Go anywhere in your Suburban!
Common repairs
I will begin by saying, you should not buy a used vehicle unless you are willing and able to put on average $1,000 to $2,000 per year into repairs and maintenance. The Suburban is no exception to that, although I would say it should average on the low side of this range. A good approach is to complete as many repairs as you can afford right after you buy it, so you can fully enjoy it. When I bought my Suburban, I took it to a repair shop and spent about $900 on a couple repairs, along with a thorough inspection, so I knew exactly what needed to be addressed going forward. Since then, I have done most of the repairs myself. Please don’t let this list discourage you. This is a 20+ year old vehicle and most of this is normal wear and tear!
The ticking time bomb?
I am starting with the dreaded lifter tick in my 5.3L engine, which is a known issue with this engine. I did not hear it when I inspected it because I did not follow my “Silence is Golden” used car buying guideline! If I had heard it, I probably would not have bought it because it sounds quite serious. Shortly after I bought it, I took it to a mechanic for some repairs, and I told them I noticed an engine tick. They diagnosed it as lifter tick and told me it may or may not cause an issue, and their recommend solution, if I wanted to fix it, was engine replacement, because it is cheaper to replace the engine than repair it.
I have exhaustively researched this issue and yes, I have tried some of the internet fixes such as Marvel Mystery Oil, which seemed to help, but the tick lives on! Mine is particularly noticeable at startup after it has sat for a while, so I always allow enough time time for the oil flow to quiet the engine before I take off.
So, here we are 30K+ miles later and I have had absolutely no engine issues. Quite frankly, I think the best advice I found is to turn up the radio and ignore it! Keep in mind, it could lead to serious engine damage if it causes lifter to fail, and in turn, allows a valve to collide with a piston. I plan on just babying it at startup and then ignoring it until it becomes a serious problem and then I will just replace the engine. In the meantime, I will just be prepared in case I get stranded somewhere.
P.S. If you want to dive down the rabbit-hole and learn more about this issue, here is good summary and here is a great article on the role lifters play in an engine. Be sure to pay close attention to the hydraulic lifter section as that is the type of lifters the 5.3L Vortec engine utilizes.
The sliding seat
If it has not already been fixed, you will have this issue. If either front seat is not adjusted all the way forward or backward, it will move slightly forward when stopping and slightly backwards when accelerating. I say slightly, but it is highly annoying issue caused by a simple little spacer on the adjustment rail wearing out prematurely. Fortunately, there is someone on the internet to the rescue. It is not an easy fix, but he makes it as easy as it can be with not only a step by step video, but also step by step printed instructions when your order the parts from him. It is probably the best deal you will ever find on the internet! Here is the link to his YouTube video, which provides all the info you need.
Service 4WD
This message will pop up in your driver information window and It sounds serious, but all it was in my case was the switch on the dash failing. It’s a relatively cheap fix with this part and you can do it yourself with this step by step video. Who knew it was so easy to remove the dash cover!
Steering column noises
When I bought my Suburban, I noticed movement up and down in the steering wheel and I had this addressed by replacing the steering column shaft bearing. Since then, I have also noticed a little rattle in the steering column when going over bumps. This is the known issue of slack in the steering shaft. The shaft has two parts and it is designed to collapse in the event of an accident. Over time, a void in the space develops and it rattles. It’s only slightly annoying and I have not done anything with mine. There is short-term fix of applying grease to the void, and a long-term fix of replacing the part, and you can find out about that here.
Side mirror adjustment and replacement
The mirror adjustment button did not work when I bought my Suburban. It is an easy and inexpensive fix. Here is a link to video on how to fix it, which is also a source for the part. In addition to this, my driver side mirror was all hazy and did not work well. It is a heated mirror and they used a fluid sandwiched between the layers of glass to conduct the heat. The fluid in mine had leaked into the surface layer, which resulted in the haziness. The original mirror has two wire connector, but I could not locate a two-wire replacement, so I went with a one-wire and everything seems to be working fine!
Window regulators
My passenger window also did not work when I bought my Suburban (the price was right!). This was one of the repairs I had done right after I bought it, which cost $500!. Shortly after I picked it up, my right rear window stopped working, and the shop said it had nothing to do with their repair, so that is when I started doing my own repairs! The part was about $100 and I would rate the difficulty at 6 on a 10 point scale. Here is a link for the part and a how to video. And yes, it is from 1A Auto - they are all over the 2000 Suburban - it is even the same color as mine!
Speakers & subwoofer
All my speakers were blown out when I acquired my Suburban. I don’t think it was because they loved cranking up the tunes, but rather just age, as the woofers dry out and separate from the housing over time. I could not find a sub-woofer replacement that would fit properly, but in the process of searching I found this repair kit to take care of that speaker. Then, I moved on to replace all the door speakers. There is one word to solve this problem and it is Crutchfield. They are truly the experts in car audio and will provide everything you need to do it yourself. I spent $20 on each speaker, which included the wiring harness and the mounting plate!
Parking brake
This did not hold my Suburban in place and the reason was the cable was all stretched out. There is an adjuster that is easy to get to, but mine had no adjustment left. The parking brake is actually a drum brake on the rear wheels. You can adjust the drum to reduce the clearance to account for the cable stretch. This a a short-term fix, which I did, but at some point, the cable will need to be replaced. Here is a video to help you out.
Oil leaks
All vehicles develop oil leaks over time and the Suburban is no exception. The biggest leak in mine was the rear main seal between the engine and transmission. I was losing/burning less than a quart of oil in between oil changes, but I decided to get it replaced. It is an expensive job due to all the labor required and the cost ranges anywhere from $900 to $1,200, and that should include replacing the oil pan gasket. The other source of my oil leaks was the valve covers and I waited to do this job at 200K miles. It is an easy job and provides you with the opportunity to inspect your valve train. I was pleased to find mine looking nice and clean!
Heat and engine cooling - Thermostat, Heater Core, Blend Door Actuator, Hoses
My Suburban was cooling just fine, but it took a while to get up to operating temperature and produce heat, which told me there was a good chance my thermostat was not working properly, so I replaced it. It is an easy fix - here is a how to video and the part.
My heat improved, but it was not as hot as it should be, so I flushed the heater core, which got the air temperature up to its proper level. After several months of working properly, once in a while, I could not get any hot air flowing. Instead of being proactive, I waited until it completely stopped working, which was during a ski trip through Canada when it got down to 15 below! Luckily, my rear heater was working!
When I got home, I discovered the blend door actuator was not working properly, so I replaced it. Here is a video to assist with the process and keep in mind you may need to go through the calibration process.
Even though my blend door was operating properly, I was still not getting any heat, so I flushed the heater core again, and now my heat is working as it should. Apparently, over the course of 20+ years, a lot of gunk accumulates in the cooling system!
Through the process of working on all the above, I realized most of the coolant and heater hoses were original, so I decided to replace all of them. Here is a list of all the parts for this project:
Radiator Outlet Hose - this is the bottom hose - GM part #22827735
Radiator Inlet Hose - this is the top hose - GM part #15179498
Radiator to coolant resevoir - this is the overflow hose - GM part #15734738 discontinued - NAPA part #NBH H110 - need to cut it to size
Heater inlet assembly - this has a short hose connected to the engine with a T and one hose connecting to the heater core inlet (left side) and the other to the bottom of the coolant resevoir - GM part #19421434 - NAPA part #NBH 9187
Heater outlet hose - this connects the heater core outlet (right side) to the engine - could not locate GM part # - NAPA part #NOE 82757411
Heater core quick connects - These connect to the heater core at the firewall and they are common failure points. They are hard to remove and mine were not leaking, so I decided to leave them in place for now, but I carry the replacement parts just in case. Inlet (black) - Dorman 800-414CD and Outlet (white) - Dorman 800-413CD.
Throttle Body Hose - I forgot about this one, so will replace it later!
Sunroof leak
This is very common with all vehicles with a sunroof. The seal is designed to allow some water to pass and this water is supposed to drain out via drain holes in the corners. Over time, these drains get clogged up with dirt and debris, so you need to clean them out regularly. I found a great tool for this - The Drain Weasel. Just feed it down the drain holes located in the front corners and crank away and water will be flowing in no time! It is important to note, you can get the entire shaft through the drain. If it stops before you get all of it in, then there is still blockage and you need to weasel your way through it. Also, the Drain Weasel works great on bathroom sinks!
Power Outlets
When I started dialing in my power setup, I realized the outlet for the middle seats and the one in the very back was not working. All that was required to fix it was replacing the fuse in the box located on the driver side of the engine bay labeled AUXPWR - both outlets operate off the same fuse.
Idle Issues - Fuel Pump or Throttle Position Sensor?
I was experiencing an occasional issue of my engine struggling to maintain a steady idle. It would drop down to 100 or 200 RPM and then pop up to 600 or 700 RMP, and sometimes the engine would die. I was always able to restart it by giving it plenty of throttle and then, after revving the engine, it would return to a steady idle, and run and drive normally. Often, the issue presented itself right after, or shortly after, I filled the gas tank. There were never any fault codes and my research and troubleshooting led me to conclude the issue was caused by either a dirty throttle body, or a failing fuel pump. So, I did the easy job first and cleaned the throttle body, but the issue persisted, so I turned my focus on the fuel pump. While I was not 100% sure the cause of my issue is the fuel pump, I regularly travel to remote places, where being stranded by a failed fuel pump would present some major challenges to overcome. This, plus the fact my Suburban likely has the original fuel pump, and it is therefore, due for replacement based on both time and miles, led to my decision to replace it. But before I dropped it off, my “Service Engine Soon” light came on, so I scanned for codes and got P0121 indicating Throttle Position Sensor low voltage. While researching and diagnosing the Throttle Position Sensor fault code, I realized my base idle was not normal and I had also been experiencing abnormal shift points. I still felt replacing the fuel pump was a smart thing to do, so I moved forward with that repair, but I held off on replacing the Throttle Position sensor, as I wanted to see if I would get the fault code again after the fuel pump was replaced.
When I picked up my Suburban, I immediately noticed a difference with the new fuel pump. My engine starts stronger, the throttle is more responsive, and I soon realized just how much power I was missing out on! There is no doubt in my mind the fuel pump was starting to fail, and it was the right decision to replace it. After driving the Suburban for a while, sure enough the “Service Engine Soon” light came on and it indicated the same code, so I proceeded with replacing the Throttle Position Sensor. The next day, I departed for a camping trip and for the entire 1,200+ miles, my idle was always 500 RPM, even when we were traveling in 100+ degree heat with the AC running. Also, my shift points were spot on, even when climbing, and the “Service Engine Soon” light never illuminated! Most importantly, the fluctuating idle and engine dying issue never presented itself!
If you encounter an idle issue with your 9th generation Suburban, and your throttle body is clean, then I recommend “throwing a part” at the problem, and that part is the Throttle Position Sensor. Here is a link for the part and a video on how to replace it. If that does not fix the problem, then move on to the fuel pump.
Exhaust Manifold Bolts
There are six bolts on each side of the exhaust manifold, which are prone to shearing. When someone suggested my lifter tick was an exhaust leak, I checked all the bolts and discovered some were loose, and one was sheared off. Upon reflecting, I realized the noise I heard for several seconds at startup after the Suburban sat for a few days was not “extra loud lifter tick”, but rather exhaust leak. I ordered the bolts and manifold gaskets with the intention of doing the job myself, but when I loosened up the side with the broken bolt, I discovered the broken bolt sheared off right at the block, so I had nothing to grab hold of to remove it. I am not comfortable drilling into the block, so I decided I will just tighten all the bolts, run it until it becomes a bigger issue, and then have a repair shop do the work. Please note I still believe I have lifter tick AND exhaust leak, but I won’t know for sure until I get the exhaust manifold repaired! UPDATE: The exhaust leak is fixed and the lifter tick lives on!
Blower Motor
My blower motor was squeaking and it made an awful racket when it started up on cold days, so I knew it was only a matter of time before it failed. I let it go for a while, but then decided to not push my luck through another winter, so I moved forward with replacing it. In addition to this, my fan had speeds 1 to 4, but not five, so that told me the solenoid also needed to be replaced. My original research told me the dash had to be removed for this job, but that is not the case and it is easy to replace. The only snag I rant into was removing the blower motor cover, which has a difficult to reach bolt on the backside. In the video I was following, there was no cover, which led me to conclude it was really not needed, so I decided to not struggle with the backside bolt again, and left the cover off. There is insulation inside the cover, which helps reduce cabin noise, but my new fan is nice and quiet, so I will just store the blower cover away, and only put it back on if the motor becomes noisy.
P0446 - Fuel EVAP Vent Control Circuit Malfunction
There are four components that may trigger this code. The first one is the gas cap, so check to make sure it is locking properly. If your Suburban is 10+ years old and it has the original gas cap, then I recommend replacing it. The second one is the Vapor Canister Purge Valve, which is located on top of the engine. It is easy to replace, so if the gas cap was not the issue, then I recommend throwing this part at the problem. The next two components are underneath near the fuel tank. On the backside of the fuel tank there is a Vapor Canister Vent Valve, which consists of a solenoid and a filter. Sometimes they are sold separately or as a kit with a new harness. The final component is the Vapor Canister, which resides on the front side of the fuel tank.
When I got the code, I replaced the gas cap and I bought a Vapor Canister Purge Valve. I erased the code, but soon got it again, so I installed the new purge valve. It fixed the problem for a while, but the code came back, so I replaced the Vapor Canister Vent Valve. That worked for quite a while, but the code came back, so I replaced the Vapor Canister. I know many will disagree with my approach of throwing parts at the problem, but since my Suburban is over 20 years old, it is just a matter of time before these components fail, particularly since two of the components in this system have filters.
This is the page on the GM Parts website showing all the parts I referenced. And here is a video from Shop Warrior breaking down all the components, and he also has separate videos on how to replace each component. Please note the issue he was dealing with was not the P0446 code, but the videos can help you address that code. I also utilized this video to assist with the vapor canister replacement - be prepared to fight with the hose connections!
Watch this video to learn more…