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Chevy Suburban Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • arriearrie Member Posts: 312
    The chirping sound is not manifold leak. I assume your car was not running at the time.

    The sound is probably coming from the AC system. In many cars you can hear the pressure in the system to relief thru the expansion valve after engine is shut off. This can take from a few seconds to 15-20 s. If the sound comes from this it should not be a problem.

    Sometimes also the coolant in the heater system makes some sound after engine is turned off, which also is not a problem.

    Arrie
  • curious_gearscurious_gears Member Posts: 60
    LOL, i was thinking more of a loose part rubbing up against something becasue i sat there for about 5 min and closed the door and had my mom walk around the car and see where it was loudest, the car was off.

    however, our AC unit is making alot of racket lately so that could be a possibility and closing the door is jsut making it make noise along with running it.
  • jmjcpjmjcp Member Posts: 4
    My 2000 Suburban will start fine most of the time but at least once or twice a day it will just turn over. If I wait about 15 to 20 minutes it will start right up. Has anyone else had this problem? :(
  • curious_gearscurious_gears Member Posts: 60
    when this happens, what does the do?
  • greggbostongreggboston Member Posts: 39
    Hey JR,

    Keep pushing until you get satisfaction.

    It sounds like they adjusted the door in an attempt to make the noise go away - I doubt it's bent.

    The door seal/gasket design looks a little strange to me. There's an inner seal/lip which looks like it should touch the doors but doesn't. It seems to be there to prevent water from falling into the vehicle when the doors are opened. It also is one large piece for the front and back doors.

    The rubbing sound in my vehicle I'm guessing is coming from the seal between the front and back door. There's a little strip of gasketing running vertically at the glass level. I'm going to silicone it this weekend and see if that quiets it. I also am going to see if that gasket can be adjusted at all.

    The doors in all vehicles move a little however it's not clear to me whether the cause of the excessive noise is due to the door movement, gasket material, door adjustment or a poor design. I'm hoping it quiets in time or GM comes up with a solution.

    Keep us informed of your progress and good luck.

    -- Gregg
    Boston, Mass
  • mwdhandmwdhand Member Posts: 3
    I have changed the Air shock system on my 2000 Suburban to regular Shocks and would like to get the "Service ride control" message to go away on the message center.
    Any ideas?
  • arriearrie Member Posts: 312
    The air shock system probably had a vehicle level control system incorporated to it, i.e. it would jack up the vehicle under load to set normal height.

    When you replaced the air shock system with regular shocks what did you do with the vehicle height indicating sensors?

    --Arrie--
  • rockman59rockman59 Member Posts: 250
    greggboston said: The doors in all vehicles move a little
    ____________________________________________________________
    It is an old body shop trick to actually bend the doors on the hinges to remove wind whistle and things of that nature. I couldn't believe it the first time I saw a body man do it. Of course the trick is to adjust the door just enough to remove wind nose, etc....not to bend the door so much that it is noticeable.
  • mwdhandmwdhand Member Posts: 3
    There were Wires to each shock that we left tied up under the vehicle.....we did nothing else to thhe sensors.
  • mparker34mparker34 Member Posts: 5
    Just out of curiosity, is there any chance that the problem with the starter solenoid could do anything to drain the battery? In addition to having trouble starting, if it's parked too long I'll get back to it, and the battery will be completely dead. I got a new battery back in April and other than what was previously described with the starter I hadn't had any problems, I left on a trip for 2 weeks, leaving the suburban parked. Upon getting back it was completely dead, no lights, power locks, windows etc. After getting it jumped I checked everything to make sure doors were shut, and lights were off. It was fine to drive the next couple days, but then I didn't drive it for only 2 days, and it was completely dead again.
  • arriearrie Member Posts: 312
    If your car was originally equipped with the leveling system then you will get an error message if the sensors are missing or if the sensors read other than the set position and the system can not get the sensors to read correctly, i.e. when the system tries to raise or lower the cat but sensors do not move to the set point.

    Wires going to the shocks probably go to the built-in position (height) sensor in each shock. Without wires connected to the sensors I'm quite sure you get the warning message.

    Arrie
  • mwdhandmwdhand Member Posts: 3
    I hear ya......Is there anything that can be done to the Computer to disable the message?
  • arriearrie Member Posts: 312
    I don't know but you could ask a dealer shop if it can be done, i.e. could they re-flash the computer with a program that does not have the ride control.

    Do you still have the old shock absorbers? Can you remove the sensors from them?

    If you still have the old shocks and the sensor can be removed you could take the sensors and connect them to the wiring and position (and lock) the sensors to give the correct ride height signal.

    I do not know the details how the shocks are built as I never had this type of shocks but I did have a Lincoln Mark VII with air suspension that used height sensors that were not built in the shocks. They were separate LVDT sensors. I believe the built-in sensor in the shock is also some sort of an LVDT sensor.

    Also, it could be possible to build a 'dummy sensor', i.e. a plug that gives the correct signal when connected to the wiring for a sensor. The 'dummy sensor' would be just a resistor with resistance that the real sensor has when at correct ride height.

    Arrie
  • jmjcpjmjcp Member Posts: 4
    It turns over but wont stay running. The dealer tells me it is the anti-theft sensor but I get conflicting responses. I disconnected my after market alarm it has a remote start on it to see if it has any affect on it.
  • curious_gearscurious_gears Member Posts: 60
    well, i fixed the problem! it was the hood. the reason why the squeak appeared after we had the head gaskets replaced is the hood was removed and when it was re-fastened it sat funny, making it squeak. all i did was open the hood and close it again and it hasnt done it since!
  • woohoo8869woohoo8869 Member Posts: 1
    look for a 1999 chevy suburban K1500 LT 4X4 and it has the tailgate not the barnyard doors. that is what i own.
  • probe2kprobe2k Member Posts: 1
    When sitting still on hard, dry pavement, or backing slowly out of a parking space the steering wheel will not turn or is very balky, at best. Sometimes it will only turn about 1/4 turn each way before it hits what sound like the normal end stops. There is no problem when rolling or on wet pavement. Is it the pump, the steering box, or do I even have a speed sensitive steering? Thanks for any help.
  • catamcatam Member Posts: 331
    I posted about a couple af probs I am having a while ago, and haven't got any responses so here goes:
    I have a 03 1500 4x4 LT Burb.

    First, and most important with the snow flying, I have received an intermittent SERVICE 4WD message on my DIC. I first noticed this prob when the lights showing the current transfer case selection did not correspond with the actual setting. Since that time if I try to change the transfer case to anything other than 2 HI, the light will flash several times, and then I get the SERVICE 4WD message. The message goes away once I turn truck off and on.
    Any help or insight would be greaty appreciated.

    Second, I I have a chek engine light that gives me a code for EVAP system leak MAJOR. I have put on a new gas cap to no avail, I am hoping there is a vent hose or something similar disconnected that could be causing my gas tank not to hold air pressure, again any help would be greatly appreciated.
  • romanhoodromanhood Member Posts: 1
    Love my 2003 Chevy Suburban Z71 but electrical/computer (?) problems started this past summer. While driving my entire instrument panel went out. Dealer repaired - expensive! And since then, problem after problem. Nothing was wrong before. Horn is out for 2nd time in 3 months, auto locks stop working then start again, control to release back hatch window stopped working, Onstar goes on but no phone calls go through (don't know if this is related or a separate issue). What is happening? I feel like once the dealer repaired the initial problem something has gone wrong. Help! :confuse:
  • ahightowerahightower Member Posts: 539
    How much $$$ to fix that instrument panel problem? I have had very occasional issues with my 2005 Yukon XL. Once in a great while, when you start the car, none of the gauges or lights on the dash will come on. Sometimes it comes on by itself after putting it in gear (don't worry, I wouldn't drive like that, just wanted to see if it would help), other times if I turn the ignition off and restart everything is fine. It is very rare, but I want it to go away permanently or else happen a lot very soon so I can get it fixed under warranty.
  • curious_gearscurious_gears Member Posts: 60
    and here we go again!
    lately our '88 suburban has been having some harsh cold starts, or so my mom says, but it sometimes happens like even 10-30 min after shutting it off. but now, sometimes when we go to start it, i hear this muffled POP, right before the engine starts, then the normal symptoms of a cold start. however, these engine problems have NEVER occurred before the head gasket blew and was replaced.
    does anyone know what that noise is and why its doing it? :confuse: :confuse: :confuse:
  • johnnyb4johnnyb4 Member Posts: 3
    Just wanted to let you know that eventually the truck failed to start. The problem turned out to be the distributor. It was worn and causing the timing to go out of adjustment. 400$ for the new one and all previous symptoms have disappeared. thanks for your advice anyway.
  • tigermantigerman Member Posts: 13
    Any luck on your problems?

    I have similar problems with 4WD but no lights. I had Drive Shop do my u-joints (heck of a lot cheaper than my dealership) and they pointed out my 4WD shaft was not disengaging from transfer case. They said it was one of 3 things, 1) 4WD switch on dash 2) sender unit on transfer case (I think it was) or 3) mechanical problem wih that shaft not returning to original position. They said it was not 1 or 2 but said dealership should be able to figure out if it was 3. Not sure I have it exactly right but I am afraid of having the dealer tell me it cannot be replace without replacing the whole drive unit and costing me many thousands of dollars.
    Any ideas? Let me know what you find out on yours.
  • wartownewartowne Member Posts: 3
    I picked up my brand new, 109 miles, beautiful Suburban yesterday (Sat Dec 2). Everything worked great. The salesperson demoed the trinkets and goodies. We drove it home, about 10 miles, and that's when things headed south.
    The DIC system flashed, Service Tire Pressure Monitor System, and the tire pressure indicator light illuminated. No tire pressures were given. Once we got home, I found that now neither of the remotes worked at all. I went thru the owners manual and found where the system could "re-learn" the remotes, but that system is locked out and would not do anything. Same for the Tire Pressure System. The "re-learn" feature did nothing.
    I have already arranged for the dealership to pick the vehicle up Monday for service and they will leave us a loaner. I really hope that this is something simple, but it does not bode well for long term ownership.
    This is my first GM purchase. My parents and friends have owned GM vehicles, namely, an 04 Silverado, and 1999 Suburban. The ridiculous stuff that broke on those vehicles is just that...Ridiculous! My friends Silverado had the speedometer go out right after the warranty expired, like it was on a timer!! My dad's Suburban has stuff like the door handles on two doors have disconnected and you can't open the doors from the inside! My dad takes very good care of his vehicles, so this is not from abuse.

    I am really trying to have faith in GM, but what's the deal??? :cry: :lemon:
  • rockman59rockman59 Member Posts: 250
    wartowne said: I am really trying to have faith in GM, but what's the deal???
    ___________________________________________________________
    All makes and models have problems. I have owned a lot of GM cars and trucks, Fords, Hondas, and three Mercedes. I have had pretty good service from them all...but all needed fixing from time to time. Be glad that whatever is wrong will be under warranty. All manufacturers are under pressure to keep adding "goodies" to their products. Who needs a tire pressure monitor...that's what guages are for. Who needs trunks that need a motor to close them? Do you really need Nav and DVD in a car? Not in my mind. The more goodies on the car the more problems. And every make and model from every manufacturer has problems. That's a fact.
  • 1996summit1996summit Member Posts: 1
    Funny you should mention the Service 4WD message! We are looking to replace our 1999 Suburban (gave us many headaches) with a newer model. We looked at and test drove a 2004 Sub today and when we tested the 4WD the same exact thing happend to us. We had a mechanic with us to look over the car, he said he would recommend taking it in, putting it up on blocks and having it looked at closer so we don't buy something and have to spend $$$$$ fixing this problem. We quickly returned the vehicle and left the dealership scratching our heads wondering what the problem could be. I am glad we came accross this forum and saw your post. I am certain the dealer will be calling tomarrow wondering why we ran out! I am looking forward to it!!!
  • northcliffnorthcliff Member Posts: 1
    I have an 03 Suburban and recently started to experience a number of odd issues including 1) windshield wipers - would not shut off or change speeds - after turning car off and leaving it off for 15 - 20 minutes, it seem to work again, but then started again after driving for approx 10 - 15 minutes 2) when starting the car when the outside temperature is low, the entire instrument is not working but the heat works, heated seats work (but no display). I am concerned there is a major electrical problem - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
  • thiseythisey Member Posts: 11
    I had a problem the other night with my instrument cluster after parking my 03 Subruban outside. The suburban is normally parked inside, so I thought temperature had something to do with it, however parking it inside did not corrrect the problem. I pulled the two 10 amp fuses that correspond to the cluster and cleaned the connectors (the fuses were fine). I reinstalled the fuses and the cluster worked fine. Maybe this is your problem.
  • wartownewartowne Member Posts: 3
    Well,
    The dealership has been very helpful. They came and picked up the vehicle, checked everything out and brought it back. The solution, they said, was that the computer needed to be reset.
    Well yesterday, I was driving around town and the "Service stabilitrac" warning came on. I called the dealership back, they sent the same gentleman out to pick up the Suburban again. He put the key in to fire her up and drive away and the entire vehicle was dead!! Absolutely no power at all. We broke out the jumper cables, got it started and off he went.
    Got the Suburban back today with a BAD BATTERY diagnosis. They said that problem could explain the intermittant warning lights and computer glitches as well as the key fobs not working. They installed a new AC Delco battery and so far so good... Keeping our fingers crossed! :D
  • thebeanthebean Member Posts: 1,217
    My nephew bought a new '07 Suburban in July. Two weeks ago, he called me and told me his wife and two kids were driving down a busy street here in North Texas at about 20 mph, and the entire rear axle assembly FELL OFF THE TRUCK! That's right, the whole axle fell off! IT FELL OFF! It was very lucky she was going so slow or it probably would have killed them. She said it just kind of skidded to a halt with sparks trailing behind. Has anyone heard of any other accidents of this sort? I asked him if he was getting a brand new car, and he said no, the dealership was fixing it. Doesn't it seem that he should be able to get a new one?

    I was pretty much speechless when he told me. I'm afraid my first call after the tow truck would have been to a lawyer, especially when they told me "no" on a new one.

    Comments?
    2015 Honda Accord EX, 2019 Honda HR-V EX
  • jerrywimerjerrywimer Member Posts: 588
    The rear axle or the driveshaft? I find it easier to imagine the driveshaft dropping than the axle, since the axle connects to the wheels and all of that is linked in various places to the frame of the vehicle.

    I witnessed an older Toyota Tacoma dropping the front end of the driveshaft on the highway several months ago. I remember seeing all the sparks as the driver drifted her way to the right onto the shoulder and came to a stop (good driving, imo!). I also remember thinking how lucky she was that at ~60mph when it dropped, the front didn't find anything on the pavement to dig into. If it had I can fully imagine it "vaulting" the rear of the truck into the air, most likely flipping it and causing a serious chain reaction (this happened during an evening rush hour).

    Anyway, whichever it was that dropped, I would also most likely have headed to my lawyer right away. It doesn't sound like there was much collatoral damage if the dealership's going to fix it. (This is consistent with the driveshaft dropping too, so long as it doesn't rebound back up against the underside or catch something on the road as the vehicle comes to a stop).
  • thebeanthebean Member Posts: 1,217
    It was the entire rear axle subassembly with both rear wheels. So, the back end of the truck was dragging along the ground, as they told me.

    Scary.
    2015 Honda Accord EX, 2019 Honda HR-V EX
  • jerrywimerjerrywimer Member Posts: 588
    Roger that!
  • jrphillipsjrphillips Member Posts: 5
    I have an oil leak where the oil filter housing connects to the engine block. How do I remove the filter housing and what type of gasket or seal does it take? This is a 5.7l engine.
  • greggbostongreggboston Member Posts: 39
    I also have an 07 burb and this scares me. Want my family to be safe. Wonder if this should be reported to the National Highway transportation safety association? See
    ">NHTSA ODI
  • curious_gearscurious_gears Member Posts: 60
    ok, we have a really annoying sqeak coming from the dashboard somewhere in our 88 suburban. does anyone know how to shut it up???
  • jmjcpjmjcp Member Posts: 4
    Well I think I fixed the problem about 1 month ago I diconnected my aftermarket alarm it was one of those $300+ remote start alarm systems. Since I did this I have not had a single insident I contacted the company (Mothers Tint&Alarm) and they have assured me they will fix the problem my only problem is this will be the third alarm they have put in my truck that has had issues. Does anyone know of a good alarm system??? My next problem is the service 4 Wheel drive light keeps coming on. Has anyone had issues with this and if so how did you fix it and how MUCH was it. I am about to go on a trip and I don't want to get stuck on the side of the road with my transfer case on the ground. Thanks :shades: :(
  • jerrywimerjerrywimer Member Posts: 588
    This is the first (and only so far- knock on wood) occurance of something like this happening with the 07's that I've heard of, so I wouldn't worry. I have an 07 Avalanche, which shares everything below the floor (and much of it above) with the 07 'burb, so I'd have as much reason to worry as anyone else if it were a common problem..
  • jmjcpjmjcp Member Posts: 4
    On my 2000 Suburban the Service 4 Wheel Drive light keeps coming on. I had it looked at and they said they saw nothing wrong. These were the same idiots that I had put it in th e shop to have over spray sanded off and blew my rear end and then 2 months later second gear lock up in my automatic transmission and they had to rebuild it. I am about to take a long trip and I don't want to get stuck on the side of the road with my transfer case on the ground. Anyone who may have had this same problem any help would be great.
    Thanks,
    Jason :(
  • 70ss454_man70ss454_man Member Posts: 107
    hello
    we have a 1988 suburban that is suddenly having problems running in the mornings (first start of the day)
    it will fire fine, but then it starts bogging down and cutting out, almost to the point where it dies. whats weird is, is that if i rev it up, it does so fine and normal, till it drops down to idle. at this point, it runs crappy again for a few more seconds then all of a sudden it stops and runs smoothly. this is very concerning for us, as my wife frequently works late nights in oregon and we cannot have it break down on her, so any help would be greatly appreciated!
    thank you
    ~tom
  • tigermantigerman Member Posts: 13
    Tom, I have same problem (see my post #86 - tigerman). I am scheduled with dealership to have them scan my problem tomorrow. Yesterday, while driving up a fairly steep grade in 4WD with a heavy load, it nearly shut down and would only let me drive around 10mph. I will let you know what I find out.
    George
  • 70ss454_man70ss454_man Member Posts: 107
    thank you, ill appreciate that. however i am wondering how well the diagnostics can be compared as i have an '88 model and yours in a '97, so mostly everything is different. but its worth a shot.
    ~tom
  • tigermantigerman Member Posts: 13
    Tom, going in tomorrow - will let you know what I find out. I did have a similar problem to yours in a 1988 Toyota Landcruiser years ago. They changed to ethanol additive here where we live - within a couple weeks, my fuel injectors were completed gummed up and needed to be replaced. They were, and then it had problems idling and cutting out at low rpms. Had to replace the low-idle sensor and then it ran fine. What the two different problems had to do with each other - I have no clue and the mechanic I recall could not give me a satisfactory answer. George
  • 70ss454_man70ss454_man Member Posts: 107
    yes, please do. in your landcruiser, how long did the rough idling continue in the mornings and was it an expensive fix? im also wondering, does your suburban lets out a muffled "pop" right before the engine fires? if it does then we are having the same problem due to the same cause, if not i will still follow up on your mechanics findings and attempt the repair on my vehicle.
    ~tom
  • klsternklstern Member Posts: 1
    I bought my Suburban used this past summer. No problems with it. I took it in to get a transmission flush, new filter, etc. early in November. During the past 5 weeks, it sat for 2 weeks. Then last week I drove it for about 1.5 hours. After shopping in a store, I came out to a puddle of fluid. Needless to say it was transmission fluid leaking. I got lucky that I immediately took it somewhere - the mechanic said that the transmission bolts were overtorqued and one broke. I didn't have the Suburban worked on since last month. Could the mechanic from the transmission flush over tourqued the bolt and therefore caused it to break. The original repair shop is saying that because it had been a month and not immediately it's not their fault. I think it is. Do I have a case? Thanks for replying
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Obviously their problem
  • tigermantigerman Member Posts: 13
    Yes, that could happen. The broken bolt doesn't tighten down properly on that gasket when compared to all the other bolts -ergo, a weak spot. If they overtorqued one bolt they probably did them all.
    Recourse, yeah probably. What is their policy for making good on their work and for how long? Is it written?
    1)Tell the original shop you want them to make good on the work they did - nothing more. If they are reputable, they will do it.
    2)Tell them you will call the Better Business Bureau in your state to both report them and to and find out what they suggest as you should do.
    3)Ask them if they would rather fix it or would they rather return the original amount to you when it gets repaired somewhere else.
    4)Finally, tell them you will call an attorney and have your attorney deal with them. Businesses hate paying lawyers and when they know you are going to wade in with yours and they would be required to counter with theirs, they oftentimes capitulate.
    George
  • 70ss454_man70ss454_man Member Posts: 107
    tigerman, I was wondering if you took your vehicle into the dealership and perhaps found the cause?
    ~tom
  • 70ss454_man70ss454_man Member Posts: 107
    hi there, me again
    yesterday when driving around, my oil gauge randomly dropped to zero and has been holding there since. the engine is running as smooth as ever and is not acting up, even on the 4 hour trip today. is this a problem or can it be the oil sensor itself? i would think that if it was a problem then the guage would jump back and forth, but it stays planted at zero.
    thanks for any advice
    ~tom
  • arriearrie Member Posts: 312
    You don't mention if you checked your oil level after this happened? If you didn't go and do that ASAP!

    If you drove the car for hours and did not have the engine lock-up you probably have a bad oil pressure sensor or the gauge.

    I would not operate my car without the oil pressure sensor working as it is so important to have adequate oil pressure during operation. The life of the whole engine depends on that.

    Arrie
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