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2012 Chevrolet Suburban Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban, and owners have filed 101 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
101
owner complaints to NHTSA
3 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
12–17
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 21V051000 Reported 284,645 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,…

    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 22, 2021. Second…

  2. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 21V054000 Reported 1,778,128 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    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."…

    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…

  3. Ignition (electrical system)

    NHTSA 14V827000 Reported 84,192 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or…

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006…

  4. Shaft pitman (steering)

    NHTSA 12V112000 Reported 6,159 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS LLC

    General motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet express and suburban vehicles, and GMC savana and yukon xl heavy duty vehicles. The steering gear pitman shaft may not have been adequately hardened and could fracture.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear and, if necessary, replace the steering gear pitman shaft. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on…

101 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban have filed 101 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 73,075 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 23 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“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”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 12, 2024 · Power train

“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 t”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 11, 2023 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban (Suburban 1500 2WD, Suburban 1500 4WD, Suburban 2500 2WD, Suburban 2500 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined12–17 mpg
City / Highway10–15 / 16–21
FuelGasoline or E85, Regular
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine8 cyl, 5.3/6 L
TransmissionAutomatic 6-spd

Compare Chevrolet Suburban model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Chevrolet Suburban model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1977 Chevrolet Suburban02
1978 Chevrolet Suburban03
1979 Chevrolet Suburban01
1981 Chevrolet Suburban11
1982 Chevrolet Suburban11
1983 Chevrolet Suburban03
1984 Chevrolet Suburban06
1985 Chevrolet Suburban09
1986 Chevrolet Suburban07
1987 Chevrolet Suburban018
1988 Chevrolet Suburban330
1989 Chevrolet Suburban362
1990 Chevrolet Suburban354
1991 Chevrolet Suburban352
1992 Chevrolet Suburban3189
1993 Chevrolet Suburban0499
1994 Chevrolet Suburban3858
1995 Chevrolet Suburban6457
1996 Chevrolet Suburban3360
1997 Chevrolet Suburban2414
1998 Chevrolet Suburban2201
1999 Chevrolet Suburban1634
2000 Chevrolet Suburban8282
2001 Chevrolet Suburban6440
2002 Chevrolet Suburban2286
2003 Chevrolet Suburban5301
2004 Chevrolet Suburban4204
2005 Chevrolet Suburban6129
2006 Chevrolet Suburban123
2007 Chevrolet Suburban4292
2008 Chevrolet Suburban4213
2009 Chevrolet Suburban5106
2010 Chevrolet Suburban3117
2011 Chevrolet Suburban3148
2012 Chevrolet Suburban4101
2013 Chevrolet Suburban4118
2014 Chevrolet Suburban359
2015 Chevrolet Suburban11429
2016 Chevrolet Suburban6220
2017 Chevrolet Suburban5141
2018 Chevrolet Suburban481
2019 Chevrolet Suburban378
2020 Chevrolet Suburban444
2021 Chevrolet Suburban12199
2022 Chevrolet Suburban4124
2023 Chevrolet Suburban3126
2024 Chevrolet Suburban142

Checking a specific 2012 Chevrolet Suburban

How do I know if my 2012 Chevrolet Suburban has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Chevrolet dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 12V112000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Chevrolet models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.