2013 Chevrolet Suburban Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe cracks developing in the dashboard, especially around the passenger airbag and above the instrument cluster, and they frequently say it happened while the vehicle was parked. A second large group of complaints covers intermittent electrical trouble — door locks cycling, dash and gauge shutdowns, stalling or no-start conditions — with several owners pointing to the battery cables or the chassis electronic module. Engine misfires and lifters on higher-mileage trucks, plus automatic transmission failures in the 90,000-mile range, round out the picture.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Cracked dashboard near passenger airbag and instrument

   • 52 complaints (44%)
   • median 58,578 mi at 4.7 yrs old (37 state mileage)
   • filed 2015–2026

   Owners describe cracks appearing in the top of the dashboard, most often at the corner of the passenger airbag opening and above the steering column, sometimes with pieces rattling or separating. Many say the vehicle was parked at the time and that no impact or damage preceded it, and some report the cracks lengthening over a short period. Complaints also describe the concern that broken plastic could break apart if the airbag deploys, and several owners say the dealer would not cover a replacement or offered only partial help. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 120,000 miles, often on vehicles a few years old and frequently noticed after the vehicle sat in the sun or in temperature swings.

   Recall 21V053000

   What to check: Inspect the dash top carefully at the passenger airbag seam and above the instrument cluster for hairline cracks, and ask the seller whether the dashboard has been replaced. Note that the airbag inflator recalls listed for this model year concern the inflator itself, not the dashboard.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The dashboard in front of the driver's seat has developed a crack approximately 2-3 inches in length. The vehicle has never been involved in any type of accident or collision. The crack started about two weeks ago and has slowly increased in length. My concern is if I am in an accident this area might splinter and cause injuries.”

   NHTSA complaint #11115296, filed 2018-08, 72,000 miles

   “This is the third Suburban I have owned in the last 7 years. I have owned a 2008, 2011 and now a 2013. They have all had the same problem. The dash board cracks at the left top corner of the passenger airbag. I am afraid that if the air bag goes off the dash may separate into pieces becoming flying objects. In my current 2013 vehicle the dash has also started to crack on the dash panel on the drivers side.”

   NHTSA complaint #10875901, filed 2016-06, 36,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Intermittent electrical shutdown, stalling and no-start

   • 14 complaints (12%)
   • median 73,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2013–2023

   Complaints describe gauges and interior electronics cutting out while driving, door locks cycling on their own, warning lights flashing, and the engine stalling or refusing to restart until it sits for a while. Some owners were told by a dealer or mechanic that a battery cable or the chassis electronic module was at fault, and in a few cases the replacement did not resolve the problem or the failure returned shortly afterward. Mostly reported between roughly 40,000 and 160,000 miles, with several owners describing repeat episodes over months.

   Recall 14V6140001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check whether recall 14V614000 (chassis electronic module) was performed for this vehicle, ask about any battery cable or module repairs, and watch for flickering gauges or doors locking by themselves during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Engine died on highway lost all power and no steering. Was told by dealer it was a bad neg battery cable. It is shocking that a bad battery cable can cause a deadly situation. Certainly someone will die from this defect if they havent already. Dealer claimed to repair the vehicle and it happened only a few miles after I picked up the vehicle. Error code was p0601. They have the car for repair again, but I refuse to every drive the death trap. I have had 20 suburbans and I hope this is an isolated defect not one that affects all suburbans. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11023837, filed 2017-09, 44,000 miles

   “2013 Chevrolet Suburban have an electrical and transmission clunking problem for the past 2 years, and gmc don't want to do anything about it. Krystal dealership in brooklyn, ny and manfredi dealership in staten island, ny, have no customer service what's so ever”

   NHTSA complaint #11002584, filed 2017-06, 55,700 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Lifter failure and engine misfire

   • 8 complaints (7%)
   • median 119,300 mi at 7.4 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2020

   Owners describe a ticking or tapping noise from the engine bay followed by shaking, a check engine light, and stability-control and ABS lights coming on together. Complaints say shops found a misfire on one cylinder and replaced spark plugs, coils or ignition wires, sometimes without lasting success, and some were told a lifter had failed and that this is a pattern the shop has seen before. Reported mostly above 120,000 miles, often during routine driving or shortly after startup.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for a ticking or tapping noise at cold start and at idle, and check whether ignition or lifter work has already been done. A pre-purchase scan for stored misfire codes is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had driven my vehicle to work. Mid-morning I started my vehicle while in the parking lot of my work to run an errand. I backed out of the parking space and drove maybe 100 feet when my check engine light came on. My vehicle also began considerably shaking. I went straight to my mechanic. He found that one of the lifters had failed. This was not the first time he had seen this problem. My mechanic has a friend who works for a GM dealership as a mechanic. The friend had previously advised my mechanic this is a known problem with this engine. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11325154, filed 2020-05, 119,300 miles

   “Tapping or clicking noise coming from engine compartment. Car lost power, bucking with hard shifts, and stabilitrack, ABS and check engine lights all come on. I took to authorized repair shop and they found misfire on cyl 4. Changed all spark plugs/wires and cleaned thottle body and tune up as well as oil change. Car continued hard downshifting after picking up. Drove for a week and symptoms reappeared again. Shop is currently trying to diagnose if it's a bad lifter(s) or possibly fuel injection problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11362690, filed 2020-10, 123,788 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brakes dragging or pedal going to the floor

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe a brake pedal that sinks toward the floor and needs extra travel to stop, and others report calipers sticking so the brakes stay partly applied while driving. Complaints mention repeated caliper, hose, pad and rotor replacements, and one owner reported the brakes applying on their own during a turn along with an airbag light and a failed horn. Reported from around 20,000 to 90,000 miles, with some owners describing several repairs over a year or more.

   What to check: Test the pedal for firmness and travel, look for uneven pad wear or heat discoloration at the rotors, and ask for service records showing whether calipers or hoses have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle was in cruise control at 75 MPH. While trying to switch lanes and disable the cruise control with the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated . We were unable to slow the vehicle as it reached a speed of 115 MPH. Driver put both feet on the brake pedal as we tried to slow the vehicle for just approximately 10 minutes while weaving in highway traffic. The vehicle suddenly stopped and slowed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10652554, filed 2014-11, 31,000 miles

   “Have replaced calipers 3 times since august 2018. Started with squealing of brakes and then taking to mechanic to find that caliper was frozen and eating up the brake pads. The ABS pump is not releasing appropriately and causing the brakes to remain in a braking mode while driving. It is not both sides at the same time. It has alternated sides so the master cylinder was ruled out as an issue. Inner and outer tie rods ends were replaced first, and then the first set of calipers. Then brake hoses, pads and rotors were also replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11154675, filed 2018-11, 88,000 miles

Buying note. Check the dashboard closely for cracks around the airbag and instrument cluster, since that is the most frequently reported item and replacement is not covered by the airbag recalls. Ask for records on electrical module and battery cable work, transmission service and brake repairs, and scan for stored engine and transmission codes before buying.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.