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U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Oldsmobile BRAVADA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

238 owner complaints analyzed

10 distinct recall campaigns

43,100 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 108 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 24 of 238 complaints (10.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation3113.0%
Braking behavior2912.2%
Steering behavior2912.2%
Transmission and shifting198.0%
Electrical and battery issues156.3%
Fuel system concerns20.8%

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.

Electrical System
24
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
19
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
16
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
13
Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)
12
Suspension
11
Engine And Engine Cooling
10
Steering
10
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System24
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine19
Power Train:Automatic Transmission16
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline13
Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)12
Suspension11
Engine And Engine Cooling10
Steering10

Electrical System: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 19; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 16; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 13; Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive): 12; Suspension: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Steering: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
35
25,000 to 49,999
22
50,000 to 74,999
22
75,000 to 99,999
6
100,000 to 149,999
15
150,000 and above
8
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00035
25,000 to 49,99922
50,000 to 74,99922
75,000 to 99,9996
100,000 to 149,99915
150,000 and above8

Under 25,000: 35; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 15; 150,000 and above: 8

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (35). 130 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.

2001
21
2002
51
2003
52
2004
31
2005
21
2006
7
2007
7
2008
11
2009
4
2010
4
2011
5
2012
2
2013
2
2014
4
2015
7
2016
2
2017
2
2018
1
2019
1
2020
1
2022
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200121
200251
200352
200431
200521
20067
20077
200811
20094
20104
20115
20122
20132
20144
20157
20162
20172
20181
20191
20201
20222

2001: 21; 2002: 51; 2003: 52; 2004: 31; 2005: 21; 2006: 7; 2007: 7; 2008: 11; 2009: 4; 2010: 4; 2011: 5; 2012: 2; 2013: 2; 2014: 4; 2015: 7; 2016: 2; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2022: 2

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 31 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 29 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 10000814 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)

ON 12/11/02, I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND WAS TRAVELING IN THE PASSING LANE GOING AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH WHEN MY SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO 30 MPH AND MY BRAKE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYED : SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CONTACT ONSTAR DISPLAYED ALSO. I, SOMEHOW, MERGED TO THE RIGHT LANE OF THE EXPRESSWAY AND AT THIS TIME, MY BRAKES WERE STILL TO THE FLOOR AND THE SPEEDOMETER WAS CONTINUING TO DECLINE. STEERING WAS DIFFICULT. I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD, B…

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000814 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004749 · 2003-01-27 (January 27, 2003)

WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004749 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002978 · 2003-01-19 (January 19, 2003)

GOING ABOUT 50 MPH ON INTERSTATE WHEN ENGINE LOST POWER. HAD MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES, INCLUDING ABS AND SERVICE BRAKES. PULLED OFF ON EXIT RAMP AND STOPPED ON GRASS COMPLETELY OFF TRAVEL LANE. TRIED TO RESTART ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. BEFORE I COULD TAKE OTHER ACTION, I WAS HIT IN THE LEFT REAR BY ANOTHER CAR, WHICH PUSHED MY VEHICLE ABOUT 50 FEET BACK INTO THE TRAVEL LANE. DAMAGE TO REAR QUARTER PANEL, BUMPER, AND TAILGATE. MY VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER WAS ABLE TO START ON FIRST ATTEMPT. NO PRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,910 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002978 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023420 · 2003-06-19 (June 19, 2003)

NOTICE FROM GM, CONCERNING 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA, OF POSSIBILITY OF COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WITH NO WARNING AND UNPREDICTABLE. NO OFFER TO REPAIR KNOWN DEFECT. SUPRISE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE ALONG WITH POSSIBLE DESTRUCTION OF STEERING AND/OR BRAKES NOT AN ACCEPTABLE OPTION. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023420 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000861 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)

FRONT BUMPER DESIGN IS DANGEROUS. GM INDICATED TO ME THAT THE CLEARANCE OF THE TRUCK'S PLASTIC BUMPER IS EIGHT INCHES. BUMPER FELL OFF BACKING OUT OF 6-8" OF SNOW ON DRIVEWAY SURFACE. DANGEROUS DRIVING ON WINTER ROADS WITH LOW FRONT BUMPER CLEARANCE. OTHER: TRANSMISSION VIBRATION. EVIDENT WHEN VEHICLE PUCHASED ON 8/29/02. AWD LIGHT APPEARED ON AND OFF BEGAN DEC. 25, 2002. DEALER SAID AWD LIGHT PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED ON JANUARY 7, 2003.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,410 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000861 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009864 · 2003-03-26 (March 26, 2003)

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT BUMPER HAD FALLEN OFF. THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT, THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATING-(COULD NOT DUPLICATE), AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT SOON HAD COME ON. SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 3,410 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009864 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002830 · 2003-01-17 (January 17, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AT APPROX 40 MPH MY 2002 OLDS BRAVADA COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THE MOTOR QUIT AND I LOST ALL POWER AND ELECTRICAL. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE FOR APPROX 35 MINUTES. AFTER THIS 35 MIN THE ENGINE DID START AND I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS TOLD THE PCM HAD SHORTED OUT AND IT WAS REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT HAD I BEEN TRAVELING ON A BU…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,370 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002830 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10206784 · 2007-10-24 (October 24, 2007)

FUEL PUMP FAILURE AND GAS LEAK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 82,365 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206784 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10290779 · 2009-11-03 (November 3, 2009)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE GAS TANK LEAKS AT THE TOP OF THE SENDING UNIT BECAUSE OF CORROSION. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MEDAL FILLING AT THE TOP OF THE SENDING UNIT WAS CORRODED. HE THEN ADDED THAT HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10290779 at NHTSA ↗