2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
101 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 101 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.21
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
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 …
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.
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 17 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,600 · EPA range 413 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Unknown Or Other38 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Air Bags25 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Structure23 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Engine12 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System10 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train5 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Chevrolet Suburban 1500 years
Chevrolet Suburban 1500 years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (38 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 91/100, computed from 101 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500's most common problem?
38 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 cost to run per year?
About $6,156 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $30,782 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Compare with
Other fullsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 101 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 101 NHTSA complaints on record (7.2/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (9.1/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems