2005 Chevrolet Suburban: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban: 6 recalls, 129 owner complaints and up to 15 mpg combined.
Recalls
6 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 1 equipment/tire recall that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #04V376000 · 2004 · 1,103 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with 5.3l (rpo l59) v8 engines, the engine fuel rail crossover tube retainer screws were not manufactured to specifications and May break.
Why it matters: If the tube retainer screw breaks, fuel could leak from the fuel rail crossover joint, the engine May stall and, if an ignition source were present, an engine compartment fire could occur.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel rail crossover tube and, if necessary, replace the retainer screws. Owners were notified by telephone on July 30, 2004, with a followup owner letter began August 5, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #05V043000 · 2005 · 77,411 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans equipped with bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies, the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator May crack and separate from the hydro-boost assembly during normal operating conditions.
Why it matters: If a separation occurred and the hood of the vehicle were open, fragments from the accumulator could cause injury to people in the immediate area. The presence of this crack or fractured surface could allow the hydraulic fluid to leak from the accumulator circuit of the booster assembly. The loss…
The fix: Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge. The recall began on March 23, 2005.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #05V055000 · 2005 · 7,194 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect." under certain vehicle starting conditions, the shift lever position indicator located in the instrument panel cluster May not illuminate. If the shift lever position…
Why it matters: The vehicle May move in an unintended direction resulting in possible injury to others outside of the vehicle.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2005.
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #05V103000 · 2005 · 707 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake pedal pushrod retainer May be missing. If the retainer is missing, the brake booster pushrod could disengage from the brake pedal.
Why it matters: This could result in a loss of brakes which could result in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for the brake pedal pushrod retainer and install one if it is missing free of charge. The manufacturer began contacting owners by telephone on March 10, 2005.
Seat belts Vehicle recall #05V163000 · 2005 · 1,359,824 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain crew cab pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the 2nd row center occupant seat belt routing May make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of occupants, especially smaller occupants, seated in this position. Appropriate use of a child seat or booster seat, as recommended for small children, does improve the fit condition for this user group. In addition to…
Why it matters: A lap portion of the seat belt routing that is not low and snug on the hips can allow the lap belt to ride up on an occupant's abdomen instead of fitting low around their hipbones, and therefore, can expose them to more risk of abdominal and internal organ injury.
The fix: Dealers will cut open the guide loop, remove a portion of the loop, and then the remaining two sides should be folded over and secured with a retainer free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2005.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #06V289000 · 2006 · 38,439 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain trucks equipped with an 8.1l v8 (rpo l8-VIN g) engine have a condition in which the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip May fracture resulting in inadequate retention of the damper.
Why it matters: If the damper comes loose, a fuel leak May result. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
The fix: Dealers will replace the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip free of charge. The recall began on August 31, 2006.
1 aftermarket equipment / tire recall replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Fuel system Equipment recall #06E043000 · 2006 · 88,303 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain replacement fuel filters, fram brand name p/n g3727, with date codes x52911 through x60801 sequentially or x600141 and a mexico country or origin marking on the fuel filter housing manufactured from October 18, 2005, through March 21, 2006, sold for use on the vehicles listed above and on certain school buses. (to see the school bus engine sizes, click on "document search" and then "bus applications"). The…
Why it matters: This condition May cause an inadequate seal at the connection, potentially leading to a fuel leak. In the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
The fix: Honeywell will notify owners and replace the fuel filters free of charge. The recall began on October 18, 2006.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 4 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Electrical (36): the most common themes are electrical failure (5), fire / smoke (2), door / lock issues (2).
- Brakes (18): the most common themes are brake failure / soft pedal (4).
- Transmission & drivetrain (15): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (2), noise or vibration (2).
- Body & structure (11): the most common themes are door / lock issues (3).
The 2005 Chevrolet Suburban has 129 owner complaints, ranking #21 of 35 Suburban model years for complaints (well below the 229 average). Complaints peaked in 2013 (17 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 6 years old, at a median of 83,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2004 (204 complaints, 4 recalls), 2006 (23 complaints, 1 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 18 | 15 | Regular |
| 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 18 | 15 | Gasoline or E85 |
| 5.3 L 8-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 17 | 14 | Gasoline or E85 |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban.
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FAQ
Does the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recalls for the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban, plus 1 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2005 Chevrolet Suburban problems?
Owners have filed 129 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are electrical (36), brakes (18), transmission & drivetrain (15).
What gas mileage does the 2005 Chevrolet Suburban get?
EPA ratings run up to 15 mpg combined (5.3 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 3 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.