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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
52,885 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Chevrolet Suburban seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2012 Chevrolet Suburban Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #25

May 012023

Suburban

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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"?"

- Kansas City, KS, USA

problem #24

Jun 032021

Suburban

  • miles
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.

- Ashland, KY, USA

problem #23

Feb 212021

Suburban

  • miles
I was sent a safety recall form & still haven't been notified that parts are available. I am worried because we use our family car a lot. Thank you!

- Lahaina, HI, USA

problem #22

Mar 092021

Suburban

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We received an important safety recall to replace the airbag inflator (NHTSA recall number 21V051). After taking our vehicle to the dealer, we were told that if we want the recall then we have to pay to replace our dashboard (over $1,000). The dashboard has a crack which is a common and well-known defect of GM Chevrolet trucks from 07-14, but it is not part of the airbag recall. And now, GM hides behind a so-called "cosmetic" issue in our dashboard to avoid compliance with the recall. GM is not acting in good faith to remedy the defective airbag in our vehicle. We feel very unnerved to drive a vehicle with a bad airbag that GM refuses to fix without great expense. Others are likely facing the same issue for this recall.

- Canton, GA, USA

problem #21

Jan 012017

Suburban

  • 125,000 miles
The airbag error indicator on the dash activates frequently, especially after driving several hundred miles in one day. When the error message is activated, the backup camera image is pixilated. It does not do it when the vehicle is in park. Chevrolet service technicians have been unable to recover the error code or replicate the error message. This is a continuing problem.

- Alamogordo, NM, USA

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problem #20

May 262020

Suburban

  • 124,400 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while standing outside of the vehicle, the side curtain air bags deployed independently without warning, while the vehicle was idle. The contact manually deflated the airbags and the vehicle was driven to mcelveen Buick GMC (117 farmington rd, summerville, SC 29483) where the contact was informed that the vehicle was not subjected to a recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 124,400.

- Summerville, SC, USA

problem #19

Sep 182019

Suburban

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Over the last 6 months my dashboard has developed numerous cracks in the dashboard. There are 2 cracks at the passenger air bag cover on the top corners and a long crack on the drivers side dash above the gauge cluster going towards the windshield. I have no specific date when this has happened. I am putting in this complaint as I have seen this on multiple vehicles of the same age and looking online of all the complaints of the same.

- Towaco, NJ, USA

problem #18

Dec 252019

Suburban

  • 91,000 miles
Cracked dashboard.

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #17

Aug 092019

Suburban

  • 63,000 miles
Went to buy a new Suburban, found a good used one without the cracked dash. Well within 2 months we now have a crack in our dash. Were told this is a common problem and was told $1500 to fix this issue. I find it unacceptable that Chevy would not take care of such a major issue with their vehicles. How are there tons of other brand vehicles without this issue? always have a sunshade on the vehicle and was it once a week. I now want to trade this for something that doesn't have such a problem. Crack looks like it could interfere with the airbag operation. Or send shards of plastic when airbag is deployed. It happened parked in our garage over night.

- San Marcos, CA, USA

problem #16

Jun 142019

Suburban

  • 151,000 miles
"service air bag" warning on dash while driving on highway. Warning has stay active since that time. No codes for explanation found.

- Swannanoa, NC, USA

problem #15

Oct 092018

Suburban

  • 68,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

About 6 months ago, I noticed a crack in the dashboard at the top left corner of the passenger airbag. A few days later, a small crack appeared on the driver's side over the instrument cluster. Within just a few days, that small crack grew approximately 6 inches and is now on the hump over the cluster.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #14

Oct 142018

Suburban

  • 150,000 miles
A crack formed above the instrument console and over the top right corner of the passanger airbag on the dash. This is a serious concern if the airbag goes off there will be plastic flying all over the place. I see a history of hundrads of complaints over this exact issue.

- Pocatello, ID, USA

problem #13

Jan 242018

Suburban

  • 104,000 miles
2012 Chevy Suburban dashboard suddenly cracked at the passenger side airbag. This a serious safety issue and needs to be fixed

- Ahoskie, NC, USA

problem #12

May 012014

Suburban

  • 38,000 miles
My dash has cracked significantly around the main passenger airbag since about 38K miles. I have tried working with GM about getting this fixed and they will not help. The dash is so cracked that if the airbag deploys I am concerned that it would send pieces of plastic through the air and hurt/kill someone. GM told me that there was a problem with the company that made the dashes using the incorrect plastic material which has made these dashes very brittle.

- Missouri City, TX, USA

problem #11

Nov 202017

Suburban

  • 200 miles
An airbag icon warning light keeps apprearing and disappearing on the dashboard. This has been going on for a couple of years. I believe that there is a defect in the airbag system but my vehicle does not appear to have a recall as of now. This happens almost every week at all times.

- Naperville, IL, USA

problem #10

Dec 012016

Suburban

  • miles
Cracked dash by instrument panel and passenger airbag. The one by the instrumental panel started off as a hairline cracked and got worse very fast. I used epoxy to try and stop the crack. The one by the airbag just appeared within the last month.

- Heber, UT, USA

problem #9

May 152015

Suburban

  • 30,000 miles
Severe dashboard crack and failure. Probable hazard during airbag deployment

- New Smyrna Beach, FL, USA

problem #8

Jan 012014

Suburban

  • miles
Crackeddash car is parked with sunshade; first crack at air bag appeared within a year of purchase (was on dealer lot with no sunshade for a year - purchased March 2013) housed in garage; second crack at air bag appeared shortly after that. It was just noticed (not sure how long it had been there) the large crack at the instrument panel hump on dash board. My dash has separated in the middle from the front panel along the glass. It now vibrates and is loose. I fear if I am in a wreak and the airbag deploys shards of dash will be thrown into the air at a force to cause damage not only to front passenger & driver but to the second and third row passengers. I have had 2 previous GM vehicles (Tahoe & Suburban) and never had the bad quality this 2012 has had. I have also had to replace both front door exterior handles and the interior ones are broken and need to be replaced.

- Pearland, TX, USA

problem #7

Mar 082017

Suburban

  • 40,885 miles
My 2012 Suburban which I bought new in 2013 with 100 miles, after 3 years starting getting cracks in the dash. A month after the 3 year warranty expired. The passenger side crack runs from the air vent to the airbag door and now my service air bag light stays on. A larger crack (6+inches) has appeared on the drivers side running from the vent to the top of the steering column, if I continues the dash will completely separate in half exposing electronics, etc.

- Cocoa, FL, USA

problem #6

Oct 012016

Suburban

  • 94,000 miles
The dashboard on the passenger side next to the airbag has cracked and appears to be separating. This defect in the dashboard is directly in contact with the airbag deployment location for the front passenger.

- The Hills, TX, USA

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