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Six Facts about the GMC K15/k1500 Suburban

  • The Suburban marquee wasn't always solely associated to GMC and the GMC K15/k1500 Suburban. During the 30s, different American car companies such as Dodge and Plymouth named its station wagons the same way as well. It wasn't until the 60s when General Motors, the mother company of GMC, was the only company that could use the Suburban name. Come the late 80s, GM finally acquired the exclusive rights to use the marquee for its cars.

  • Under GM, the Suburban marquee has been used to indicate various types of big vehicles. The name has been attached to SUVs, station wagons, and trucks. Simply put, think of a big car manufactured by GM, and there's a big chance it carried the name at one point during its history.

  • GM still ended up using Suburban on different models. It seems the name is better used as a platform description rather than a model. To illustrate, the frames that carried the name led to the creation of various GM trucks over the years: the Chevrolet Suburban, the GMC Suburban, and the Cadillac Escalade.

  • The C/K designation of GM was used to signify the vehicle's drivetrain. C meant that the car had a front-wheel-drive system. K on the other hand was an all-wheel-drive truck. The K-option, as found in the GMC K15/k1500 Suburban, wasn't introduced to the GM lineup until the 60s. Before that, its vehicles were limited to only to 2WD. The AWD system certainly pleased the people who use their cars for big-man jobs.

  • GM uses a very similar naming method to call its models across different makes. To avoid confusion between Chevrolet vehicles, there was a time when GMC used the letters R and V in place of C and K. The letters were different, but the meaning remained the same.

  • Don't bother looking for a new truck that's named the GMC K15/k1500 Suburban. As of the year 2000, the Chevrolet Suburban is now the only car to carry the moniker. The successor of the GMC Suburban is now called the GMC Yukon, which still uses the same platform to that of the Chevrolet's.

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GMC K15/K1500 Suburban Articles

  • Frequent Faults of the GMC K1500

    17 January 2013

    Before the turn of the century, one of the best trucks to own was the full-size GMC K1500. Its huge bed powered by a strong engine was among the qualities one would get from it. With a good four-wheel-drive system, the vehicle was an instant choice for anybody looking for the most in utility and practicality. However, there are a few mechanical faults with the GMC K1500 that may its owner headaches. Here are a few of these:


    Oil filter

    Some replacement oil filters from the Fram brand for the 1994-1999 GMC K1500 are reported to be defective and unsuitable for installation. The affected items manufactured from May 2006 up to September 2007 use a weak gasket that is prone to damage when exposed to high levels of heat and pressure. Since oil regularly passes through the filter, continuous use could result to a loss of engine oil and fire. To avoid this catastrophic consequence, Fram has ordered a recall on these products and will gladly replace any defective products for free.


    Transmission

    Some models of the GMC K1500 from 1988 to 1993 have been recalled because of a transmission issue. Leaking transmission fluid from the vent tube has been observed because of unexpected heat coming from the gearbox. At its worst, the liquid may catch fire if ever it comes into contact with something that can ignite it. A longer tube placed on the left side of the engine compartment can prevent this problem.

    Another problem is the hard shift from 1st to 2nd gear. It may persist no matter how much the truck is restarted. It may be due to a slipping transmission, busted torque sensors, burnt clutches, old solenoids, or a bad gearbox as a whole.


    Front door

    There is a technical service bulletin that involves some of the GMC K1500s manufactured between 1988 up to 1993. It states that one or both of the front doors of these trucks behave unusually. The door may appear dropped or sagged when open. It may also move awkwardly and make weird noises when opened and closed under extreme conditions. The cause of the problem may be a door-hinge pin and bushing that is prematurely worn.

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