2014 Chevrolet Suburban

Photo: Kevauto / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

2014 Chevrolet Suburban: common problems and reliability

· 2014-2020

One of the best Suburban years.

The best Chevrolet Suburban year. All Suburban years

59 owner complaints, most about air bags. 3 recalls.

Should I buy a 2014 Suburban?

The 2014 Chevrolet Suburban has 59 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are air bags and structure. Owners most often flag 6l80 transmission and torque converter failures, including slipping under wide-open throttle and shuddering: owners describe the transmission as notorious for torque converter failure and one owner cited a typical lifespan of only 130,000-140,000 miles.

Safety record for the 2014 model year

59
Owner complaints
3
Recalls
0
Crash reports
1
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2014 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles (US, public record).

The Year Score compares this year with other Suburban years only. How we score it

Is 2014 a good year for the Suburban?

Across the 31 Suburban model years we track, complaint volume runs from 44 (2020) to 757 (1999). With 59 complaints, the 2014 Suburban sits below the model's median of 229.

These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.

Where owners report problems

air bags
15
structure
8
electrical system
7
power train
5
suspension
4

Recalls affecting the 2014 Suburban

air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Campaign 21V054000

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.

service brakes, hydraulic

Campaign 13V342000

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."

electrical system

Campaign 14V614000

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.

What owners report on the 2014-2020 Suburban

Owners of the 2014-2020 Suburban generally view it as a capable, spacious family hauler with a strong engine and good towing ability, but the ownership experience is heavily colored by recurring mechanical concerns.

  • Very frequent6L80 transmission and torque converter failures, including slipping under wide-open throttle and shuddering

    Owners describe the transmission as notorious for torque converter failure and one owner cited a typical lifespan of only 130,000-140,000 miles.

  • RecurrentActive Fuel Management (AFM) lifter failure

    Owners warn it causes lifter failure and recommend disabling AFM immediately.

  • RecurrentAir conditioning condenser cracking, typically at the upper driver-side weld

    Multiple owners reported this on 2016 and 2017 models, with some also citing evaporator and expansion valve failures requiring dash removal.

  • IsolatedElectrical issues

    Including shorts from water intrusion into door window switches and parking light problems.

  • IsolatedLiftgate strut failure on the driver side, where the motor is built in

Owner insights for the 2014-2020 Suburban. Read the full 2014-2020 owner report.

Typical used price

Used Suburban listings typically run $17,061–$41,246.

Other Suburban model years

Compare every Suburban year side by side to see how 2014 ranks against the rest.

Compare the Suburban against its rivals

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