YearToAvoid

2013 Chevrolet Suburban Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 19 engine complaints for the 2013 Chevrolet Suburban, 16% of its 118 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 97,500 miles. There is no related recall on file, and the pattern includes one crash and no fires.

Engine complaints
19
16% of 118
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
97,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine switches between V4 and V8 cylinder modes and causes a jerking, forward-and-back motion when braking, slowing, or going downhill.
  • Engine surges or continues to accelerate on its own after the driver releases the accelerator pedal, sometimes during a lane change or passing maneuver.
  • Spark plugs burn out repeatedly, which some owners traced to a cracked engine cylinder requiring the engine to be opened up.
  • Engine develops a loud knocking noise and reportedly needs full replacement, with owners citing poor metal quality in the block.
  • Engine lifters fail, triggering a check engine light and noticeable shaking shortly after the vehicle is driven.
  • Engine loses power or dies unexpectedly while driving, in one case linked by a dealer to a bad battery cable.

When 2013 Chevrolet Suburban engine complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 21, 2013, latest Nov 6, 2024.

2013 Chevrolet Suburban engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Nov 2013Oct 2015Jul 2018Sep 2019Jul 2020Jan 2021
19 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2013 to Nov 2024; peak Jun 2017 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Suburban

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Suburban model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201013 (7%)
  2. 201117 (7%)
  3. 201213 (13%)
  4. 201319 (16%)
  5. 20142 (3%)
  6. 201543 (10%)
  7. 201630 (14%)
  8. 201729 (21%)
  9. 201820 (25%)
  10. 201928 (36%)
  11. 202019 (43%)
  12. 202196 (48%)
  13. 202264 (52%)
  14. 202385 (60%)
  15. 202428 (67%)
  16. 202516 (53%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2013 Chevrolet Suburban have?
NHTSA lists 19 engine complaints for the 2013 Suburban, which is 16% of the 118 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2013 Chevrolet Suburban engine?
No. NHTSA shows no related recalls tied to this engine complaint pattern for the 2013 Suburban.
At what mileage do 2013 Suburban engine problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure across these engine complaints is 97,500 miles, based on NHTSA data.
Did the engine problems cause any crashes or fires?
NHTSA records one crash and zero fires among the engine complaints for the 2013 Suburban.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.