About nine decades ago, Chevrolet introduced the Suburban to the market as a spacious SUV. Today, the Suburban stands for a family-oriented luxury SUV with tons of tech and safety features. The seven-seat layout makes it perfect for long road trips across the states, while its handling is smooth and comfortable enough for a daily driver.

With many exciting features, including an optional fuel-efficient turbodiesel engine and top-of-the-line technology, the 2022 Chevy Suburban is the perfect family SUV. However, with a starting price of $54,095, many buyers might prefer compromising the latest upgrades for a better price tag.

Although the eleventh-gen Suburban (2015-2020) offers a lot of excellent qualities, some model years had some alarming problems. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the worst 2015-2020 Suburban problems, their reliability and longevity, and everything else you need to know before purchasing one on the used market.

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2015 And 2016 Are Among The Most Problematic Model Years Of The Chevy Suburban

2015 Chevrolet Suburban in Black Front View
Via Chevrolet

According to the Car Complaints website, over 110 owners filed complaints regarding their 2015 Chevy Suburban. One of the worst problems of this model year is the A/C not working correctly. According to the reports, the A/C unit failed after approximately 65,500 miles on average. Several owners couldn’t find a permanent solution to this issue, while some mentioned replacing the condenser for over a thousand dollars made the A/C work again.

Another frequently-reported defect with the 2015 Suburban pertains to the paint. Many owners reported the paint on the hood and roof cracks and peels off. On average, owners noticed problems with the coats of paint around the 60,000-mile mark.

“Clear coat began to fade approximately two years ago. I thought it just needed a good wax. I waxed it, and it was still not shiny. I took it to my auto body guy to look at. Said the clear coat was gone, and the paint was cracking. It needed to be repainted. Quoted me $1500 for the hood and small area in front of the sunroof,” quoted one owner of the 2015 Suburban in their report posted in Jun 2021.

Over 130 owners reporting to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website have complained about the 2015 Suburban’s brakes. According to the owners' complaints, the brake pedal intermittently becomes stiff and fails to stop the vehicle properly. This issue has put many owners in dangerous situations. The problem comes from a flawed brake vacuum system; owners mentioned spending as much as $1,300 to replace the entire brake vacuum system.

2015 Chevrolet Suburban in Black Rear View
Via Chevrolet

Reports suggest the 2016 Chevy Suburban suffers from the same A/C problems as the previous model year. Moreover, many owners have complained about severe transmission problems. According to owner reports, many have dealt with failed transmission systems around the 100,000-mile mark. Owners had no choice but to swap the entire transmission with a new one for around $4,700.

Last but not least, several owners mentioned dealing with random electrical issues in low mileages. One owner said, “The Trailer Brake System alarm is beeping, and it is very, very, very annoying. The continuous alert is distracting to the point of the vehicle being un-drivable, and without the trailer brake system functioning properly, it puts people in danger due to not being able to stop while towing safely. The dealership said they were unable to reproduce the code.”

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With Regular Maintenance, You Can Expect Up To 200,000 Miles Of Reliable Service From A Chevrolet Suburban

2015 Chevrolet Suburban Front View
Chevrolet

According to various reputable automobile sources, Chevrolet Suburbans can typically hit 200,000 miles with the original engine and transmission. The average American drives for around 14,000 miles a year. That translates to over 14 years of hassle-free driving for the Chevy Suburban. However, if you’re the third or the fourth owner of a Suburban, it’s safer to expect major powertrain overhauls around the 150,000-mile mark.

Following the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance routine is vital if you want to reach high mileage with a Chevy Suburban. Some of the essential services include:

  • Every 7,500 miles: change the oil and oil filter, inspect the brakes, align the wheels, and rotate the tires.
  • At 45,000 miles: replace the engine’s air cleaner filter and the transmission fluid.
  • At 100,000 miles: change the spark plugs.
  • At 150,000 miles: drain and refill the engine coolant.

Based on the Repair Pal website’s estimations, the cost of maintenance for a Chevrolet Suburban sits at around $821 a year, which is a little over the average for all full-size SUVs.

To conclude, the Chevy Suburban can be your next favorite colossal SUV. Make sure to avoid the first two years of its eleventh generation due to widespread and costly problems. A Used 2017 Suburban can be a great option for buyers on a budget.