2002 Chevrolet SILVERADO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
710 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
46,567 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 495 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 133 of 710 complaints (18.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 357 | 50.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 64 | 9.0% |
| Steering behavior | 56 | 7.9% |
| Engine operation | 12 | 1.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 12 | 1.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 1.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 133 |
| Service Brakes | 70 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 57 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 47 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 43 |
| Parking Brake | 26 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 24 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 20 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 133; Service Brakes: 70; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 57; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 47; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 43; Parking Brake: 26; Air Bags:Frontal: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 20
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 109 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 158 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 100 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 50 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 54 |
| 150,000 and above | 24 |
Under 25,000: 109; 25,000 to 49,999: 158; 50,000 to 74,999: 100; 75,000 to 99,999: 50; 100,000 to 149,999: 54; 150,000 and above: 24
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (158). 215 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 75 |
| 2003 | 100 |
| 2004 | 119 |
| 2005 | 195 |
| 2006 | 50 |
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2008 | 12 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2010 | 16 |
| 2011 | 18 |
| 2012 | 25 |
| 2013 | 24 |
| 2014 | 32 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 3 |
2001: 6; 2002: 75; 2003: 100; 2004: 119; 2005: 195; 2006: 50; 2007: 16; 2008: 12; 2009: 7; 2010: 16; 2011: 18; 2012: 25; 2013: 24; 2014: 32; 2015: 12; 2016: 3
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 357 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 64 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 56 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000195 · 2002-12-17 (December 17, 2002)
VEHICLE ROLLED BACK WHILE IN PARK. TRUCK WAS FOUND AGAINST THE HOUSE WITH THE DOORS LOCKED AND STILL IN PARK. EMERGENCY BRAKE IS TYPICALLY ENGAGED BECAUSE IT IS PARKED ON A SLOPE DRIVE BUT IT WAS FOUND DISENGAGED. WHILE BEING TOWED IT ALSO ROLLED WHILE LOADING ONTO THE TOW TRUCK. AGAIN, IT WAS IN PARK WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. VEHICLE WAS LOOKED AT BY TWO SEPARATE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS WITH NO CAUSE FOUND. DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE TRUCK AND THE HOME BUT SINCE GM COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DAMAGES. WILL MOST…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000195 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001474 · 2003-01-14 (January 14, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED THE SHOULDER BELTS LOCKED UP, IN WHICH CONSUMER WAS PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO VIEW THE TRAFFIC WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. THE BRAKES WERE NOT BEING APPLIED AT THE TIME AND ALMOST CAUSED THREE BAD ACCIDENTS BECAUSE THE DRIVER COULDN'T VIEW THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM BEHIND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A DEFECT. SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001474 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008924 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)
THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS DEFECTIVE, WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED A SPEED OF 70 MPH IT LOST POWER AND HAD BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE. *JB THERE WAS A SLIPPAGE IN THE DRIVE TRAIN, MADE EXCESSIVE NOISE WHEN SHIFTING UP OR DOWN, AND IS EASY TO COME APART. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED TO LOSE CONTACT WITH THE REAR END. (ALT NO. FOR THE CONSUMER DAYTIME IS: [phone removed]) SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008924 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010387 · 2003-03-13 (March 13, 2003)
TRANSMISSION SLIPS DURING THE 1-2 UP SHIFT AT MODERATE THROTTLE INPUT CAUSING A DISTINCTIVE CLUNK AND COULD BE A POSSIBLE SAFETY CONCERN ON TWO WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES ON SLIPPERY ROADS, WHERE AS VEHICLE LOSS OF CONTROL COULD OCCUR WHEN TRANSMISSION ENGAGES. VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALER TWICE WITH CONCERN, ONE ATTEMPT TO FIX WITH REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SHAFT. THIS DID NOT HELP. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010387 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000635 · 2002-12-30 (December 30, 2002)
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CURVY MAOUNTAIN ROAD AND STEERING TO THE LEFT IN A TURN. MY STEERING LOCKED UP AND I HAD NO CONTROL. I GOT THE TRUCK STOPPED BEFORE WE WENT OVER A SEVERAL HUNDRED FOOT DROP. I HAD MY WIFE, 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, AND 6 MONTH OLD SON IN THE TRUCK WITH ME. I GOT THE STEERING UNLOCKED AND DROVE HOME. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID SINCE THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THEY WILL NOT FIX OR REPLACE ANYTHING IN THE FRONT END OR STEERING WITHOUT DUPLICATING THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING A TRUCK THAT HAS DO…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000635 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004048 · 2003-01-16 (January 16, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL CONTINUOUSLY PULL TO THE RIGHT, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR AND DID SOME ALIGNMENT, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PH THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ALIGNED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, AND HAVE NOT CORRECTED. THE FRONT TIRES WERE WEARING OUT UNEVENLY. SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004048 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002282 · 2003-01-07 (January 7, 2003)
WHEN ACCELERATING, CONSUMER STATES GAS PEDAL HAS TO BE PRESS ABOUT 3 QUARTERS OF AN INCH BEFORE VEHICLE WILL MOVE. THIS SOMETIMES CAUSES VEHICLE AND TO STALL AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING REAR ENDED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002282 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020481 · 2003-05-23 (May 23, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLES FUEL INJECTORS FAILED AND CAUSED A DRASTIC LOSS OF POWER. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS AT 36,500 MILES AND THE SECOND FAILURE WAS AT 39,700 MILES. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 365,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020481 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10012411 · 2003-03-25 (March 25, 2003)
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *JB WIRING FROM ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP IN GAS TANK CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED TWO HOLES IN THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. *TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012411 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017390 · 2003-04-22 (April 22, 2003)
THE FUEL INJECTOR LEAKED DIESEL GAS ONTO THE ENGINE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017390 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064849 · 2004-04-20 (April 20, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS BECAME DIM WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *NM PROBLEM WAS REFERRED TO TSB RELATING TO NORMAL FUNCTION OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, RATTLE FROM REAR END. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND FOUND LEAF SPRING PADS WORN OUT. CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE HAS OI LEAK FROM FRONT IF VEHICLE. AS THE DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, IT WAS FOUND THAT FRONT SHOCKS WERE LEAKING FLUID. DEALER REPLACED BOTH SHOCKS. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 35,094 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064849 at NHTSA ↗