Problems · by component

2021 Chevrolet Suburban engine problems

92 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban cite engine, 44% of all 208 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
92
44% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“On August 25, 2026, I was driving a chevrolet 2021 with less than 60K miles on it on a double lane road when I came to a red light, the car did not move when the light turned green, I put the car on park then drive again and it completely shut down. Prior to this there was no lights showing any issues with the car. It did not drive again, and I had to have it towed home then to a body shop where I spent 2K and drove the car out but was told to take it to the dealer immediately. At the dealer they said it needed a complete engine or motor replacement that cost 12k but they would cover about 8k and I would be responsible for about 4k. I was called to pick it up and it was still making a weird noise they said it was something else, it is November 3, 2026, the dealer still has my car,and they won't even answer the phone, no loaner available, and I am terrified after hearing so many stories about 6.2L engines that I will be driving a car that can put me at risk even after replacement. please help me.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2026EngineODI 11775455
“In the evening I was driving home locally and noticed a slight lurch in the car when coming to a complete stop at the stoplight. From there I proceeded into my neighborhood. There was a sudden and very loud bang sound like metal and an explosion. Immediately the engine failed and my vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. I also smelled a lot of gasoline. I was unable to shift the vehicle into neutral to move it off the road. I called a tow through AAA. Luckily I was not on the freeway or a busy road when this happened as it could have caused an accident. My vehicle is at a certified chevrolet service center where they confirmed their opinion is the timing chain snapped and destroyed my engine. They are recommending a complete motor replacement. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This vehicle is the same year make and model as a previous recall in 2025 however I am curious as to why my VIN is not included in this recall.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2026Unknown or other, EngineODI 11774511
“GOT CODE AND ENGINE LIGHT. P1098 FOR ENGINE COOLANT CONTROL VALVE POSITION SENSOR. GM SUPPOSEDLY ADDED A 15 YEAR WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THIS VALVE AS IT HAS FAILED ON MANY VEHICLES. SPECIAL COVERAGE # N352508341 SHOWS AND SAYS IT SHOULD COVER 2021-2023 SUBURBANS. CHECKED WITH DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY ITS NOT COVERED. WHY NOT? ITS LIKE A $1300 REPAIR. MINE SHOULD BE COVERED AS WELL. ID LIKE TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2026EngineODI 11773751
“I was driving 60 miles per hour on the 101 highway around 8:30AM and a couple error messages suddenly appeared on my dash - one regarding traction control and the other regarding ESC. My engine light continuously flashed. I took the car into the dealership and they requested 3K to take apart the engine to figure out the issue. They now state that the number four cylinder lifters and the camshaft are pitted and thus the cylinder walls of the engine are scratched and thus the cylinder block can not be reused and needs to be replaced. They are requesting an additional 17,000 to replace the engine entirely. There was a recall on this vehicle for March 2021-2024 vehicles. Mine is just outside that recall being manufactured in January or Feburary 2021. Clearly, my issue is suffering the same problem from this recall.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 23, 2026Power train, EngineODI 11773294
“Cylinders were misfiring and lifters had to be completely replaced along with pushrod and camshaft. This cost me $7018.64 to fix out of my own pocket. Received the vehicle back, and there was a slight ticking sound that was new to me. Scheduled to bring the vehicle back in and 2 days before I was scheduled to go in and approximately 1000 miles later, the engine completely shut down while I was driving on the road. As I did not know what was going on and I had my newborn baby in the car, I was panicking as I was trying to figure out how to pull over to get out of traffic. Turns out there are now metal shavings in my engine according to the GM certified dealership that I had the work on the lifters done at in the first place. They are now quoting me an additional $13,000+ dollars to completely replace the engine with one that is not even brand new. Highly disappointed and concerned for my family's and I's safety while driving this vehicle. Also, not happy that I apparently need to spend $20K on a vehicle that I have only brought to certified GM dealerships for work on and I have kept in excellent condition.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2026Power train, EngineODI 11769371
“The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle went into LIMP Mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the nearest dealer in LIMP Mode. A diagnostic test was performed, and the mechanic discovered that the right engine lifter was damaged; however, 10 days later, the mechanic discovered that the left lifter was also damaged. The vehicle was repaired under warranty. Recently, the failure reoccurred and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact was informed that the left engine lifter had failed and caused catastrophic engine damage. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle remained with the dealer awaiting the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2026EngineODI 11766143

Showing 6 of 92 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2021 Suburban problem areas