Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||||
| 00149D | 01/01/2004 | 00149C | 10005439 | Malfunction indicator lamp on with a p0300 set and a misfire. various models including 1996 - 1999 p32 models. sit bulletin 1416475. *tt | 02/27/2004 |
| 00149C | 11/18/2003 | 10004223 | Malfunction indicator lamp on with a p0300 set and a misfire. various models including the 1996-1999 p32 and the 1996-2002 gmc c/k truck. *tt | 11/21/2003 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | ||||||
| EA00013 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 05/02/2000 | 06/28/2002 | BATTERY LEAKS ACID | ||
| Allege that their batteries leak, causing damage to the right front brake line, the abs wire harness, and the positive battery cable. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 09/12/1997 | |||
| Vehicle came to a complete stop, instruments (light, power, etc.) all quit, waited fifteen minutes, vehicle restarted. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 1 | 09/05/1998 | |
| Alternator failed. *slc | |||
| 09/26/2000 | 5 | 10/01/1998 | |
| Chevrolet, suburban 1996, ls 1500, 4 x 4 i have only owned this car 2yrs, i had to put on 5 sets of brakes, 2 sets of rotors, drums, steer knuckles, alternator, windshield wiper motor, battery, differential/axles replaced and air condition unit has fowl smell and the back passager door sticks and won't open most of the time. i bought it as a lease return with 34,900 miles on it. please help me find out why this car is still being sold. i only drive this suburban in emergency.*ak | |||
| 12/01/1998 | 5 | 10/31/1998 | |
| Consumer has replaced brakes 5 times; 2 sets of rotors & replaced drums 1 time. dealer said that vehicle was heavy, and it was going to go through brakes. they have tried to put different pads on, but nothing worked.*ak pinion seal was leaking and the vehicle makes noise while turning. wipers malfunction due to wiper module failure. there is a whine in the front part of the engine due to alternator failure. *yh | |||
| 1 | 11/01/1996 | ||
| The alternator failed. yh | |||
| 3 | 07/01/1996 | ||
| The most be some problem with electrical parts, its been happenig since new | |||
| 07/27/1999 | 1 | 01/01/1996 | |
| Major failures at 2 years a/c, batt, alternator, fuel pump & differential, | |||
| The battery has been replaced 3 times within the last three years, each time with a new battery. three weeks ago, a new battery was put in the truck again. also, alternator is not big enough for this truck, which kills the battery. the dealer has not been notified about this problem. please provide any further information. *ak | |||
| 10/07/1997 | 3 | 10/01/1997 | |
| We have had numerous problems with this vehicle which are too numerous to list here on your questionnaire. chevrolet customer service has not been of any service or help to us. we have obtained an attorney and we were advised to contact your service and try to obtain information. if you can be of any help, please contact me. thank you. | |||
| 09/23/1997 | 3 | ||
| The alternator had burned out. battery was not charging. vehicle did not start. had alternator replaced twice. was told alternator was not strong enough for vehicle. *ak | |||
| 09/23/1997 | 3 | ||
| The alternator had burned out. gave no power to battery. could not start vehicle. had alternator replaced twice by mechanic. was informed that alternators are not strong enough for vehicle. replaced a lot of alternators in suburban vehicles. *ak | |||
| 06/12/1998 | 10 | 01/02/1997 | |
| Vehicle would not start of several occasions. alternator shorted and caused a fire while vehicle was parked and engine off. repaired by dealer. still has episodes of not starting. dealer cannot find problem. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||
| 01/19/2006 | 5 | 05/20/2004 | |
| The battery cables leak acid, . when the battery becomes corroded, there is no power to the vehicle. the dealer has told me that the battery cables are bad, which we have replaced, and the problem continues. we have had the batteries (replaced more than one) checked, and they are fine. we have had the posts replaced, and the problem gets worse. the latest, (im stranded right now) seems to be the worst yet. at first when this started happening, it was a couple of months apart, now its every week. also when it started the cables where really corroded before the engine quit. now they can be wiped off with a dry towel. also, the a/c has stopped working due to cracks in hoses. (from the acid) being as i live in texas, even if the truck is running i cant drive it in the summer, even if we fix the hoses it happens again. when i had the vehicle towed to the dealer the last time, they told me the battery was fine, but i needed to spend 400.00 to have the cables replaced again. how is this problem really corrected. talking to other people who had suburbans i have found that a number of them have had vehicle fires due to the acid problem!!! having children in the car, im terrified to drive my truck. (when it even starts) i cannot sell it to someone else and put them in danger. the fuel pump has failed. we were told that we have to keep a 1/4 tank of gas in the truck. well it is going out again and i keep it full! also, something to do w/ the abs booster being bad. well my brakes are failing again. (less than a year later) the pads are fine. the acid leaking has caused damage to our driveways, not to mention the kids and animals in the neighborhood getting into the acid on the ground. please send me any info that might help me. im am going to contact the dealer and talk to them again about the information the i have found, re: im not the only one this is happening to. *nm | |||
| 01/01/2001 | 2 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Original battery leaked acid, replacement battery leaked as well. acid corroded airbag sensor and wiring, causing airbag system failure. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Delco battery was cracked causing acid to leak down the wiring to the frame. nlm | |||
| 09/03/2000 | 2 | 09/01/2000 | |
| The initial symptom has been upon starting the engine the clock resets to 1:00 and the air conditioner lights glow on and off(but the a/c switch is off). the next symtom is while driving the engine will just die unexpectedly. the suburban has been taken to several dealers. the battery has been replaced 4 times since the vehicle was purchased in mid-1996. the battery has leaked so badly that parts under the area where the battery sits had to be replaced. besides what seems to be electrical problems, the brakes in the front have already been replaced 4 times. this last time the roters were replaced because the dealer said they were out of mfg. specifications. brakes and battery repair are not under extended warranty. each trip to the dealer is more $500.00. the potential for a life ending accident is so great when these systems fail on a vehicle. why aren't these vehicles built with better reliability? the truck was picked up from the dealer on 9/11/2000. the electrical problems are still not fixed! (description of vehicle: chevrolet suburban, v8 vortec 454, 4x4, 3/4 ton). *ak | |||
| 02/01/2000 | 1 | ||
| Battery acid leaked and corroded sensor. yh | |||
| 08/25/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| Post on battery broke off. battery acid had leaked from the break. transmission failed, fluid level had been check approximately 10 days prior to failure. fluid level was fine. | |||
| 03/12/1997 | 5 | 03/01/1996 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 2 | 10/01/1996 | ||
| The original battery leaked and caused a power outage,causing the positive cables to eventually start corroding internally.the dealer replaced the defective battery under warranty.several months later the replaced battery caused the same problem,but this time it internally corrode the positive cables.i went to the dealership and explained to them that the battery leaked again and corroded the positive cables.they refused to replace the battery.so i had to buy a new battery and bought a new pair of positive cables and installed them myself.i filed a complaint with gm and they did not do anything about it.i contacted ac delco to tell them that i felt that they had a battery problem and they never contacted me back. | |||
| 3 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| First time at 30,000 miles, symptoms appeared to be defective starter or started solenoid- found that the battery was leaking at the positive terminal and corroded/ruined cable connecting to battery. dealer in north carolina [parks chevrolet, charlotte replace battery and cables, free]. second time, at 50,000 miles, i checked battery and found leaking again - soaked cable connections in baking soda water solution and re-installed with new bolt. since that time, i have cleaned the cable connection at battery positive post with soda/water solution at approximnately 10,000 mile intervals. from talking to other owners, it appears that the batteries are the problem - leaking at the positive bolt/terminal connection. as a former mechanic and factory service rep, i have been able to avoid a serious threat to safety by frequent inspection and maintenance, but this is really a dangerous situation and may have frightening results unless some action is taken to correct | |||
| 06/27/2000 | 3 | ||
| Acid leakages from delco battery post. this was the third time that this problem occurred. feel free to provide further details. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1999 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak | |||
| 02/28/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1997 | |
| In february my car died while leaving a parking lot. i turned out to be acid corrosion on the battery. i have already had to have my positive battery cable replaced under extended warranty due to acid corrosion. even after cleaning the acid off i am still having problems and will have to replace the battery even though it says it is still good. i know of another suburban (95) also having the same problem. | |||
| 4 | 11/01/1996 | ||
| Battery failed. yh | |||
| 01/03/1999 | 1 | 07/01/1996 | |
| The battery leaked/sprayed acid onto the engine and right front side components of the suburban. the air bag sensor had to be replaced, but the rest of the components were just cleaned off (this included brake hydraulic cables and lines, brakes, air conditioning hoses, radiator, etc.). the dealer/manufacturer said they don't cover the battery because it is not made by them althought i think the company is owned by them. we had to buy a new battery and pay for all the damage to the car and still don't know what the long term affects of this corrosive acid will be. it left a huge orange puddle in our garage floor which we can't get rid of. we took video and pictures of the damage to the car, battery and garage. the cracked front transaxle casing was only diagnosed after they had replaced the seal on the front axle twice since it was always leaking fluid. the rear differential had the seal replaced 2 or 3 times but it still leaks. the fuel pumped failed on our car leaving us stranded. we were told that the truck needs to keep a 1/4 tank of gas at all times in the tank so that this does not happen. the air conditioner has never really worked well on this model, it appears that it is undersized to handle the thermal load. we also had to have the spot welds on the door jams filed because many sharp burrs existed which were a safety hazard.*ak | |||
| 3 | 08/01/1998 | ||
| Battery failure resulting in positive terminal pulling out of battery and acid spilling on air conditioning and brake lines. replaced batery and connections came loose and truck shutdown completely. this has happened on three occasions. the terminals have been cleaned each time and truck will run fine. initial failure resulted in batery acid spilling on inner fender and brake lines. problem was found before acid ate through brake lines and air conditioning lines. during other failures battery terminal has not pulled out of baterry but positive terminals have had corrosive build up causing truck to shut down completly. after pulling connections loose and cleaning then truck functions fine for a few months then it will happen again. this poses a seriuos condition due to lack of warning .*ak | |||
| Ac delco battery is leaking acid. due to a spillage, acid has eaten through right wheel braking sensor. *ak | |||
| 09/01/1999 | 03/01/1996 | ||
| Battery lekaed acid onto the brakes, resulting in brake failure. vehicle has been repaired. dealer was notified. *ak | |||
| 3 | 07/01/1996 | ||
| The most be some problem with electrical parts, its been happenig since new | |||
| 06/01/1996 | |||
| Delco battery case cracked and leaked acid. original battery and replacement both failed in similar fashion. problem was reported earlier and i was contacted by nhtsa investigator. he asked if there had been any corrosion of brake lines or air bag wiring. i did not know. have now checked and found corrosion on a brake line and air bag wiring which runs directly under battery tray. | |||
| 11/25/1997 | 2 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Original battery (delco) cracked and spilled battery acid on hoses and wiring. replacement battery (delco) failed in similar fashion after 65,000 miles. | |||
| 07/27/1999 | 1 | 01/01/1996 | |
| Major failures at 2 years a/c, batt, alternator, fuel pump & differential, | |||
| The battery has been replaced 3 times within the last three years, each time with a new battery. three weeks ago, a new battery was put in the truck again. also, alternator is not big enough for this truck, which kills the battery. the dealer has not been notified about this problem. please provide any further information. *ak | |||
| 10/07/1997 | 3 | 10/01/1997 | |
| We have had numerous problems with this vehicle which are too numerous to list here on your questionnaire. chevrolet customer service has not been of any service or help to us. we have obtained an attorney and we were advised to contact your service and try to obtain information. if you can be of any help, please contact me. thank you. | |||
| 07/08/1996 | 1 | 03/21/1996 | |
| Battery failed. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY - CABLES | |||
| 11/13/2003 | 2 | ||
| Consumer stated that while driving vehicle cut off. consumer took vehicle to a chevrolet dealer/mechanic, and each time was told that vehicle needed new battery cables. the battery cables were replaced twice, but vehicle kept doing the same thing. *ak | |||
| 04/01/1998 | |||
| Battery leaks and subsequent positive connector/cables rottening from acid prevent current flow to the starter and to the computer - so that the engine will not start. it is necessary to loosen the battery cables, and clean soak them in a mixture of soda and water, then rehook! my wife can no longer use the car, because she is unable make repairs of this nature, in the very good likelihood that the failure to crank will occur when she is driving. i have previously reported this, but did not report that i have just discovered that battery acid leaks have caused severe rusting of the right front brake tubing directly under the battery connections. this presents a potentially serious safety matter. fyi, the car now has had 3 delco 78 series battery in it - first two replaced because of leaking!! , and now the new 3rd one is leaking. william j fisher. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Dealer refused to warrant the cable, although the extended warranty clearly indicates that it was covered.*ak | |||
| 02/07/2000 | 08/01/1996 | ||
| Pinion seal on rear diff. leaked at 36k miles, fuel injectors clogged at 40k and inoperable oxygen sensor. battery leaked at side terminal (38k miles), corroded battery cables and shelf. winsheild wipers do not go all the way down to the starting position when turned off. currently having problems with starting the vehicle. starter was checked and is o.k. probably electrical, due to leaking battery or a computer problem. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 11/30/2002 | 10 | 10/01/2097 | |
| Problem: engine shuts off at any speed. will restart. after numerous visits to dealer between april 99 and jan 2000 and fuel pump replaced 3 times and problem continued. problem would occur on interstate at high speed, or in the middle of an intersection during acceleration, or while idling. loss of control a problem on winding roads or while engaging an intersection. dealer finally replaced ecm (computer) in jan/feb 2000 after a letter to dealership problem corrected. mfg. extended warranty to 120,000 mi. engine shut off and would not restart in march 2002 rear transfer pump replaced. in nov. 2002, engine has begun to shut off again (at least 5 times) since 11/20. i anticipate a large bill from dealer to correct a recurring problem. will take to dealer this week (12/2/2002). dt | |||
| 10/27/2000 | 1 | 04/28/1998 | |
| Consumer was traveling about 60 mph on major highway and vehicle just shut off without prior notice while pulling a trailer. there were no injuries. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||
| 02/07/2000 | 08/01/1996 | ||
| Pinion seal on rear diff. leaked at 36k miles, fuel injectors clogged at 40k and inoperable oxygen sensor. battery leaked at side terminal (38k miles), corroded battery cables and shelf. winsheild wipers do not go all the way down to the starting position when turned off. currently having problems with starting the vehicle. starter was checked and is o.k. probably electrical, due to leaking battery or a computer problem. | |||
| 08/10/1999 | |||
| While driving at various speeds on the highway, vehicle would shut off or stall out without warning. when trying to pass trucks or vehicles, vehicle stalled. was nearly run over by 18-wheeler. when it happened, vehicle has been towed to dealership numerous times. mechanic replaced the driver (5), injector pump(4), lifter pump(2), main brain(5) & the receiver sensors(5). the computer system would sometimes allow vehicle to restart. problem is not getting better. vehicle was bought new. owner very upset. dealership working with owner. warren roosevelt dealership in canajoharie ny. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | |||
| 3 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| First time at 30,000 miles, symptoms appeared to be defective starter or started solenoid- found that the battery was leaking at the positive terminal and corroded/ruined cable connecting to battery. dealer in north carolina [parks chevrolet, charlotte replace battery and cables, free]. second time, at 50,000 miles, i checked battery and found leaking again - soaked cable connections in baking soda water solution and re-installed with new bolt. since that time, i have cleaned the cable connection at battery positive post with soda/water solution at approximnately 10,000 mile intervals. from talking to other owners, it appears that the batteries are the problem - leaking at the positive bolt/terminal connection. as a former mechanic and factory service rep, i have been able to avoid a serious threat to safety by frequent inspection and maintenance, but this is really a dangerous situation and may have frightening results unless some action is taken to correct | |||
| 3 | 11/01/1996 | ||
| The starter failed. yh | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY - SOLENOID | |||
| 3 | 05/01/1998 | ||
| First time at 30,000 miles, symptoms appeared to be defective starter or started solenoid- found that the battery was leaking at the positive terminal and corroded/ruined cable connecting to battery. dealer in north carolina [parks chevrolet, charlotte replace battery and cables, free]. second time, at 50,000 miles, i checked battery and found leaking again - soaked cable connections in baking soda water solution and re-installed with new bolt. since that time, i have cleaned the cable connection at battery positive post with soda/water solution at approximnately 10,000 mile intervals. from talking to other owners, it appears that the batteries are the problem - leaking at the positive bolt/terminal connection. as a former mechanic and factory service rep, i have been able to avoid a serious threat to safety by frequent inspection and maintenance, but this is really a dangerous situation and may have frightening results unless some action is taken to correct | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||
| 06/12/2002 | 50000 | 2 | |
| Fan switch located on the dashboard that controlled the air ventilation melted the wiring harness. dealership replaced the switch and the wiring harness twice. dealership indicated that this was a high demand part. *ak | |||
| 03/20/2004 | 125567 | 1 | 12/20/1995 |
| 1996 chevrolet suburban, side mirror remote control in drivers door panel caught on fire. i tore out the panel and cut the wires to remove it before the truck caught completely on fire. *jb | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD | |||
| 01/13/2005 | 174000 | 1 | 12/07/1998 |
| Driving from work-snowy/icy conditions. smelled a strange odor in vehicle going from i-270s to i-370w ~ 1/4 mile from ramp. traffic moderate. traveling 45 mph i tapped brakes, they went all way to floor. turned off electrical equipment. used engine braking selecting 3-2-1 to slow vehicle. vehicle slowed, applied emergency brake - drove to brake down lane. vehicle stopped-white smoke coming around edges of hood. lower portion of windshield had couple of heat discoloration marks about 1/4 size of a penny in the middle lower portion. air bag light came on. dash did not feel hot, nor the instrument panel - no smoke inside vehicle. hood would not open by hood release. power windows worked. egressed vehicle and driver sdie air bag inflated. called 911 awaited fire/polcie dept. opened driver's and passenger doors. flames coming from steering column where it enters fire wall. flames underneath vehicle from engine near skid plate/transfer case. used small fire extinguisher on flames in cabin and under vehicle to no avail. front driver's side from center console to driver's side door melted away at about 45 deg angle from top to bottom of console. inside engine the thydraulic drive unit and barke master cyclinder had melted. significant burn damage from fire in engine. vehicle-total loss. very fortunate to recognize bad smell, id brake malfunction, use engine braking to control vehicle; use emergency braking to stop - moderate traffic. minimized potential hazard to single vehicle-no injuries or fatalities. *jb | |||
| 05/26/2001 | |||
| Vehicle caught on fire on driver's side door due to an electrical short in wiring. vehicle was totaled. manufacturer has been notified. please provide additional information.*ak | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Upon exiting freeway i noticed a burning odor. parked the surburban and lifted the hood and discovered the left front area of engine on fire. i extinguished the flame and the resulting damage exhibited spark plug wires 1 and 3 totally burnt to ash. wire harness to air conditioning and engine temperature sensor insulation was burnt away. oil filler neck is completly melted away as are the sparkplug wire mounting brackets. plastic vaccuum hose for emmission device was also melted in half. upper radiator hose is badly burnt. suspect electrical wire harness problem with vehicle since the battery split open 1 year prior spilling acid all over brake lines and air conditioner plumbing. *ak | |||
| 12/04/1999 | |||
| Drove vehicle & made a stop. returned to vehicle with children & started vehicle. noticed smoke coming from under the hood. retrieved children out of vehicle & left. vehicle exploded. fire dept. arrived to put flames out. gave no indication of cause of fire. *ak | |||
| 06/10/1998 | 2 | 05/15/1998 | |
| Vehicle experienced continued stalling due to failure of the fuel injector pump and wiring harness. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||
| 01/13/2005 | 174000 | 1 | 12/07/1998 |
| Driving from work-snowy/icy conditions. smelled a strange odor in vehicle going from i-270s to i-370w ~ 1/4 mile from ramp. traffic moderate. traveling 45 mph i tapped brakes, they went all way to floor. turned off electrical equipment. used engine braking selecting 3-2-1 to slow vehicle. vehicle slowed, applied emergency brake - drove to brake down lane. vehicle stopped-white smoke coming around edges of hood. lower portion of windshield had couple of heat discoloration marks about 1/4 size of a penny in the middle lower portion. air bag light came on. dash did not feel hot, nor the instrument panel - no smoke inside vehicle. hood would not open by hood release. power windows worked. egressed vehicle and driver sdie air bag inflated. called 911 awaited fire/polcie dept. opened driver's and passenger doors. flames coming from steering column where it enters fire wall. flames underneath vehicle from engine near skid plate/transfer case. used small fire extinguisher on flames in cabin and under vehicle to no avail. front driver's side from center console to driver's side door melted away at about 45 deg angle from top to bottom of console. inside engine the thydraulic drive unit and barke master cyclinder had melted. significant burn damage from fire in engine. vehicle-total loss. very fortunate to recognize bad smell, id brake malfunction, use engine braking to control vehicle; use emergency braking to stop - moderate traffic. minimized potential hazard to single vehicle-no injuries or fatalities. *jb | |||
| 3 | 07/01/1996 | ||
| The most be some problem with electrical parts, its been happenig since new | |||
| 08/10/1999 | |||
| While driving at various speeds on the highway, vehicle would shut off or stall out without warning. when trying to pass trucks or vehicles, vehicle stalled. was nearly run over by 18-wheeler. when it happened, vehicle has been towed to dealership numerous times. mechanic replaced the driver (5), injector pump(4), lifter pump(2), main brain(5) & the receiver sensors(5). the computer system would sometimes allow vehicle to restart. problem is not getting better. vehicle was bought new. owner very upset. dealership working with owner. warren roosevelt dealership in canajoharie ny. *ak | |||
| 09/16/1996 | |||
| Computer defective replace several times. | |||
| 12/01/1995 | 1 | 12/01/1995 | |
| Diagnostic computer failed. | |||