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2012 Chevrolet Suburban problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 0safety recalls
- 101owner complaints
- 3crash reports
- 2fire reports
- 2injuries reported
101 complaints, against an average of 124 for the other 14 Chevrolet Suburban model years.
Every Chevrolet Suburban model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban?
The components named most often in the 101 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2012 Chevrolet Suburban owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 101 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
Has the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban been recalled?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban as of October 25, 2026. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN before you rely on this.
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
EU Safety GateThe propellant used in the passenger-side frontal airbag inflator may experience a material alteration over time due to degradation…The propellant used in the passenger-side frontal airbag inflator may experience a material alteration over time due to degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures and high-temperature cycling. In the event of an airbag being deployed, the excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to rupture and metal fragments may pass through the cushion material causing injury to the occupants.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
What do 2012 Chevrolet Suburban owners report?
12 of the 101 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
MY AUTO GEAR SHIFT DISINGAGED FROM THE TRANSMISSION THE CAR STARTED MOVING AS I WAS TRYING TO GET INTO THE DRIVER SEAT WITH DRIVER DOOR CATCHING THE TREE LIMBS AND OPENING THE DOOR AND ME HOLDING ONTO THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE BROOKE AND I FELL ONTO THE GROUND WHEN THE CAR STOPPED BY BACKING OVER THE CURB AND HITTING ANOTHER TREE. THERE IS A BUSHING HOLDING THE CABLE TO TRANSMISSION LEVER AND MY AUTO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND LOCAL CHEVY DEALER HAVE BOTH TOLD ME THE FAULTY CABLE CONNECTOR GETS BRITTLE AND BREAKS. NO WAY TO SAFELY DRIVE AS I CANNOT MOVE.
This is a recall took my 2012 Surburban to dealership in leavenworth, KS they had vehicle for two weeks did not fix the airbag that is under recall they stated could not get parts for it. So what is the problem with our government system in place to fix these problems but the GM dealership is not fixing the air bag nor do they call and state they have the parts in stock now???
My dash on my 2012 Suburban cracked within 4 years of its manufactured date and it just keeps getting worse. If there were an accident it is so dry and cracked it will through hard plastic into the driver and passengers. I know of many other same and similar year models that have the same issue. Now that there is a passenger-side airbag recall would be the perfect time for GM to step up and fix this obvious flaw.
Dashboard is cracking. I understand the class action was dismissed. But this is so unfair that the customers have to pay to fix for problem caused by material problem.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V051000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE< 150,000 MILES!! WELL MAINTAINED. LEFT US STRANDED ON OFF RAMP I-78.!!! CRACKED DASH ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
2012 LTZ 4WD SUBURBAN, NOTICED A FAINT HOT SMELL, THOUGHT IT WAS THE ENGINE, TOOK IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE ON NEW YEARS EVE 2018 ( WE HAD LOST AN ENGINE IN PREVIOUS SUBURBAN NOT TAKING CHANCE) TOLD BY MECHANIC ALLOY WHEELS ARE HOT, TOOK TO GM DEALER, FRONT WHEEL HUB NEEDED REPLACED, TOOK TO LOCAL GARAGE FOR REPAIR, GARAGE TOLD US BRAKES, CALIPHERS, ROTORS BE REPLACED DUE TO CALIPHERS BEING CLOSED. THEY HAD HARD TIME BLEEDING THE LINES, ALSO REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER, DROVE FOR FEW DAYS SHORT DISTANCE WHEN FRONT BRAKES CAUGHT FIRE, WITHOUT WARNING, TOWED BACK TO GARAGE, THEY COULD NOT FIND CAUSE…
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THIS MOSTLY OCCURS ON SURFACE STREETS, THE STABILITRAK LIGHTS WILL COME ON AND THEN SHUT OFF. THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOW COME ON AND THEN BLACK OUT THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR HAS EVEN COMPLETELY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AND THEN COME BACK ON. THIS IS QUITE TERRIFYING! THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED AND IS BRAND NEW. THE ONLY TIME THE CAR LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY WAS WHEN THE CAR WAS MOVING AT A SLOWER RATE OF BETWEEN 30-50 MPH.
WHEN TRYING TO START PUT SUV THE KEY GWYS STUCK AND WON'T TURN AFTER THIS STARTED HAPPENING OUR STABILITY CONTROL SENSOR STARTED GOING OFF. IT USED TO TURN OFF ONE U SHUT OFF THE SUB BUT NOT IT'S ALWAYS ON. AND THE KEY WON'T TURN UNLESS U WIGGLE IT.
ENGINE IS CONSUMING A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL, REQUIRING IN EXCESS OF 5 QUARTS TO BE ADDED BETWEEN 3,000 MILE OIL CHANGES.
MY 2012 SUBURBAN HAS 90,000 MILES. I HAD THE LIFTERS AND OIL PUMP GO BAD IN OCTOBER. TWO WEEKS LATER I AM BACK IN THE SHOP BECAUSE THE WHEEL BEARING HAS GONE BAD. THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO MY DASH IS CRACKING. I HAD A 1999 SUBURBAN AND NEVER HAD THESE PROBLEMS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE RADIO AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS BLINKED OFF AND ON AND THE DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ACTING LIKE IT WAS STALLING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND SHUT IT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE ENGINE REVVED HIGHLY AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. UPON TAKING OFF, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AS IF IT WOULD STALL AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE…
2012 Chevrolet Suburban: questions owners ask
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 101 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban; the most common categories were air bags (25, 24.8%), structure (23, 22.8%), engine (12, 11.9%). There are no safety recalls listed for this model year. 3 complaints mention a crash, 2 mention a fire, 2 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban?
Across 101 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are air bags (24.8% of complaints), structure (22.8% of complaints), engine (11.9% of complaints), electrical system (9.9% of complaints), power train (5% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban have any recalls?
As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2012 Chevrolet Suburban stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
5 of the 101 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban (5%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "When driving the vehicle, this mostly occurs on surface streets, the stabilitrak lights will come on and then shut off. the problem has progressed and the lights will now come on and then black out the dashboard." (NHTSA complaint 11149739, November 2018). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Suburban
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2012 only; combines NHTSA's entries for SUBURBAN 1500 and SUBURBAN 2500.