issues. Stopped running. After having someone look at it to see what the issue was, the mechanic said the entire transmission has to either be rebuilt or replaced.
Electrical
17 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 68,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument cluster/panel, instrument panel.
My doors lock with the car with the keys in the car, my kids were in my car and I got locked out with my keys in it, there was a battery replacement done when I took my car in for a recall notice a month ago (maybe 2 months), also the lock button works but when I push the middle button it will not auto start , when I…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled. Afterwards, the "failure to open right door, roll window down, and put back up" warning indicator illuminated. The contact followed the instructions and the vehicle restarted. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred…
Brakes
15 complaints · 18%I drive a 2018 chevy Suburban. This car had no lights on and has less than 18k miles on it. It is just over two years old and there are no recalls on the vehicle. I was driving with my [] child and we had driven about a mile. We were on the feeder road about to get on the freeway. The car started spontaneously…
The contact owned a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving downhill at 55 MPH, the message hill descent assist disabled was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact depressed the brake pedal to the floor before the ABS system activated and the vehicle was stopped. The contact stated that the…
Other or unspecified
10 complaints · 12%My 2018 Suburban required over $400 worth of expenses to replace a valve and recharge the freon in the AC. Less than a week later it required a new condenser and another $1250 in repair. The condenser was recalled in 2015-2017 suburbans and it sounds to me like it should include the 2018 model year as well. I should…
Steering
8 complaints · 10%Seat belts
5 complaints · 6%Right rear passenger seatbelt retractor does not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, nor does it automatically retract when in the unused position. Makes loud clicking nose. Cannot properly secure my child's safety seat.
Air bags
4 complaints · 5%The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving 75 MPH, a vehicle crashed into a guardrail and bounced back onto the roadway. As a result, the contact crashed into the front of the vehicle. The front end of the contact's vehicle was damaged. The air bags failed to deploy. The front seat passenger sustained…
Involved in a serious front end collision and airbags did not deploy. Hit between front wheel and front bumper. Was leaving a stop sign when hit. Vehicle that hit me was going at least 40 MPH.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2018 Chevrolet Suburban recalls
Transmission: transfer case (4-wheel drive)
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Brakes: service brakes
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Brakes: vacuum
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Seat belts: rear/other
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.
Full defect summary
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."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (19 complaints, typically around 88,000 miles); transmission (19 complaints); electrical (17 complaints, typically around 68,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban have?
- 4 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from May 7, 2026 (transmission). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2018 a bad year for the Chevrolet Suburban?
- It is 20th of 25 Suburban model years by number of complaints, with 84 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.