1999 Chevrolet Suburban Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) Problems
- Complaints
- 44about this part
- Share
- 7%of 634 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 80,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 44 complaints about the visibility of the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, 7% of the 634 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 80,000 miles.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The problem is something to do with the windshield wiper motor or something. At first they would stop just anywhere, and I would have to get out and move them back and forth to start them again, then when I would turn them off, they wouldn't turn off. This happened again and again, them going out at assorted times. Finally, now they make a grinding sound but will not come on at all.”
NHTSA complaint #10098726, filed 2004-11, 125,012 miles“Turned windshield wipers on during heavy rain as I was driving down interstate . Windshield wipers stopped working in middle of windshield.my driving was impaired,so I pulled over to side of road. I then moved the wipers with my hand.they started to work,but stopped again. This also happens to my other vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #10086806, filed 2004-08, 137,689 miles“Repeated windshield wiper motor failure on 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. I could rap on wiper motor box and get it to resume several times, but it would fail again in 20 to 30 minutes. Eventually it failed completely late on a rainy night. I drove 30 miles with no wipers in the rain rather than be stranded with wife and two small children in rural virginia where we have recently had news of attacks and rapes of motorists who had stopped to check their maps.”
NHTSA complaint #10018986, filed 2003-05, 87,000 miles“I purchased the used vehicle from glendale car connection at on 8/28/03. I noticed on the day of purchase it seemed hard to steer the vehicle so I mentioned it to the sales person as well as the office manager. It was scheduled to be repaired. I drove the vechicle home that night I begin to notice a hard turn made the vehicle make a noise I too the vehicle back to glendale car connection were the mechanic told me the power steering pump was going out and he change it I also asked about the brakes squealing and he said the vehicle needed brake fluid which he put in. …”
NHTSA complaint #10070936, filed 2004-01, 115,000 miles“Windshield wipers quit working while driving in a rain storm. Windshield wipers stuck in the up right position. This reduced driver's visibility, almost resulting in an accident. Consumer pulled of the road and waited until the rain stopped. The relay switch or mechanism is mounted on the firewall broke due to the heat, which caused the failure.”
NHTSA complaint #10091942, filed 2004-09, 85,000 milesVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 2% |
| 2023 | 5 | 4% |
| 2022 | 1 | 1% |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% |
| 2020 | 1 | 2% |
| 2019 | 2 | 3% |
| 2017 | 1 | 1% |
| 2016 | 4 | 2% |
| 2015 | 6 | 1% |
| 2014 | 2 | 3% |
| 2013 | 3 | 3% |
| 2012 | 2 | 2% |
| 2011 | 3 | 2% |
| 2010 | 1 | 1% |
| 2008 | 5 | 2% |
| 2007 | 3 | 1% |
| 2005 | 5 | 4% |
| 2004 | 9 | 4% |
| 2003 | 13 | 4% |
| 2002 | 9 | 3% |
| 2001 | 14 | 3% |
| 2000 | 21 | 7% |
| 1999 | 44 | 7% |
| 1998 | 48 | 24% |
| 1997 | 37 | 9% |
| 1996 | 42 | 12% |
| 1995 | 50 | 11% |
| 1994 | 168 | 20% |
| 1993 | 43 | 9% |
| 1992 | 17 | 9% |
| 1990 | 1 | 2% |
| 1989 | 1 | 2% |
| 1988 | 1 | 3% |
Other parts of the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
246 complaintsTires
92 complaintsElectrical system
58 complaintsSteering
52 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
47 complaintsFuel system
37 complaintsEngine cooling
33 complaintsSuspension
33 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
23 complaintsBody and structure
20 complaintsVehicle speed control
19 complaintsExterior lighting
15 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology