GMC TruckSuburban 4WD1993Overview/gmc-truck/suburban-4wd/1993/base/

1993 GMC Truck Suburban 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Suburban 4WD.

Body SUV

The 1993 GMC Truck Suburban 4WD is a full-size SUV built on a proven body-on-frame platform, designed to deliver serious utility through a powerful drivetrain requiring 5W-30 API-grade motor oil with a 5.5-quart capacity for proper lubrication. As a well-established platform iteration, this model represents a mature product with refined design elements that had been carried through prior years. With 236 total owner complaints and two recalls filed, this generation shows the durability that defined the Suburban nameplate alongside service brake concerns as the most reported issue—a pattern that researchers examining ownership data will want to consider when evaluating maintenance history for this era. These figures position 1993 as a representative model year in the Suburban's reliability arc, offering concrete data points for comparative analysis without the extreme outliers sometimes seen in early or late-generation vehicles.

Model year199619941993

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12737090
Engine air filter06484235
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug19302741
Front wiper blades15184702
Serpentine belt19370622 alt 10055878
Thermostat10190925 alt 12551507

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity14.0 qt
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity14.0 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miClutch Cross Shaft (lubricate) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (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.

Owner complaints about the 1993 GMC Truck Suburban 4WD dominate in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic, 160 of 236 reports (68%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the service brakes, hydraulic are also the target of recall 01I006000 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 36 of the reports describe a crash and 4 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes, hydraulic 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.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
19
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
6
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
236
Owner complaints
36 involved a crash · 4 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 236 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic160
Visibility16
Power Train11
Seat Belts8
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Seats5
Vehicle Speed Control4
Tires2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

01I006000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Pedals And LinkagesReported 02/07/2001

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1992-1994 CHEVROLET AND GMC SUBURBANS EQUIPPED WITH VACUUM… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW BRAKE PEDAL PAD. IN ADDITION, DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE-BOOSTER OUTPUT ROD AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 19 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
0206030082007-06-01Electrical SystemLOW VOLTAGE DISPLAY ON IP GAUGE, LIGHTS DIM AT STOP LIGHTS, BATTERY DISCHARGED, NO START…
020730024A2005-08-01Power TrainDIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY…
30052004-01-01Equipment93-00 FULL SIZE UTILITIES (GMT 400 OLD STYLE ONLY) AC BLOWS WARM AND THE HIGH SIDE…
990730016A2002-10-01Power TrainDIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR…
011252001-06-29Service Brakes, HydraulicSPECIAL POLICY BULLETIN REGARDING PRODUCT ENHANCEMENT BRAKE SYSTEM SUBJECTIVE FEEL / POOR…

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 4WD. 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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1993 Suburban 4WD take?

5.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1993 Suburban 4WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.