Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 C10 Suburban.
The 1981 Chevrolet C10 Suburban, a midsize pickup built on the familiar C10 platform, stands out in this model year for its surprisingly low owner‑reported issues—only four complaints in total, with the primary concern centered on the fuel system and gasoline handling, and a modest count of three recalls, placing it among the more reliable iterations of the Suburban line.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 185.4 in |
| Overall width | 79.5 in |
| Overall height | 73.6 in |
| Wheelbase | 106.7 in |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1981 Chevrolet C10 Suburban dominate in one area — the fuel system, gasoline, 2 of 4 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the fuel system, gasoline, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the fuel system, gasoline pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 4 complaints on record, top 3 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID USED IN CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE BRAKE FLUID BOILING POINT REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 116, "MOTOR VEHICLE BRAKE FLUIDS". BRAKING EFFICIENCY… Remedy: SUSPECT HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID WILL BE BLED FROM THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND REPLACED WITH GM DELCO SUPREME NO. 11 OR AN EQUIVALENT, WITHOUT CHARGE.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.