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2WD platform

2018 Chevrolet Suburban

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Suburban.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2018 Chevrolet Suburban is a 2WD SUV equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission and an EPA fuel economy rating of 16/23/19 mpg. Maintenance specifications for the vehicle include an 8.0-quart capacity for 0W-20 engine oil. Within a model history spanning 1990-2024, this year's 81 owner complaints and four recalls—primarily centered on the power train—place it far below the 1,004 complaints recorded during the model's peak in 1994.

Model year2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity8.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified

Lug nut torque140 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy16/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 94R · 720 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731742. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 94R · 720 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP265/65R18OEM · verified

Wheel / rim8.5; Optional: 9.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731742
Engine air filter	23349854
Spark plug	12622441
Battery	88865934 alt 88866309
Front wiper blades	84613732
Serpentine belt	12643517 alt 12658178
Thermostat	12620318 alt 12674639
Cabin air filter	23281440

Diagrams

Power distribution wiring8 sheets

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 6-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	224.4 in
Overall width	80.3 in
Overall height	74.4 in
Wheelbase	129.9 in
Curb weight	5776 lb
Track (front / rear)	68.1 / 68.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	51/49

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 23 / 19 mpg
Drivetrain	Rear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Suburban of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.1–7.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 2015 LTZ

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2015	LTZ 5.3L V8	7.10 sec	15.50 sec	355 hp	4x4
2015	LTZ 5.3L V8	7.30 sec	15.70 sec	355 hp	4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 8.0 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, Synthetic · 75W-90 · GL-5 · 75W-85 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 140 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	DEXRON(R)-VI GM P/N 89020661
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	6.0
Automatic Transmission Fluid	Use Dexron ULV
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	8.1
Automatic Transmission Fluid	Use Dexron HP
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	7.4
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	Synthetic · 75W-90 · GL-5 · 75W-85

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	18.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	18.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)	18.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	17 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	140 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	188.0 Do not re-use old hub nut. ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-6-5-4-3-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order	1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	.037 - .043 in

Battery & A/C

Standard BCI Group Number	94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	720 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	720 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	46.0-84.0
Engine Compression	100

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque	Front: 74; Rear: 38 Use; Rear: 77
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque	Front: 170; Rear: 148; Rear: 221
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for Replacement	Front: 1.102; Rear: .728; Front: 1.516; Rear: 1.280
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after Refinish	Front: 1.122; Rear: .748; Front: 1.535; Rear: 1.299
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation	Rear: .007; Rear: .001
Maximum Rotor Runout	.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages

48.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

48 ft. lbs

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	15.0 ft. lbs.	15 ft. lbs
2	85.0

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

Use old crankshaft balancer bolt and tighten to 240.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Remove bolt and throw away. Step 3: Make sure the nose of the crankshaft is recessed 2.40-4.48mm into the balancer bolt. Step 4: Use new crankshaft bolt. Step 5: 110.0 ft. lbs., Step 6: 360 degrees, Step 7: 59.0 ft. lbs., Step 8: Balancer bolt with rotating washer tighten additional 200 degrees; Balancer Bolt with flanged head tighten additional 125 degrees.

240 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts.

1	59.0 ft. lbs.	59 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees	90 degrees
3	Internal Hex head bolts	40 degrees
4	Except Hex head bolts	60 degrees

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	3.7 ft. lbs.	3.7 ft. lbs
2	7.4

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Inner bolts

1	22.0 ft. lbs.	22 ft. lbs
2	110 degrees; Outer bolts	110 degrees
1	15.0 ft. lbs.	15 ft. lbs
2	80.0 degrees; Side bolts	80 degrees
1	15.0 ft. lbs.	15 ft. lbs
2	60.0 degrees	60 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi.

Every 7,500 mi	Accelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 22,500 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 97,500 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2018 model year does not appear in the provided federal record, which jumps from 2009 directly to 2021, creating a data gap that limits direct year-over-year comparison. The closest preceding year, 2009, recorded 161 complaints, 5 recalls, and 1 NHTSA investigation, while the nearest subsequent year, 2021, showed 179 complaints, 12 recalls, and 4 investigations—suggesting a modest upward trend in both complaints and recalls across this period. The 2018 Suburban's specific complaint data shows Power Train issues leading at 13 filings, followed by Electrical System and Engine each at 8, with only 3 crash-related complaints and zero fire complaints. While the absence of 2018 in the longitudinal record prevents definitive trend placement, the available context suggests this model year falls within a period of relatively stable complaint volumes compared to the volatile early 2000s peaks. A concrete takeaway is that the 2018 Suburban shows no fire-related complaints and moderate powertrain concerns, but the incomplete federal record makes this a somewhat higher-risk purchase decision than years with full data coverage—prospective buyers should budget for thorough pre-purchase inspection and verify any outstanding manufacturer recalls.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

1251

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

3 involved a crash · 0 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 81 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train13

Electrical System8

Engine8

Unknown Or Other7

Seat Belts5

Air Bags4

Service Brakes3

Wheels2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1251 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIT5509M	2026-05-14	Unknown Or Other	This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT3271Q	2026-04-01	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP6104	2026-03-09	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V	2026-03-09	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT6483	2026-02-04	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information communicates an issue with aftermarket LED headlights…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Suburban. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 94R battery Vehicles taking 8.0 qt 2WD-platform vehicles Engine oil filter 12731742 Engine air filter 23349854 Spark plug 12622441 Battery 88865934

Fuse box & wiring diagrams

Interactive fuse-box and wiring references for this vehicle, searchable by circuit.

Wiring diagrams

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2018 Suburban take?

8.0 qt of 0W-20 meeting GM Dexos 1, per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 Suburban have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Suburban get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.