VehicleVerdict

2014 Chevrolet Suburban problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

One of the years to avoid

The 2014 Chevrolet Suburban carries two red flags at once: 77 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and an open NHTSA defect investigation (subject: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture). It is one of the Suburban years to avoid.

No single system dominates the record — complaints spread across other (17), airbags (15), and electrical system (9), which usually points to general build quality rather than one defect.

77

NHTSA complaints

3

Recalls

1

Investigations · 1 open

0

Crash-involved

3

Fires reported

2

Injuries

0

Deaths

—

NCAP overall

How does 2014 compare to other Suburban years?

Suburban NHTSA complaints by model year, 2014 highlighted1,038 complaints1977: 3 complaints1978: 3 complaints1979: 1 complaints1981: 1 complaints1982: 1 complaints1983: 4 complaints1984: 6 complaints1985: 12 complaints1986: 7 complaints1987: 21 complaints1988: 35 complaints1989: 68 complaints1990: 67 complaints1991: 65 complaints1992: 226 complaints1993: 616 complaints1994: 1,038 complaints1995: 587 complaints1996: 531 complaints1997: 556 complaints1998: 299 complaints1999: 861 complaints2000: 382 complaints2001: 543 complaints2002: 352 complaints2003: 361 complaints2004: 265 complaints2005: 161 complaints2006: 33 complaints2007: 358 complaints2008: 276 complaints2009: 133 complaints2010: 161 complaints2011: 193 complaints2012: 139 complaints2013: 170 complaints2014: 77 complaints2015: 588 complaints2016: 297 complaints2017: 184 complaints2018: 111 complaints2019: 92 complaints2020: 60 complaints2021: 241 complaints2022: 149 complaints2023: 140 complaints2024: 50 complaints
Suburban NHTSA complaints by model year, 2014 highlighted. Red bars are years to avoid.

See all Suburban years to avoid →

What are the most common 2014 Chevrolet Suburban problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Other1722%
Airbags1519%
Electrical System912%
Body & Structure810%
Transmission56%
Suspension45%
Brakes34%
Seats34%
Visibility & Wipers23%
Fuel System23%
Lighting23%
Seat Belts23%
Steering11%
Speed Control11%
Tires & Wheels11%
Engine11%
Child Seat11%

Does the 2014 Chevrolet Suburban have recalls?

3 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

21V054000AirbagsFebruary 5, 2021 · 1,778,128 units

Defect

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

14V614000Electrical SystemOctober 1, 2014 · 106,307 units

Defect

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.

Consequence

If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM’s number for this recall is 14515.

13V342000BrakesAugust 6, 2013 · 10 units

Defect

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles manufactured July 9, 2013, through July 22, 2013; and 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles manufactured July 16, 2013, through July 23, 2013; and model year 2014 GMC Yukon vehicles manufactured July 13, 2013, through July 18, 2013; and model year 2014 GMC Yukon XL vehicles manufactured on July 22, 2013. The rear brake caliper bolts may not be fully tightened. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence

Loose caliper bolts may cause reduced braking performance and result in lengthened stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts on both rear brake caliper brackets. Any bolts found loose will be replaced and tightened. This service will be performed, at no charge. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC at 1-800-462-8782. GM's recall number is 13247.

Open NHTSA investigations

EA21002

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.

“THIS 2014 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WAS PURCHASED BY MY HUSBAND IN 2017. CRACKS HAVE STARTED AT BOTH TOP CORNERS OF THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION FOUND ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, GM IS AWARE OF IT BUT CHOOSES TO IGNORE IT. IT SEEMS TO ME, THIS TYPE OF CRACKING COULD…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Other · April 15, 2018

“I cannot believe we don't have a repair for this yet. It is proven to be fatal, even a 2013 Chev Cruze incident caused a fatality. I want to know something about this fix and I want Chevrolet/GM to start fixing immediately. At this point, I am paying a lien on a vehicle that could be fatal and no…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Airbags · January 1, 2014

“WHEN TURNING ON THE VEHICLE THE LIGHTS WILL POWER SURGE. ONE DAY THE VEHICLE JUST DIDN'T START. THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED AND AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I LOST THERMOSTAT CONTROL, THE POWER LOCKS WERE INVOLUNTARILY GOING UP AND DOWN, THE RADIO SHUT OFF, AND THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAUGES ALL WENT TO…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · February 20, 2020 · fire

“DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND NON-REPAIRABLE. MY RESEARCH FINDS THAT THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED TO A VAST NUMBER OF 2007-2014 GM VEHICLES, THAT DEALERSHIPS AND GM ARE REFUSING TO FIX THE DASHBOARDS, AND THAT THE DASHBOARDS CONTINUE TO BREAK DOWN, CREATING MORE POTENTIAL FOR HAZARD.”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Body & Structure · August 1, 2017

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED AS TRANSMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Transmission · April 14, 2021

2014 Chevrolet Suburban — common questions

Is the 2014 Chevrolet Suburban reliable?

NHTSA data argues against it: 77 complaints put the 2014 model at #30 of 47 Suburban years, and a defect investigation remains open. It is one of the Suburban years to avoid.

What are the most common 2014 Suburban problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are other (17 complaints), airbags (15 complaints), electrical system (9 complaints).

Does the 2014 Chevrolet Suburban have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns affecting the 2014 Chevrolet Suburban. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Is the 2014 Chevrolet Suburban under NHTSA investigation?

Yes — an investigation remains open (Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture). An open ODI action means NHTSA is actively assessing a possible defect.

Which Chevrolet Suburban years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the Suburban years to avoid are 1994, 1999, 1993, 2015, 1995, 1997, 2001, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2002, 1998, 2016, 2008, 2004, 2021, 1992, 2011, 2013, 2010, 2022, 2023, 2012, 2009, 2014, 2024. The cleanest record among Suburban years belongs to 1982.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.