2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500 Problems

2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 2500 WITH 8.1 ENGINE DIES WITHOUT WARNING AT DRIVING SPEEDS. THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, AFTER THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AND NO BRAKES FOR THIS 7000 POUND VEHICLE. SOMETIMES, ONCE PULLED OVER AND SHUTTING EVERYTHING OFF AND TRYING TO RESTART IT WILL RESTART, SOMETIMES TAKING UP TO 10 MINUTES OF TRYING TO CRANK IT INTERMITTENTLY BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. IT HAS DONE THIS, OFF AND ON, AT RANDOM INTERVALS OVER THE YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET OTHERS FROM WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND MOST LIKELY SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WHICH SOME SAY HAS BEEN RECALLED ON THE 2001 MODEL ENGINE FOR THE SILVERADOS, BUT CANNOT FIND ANYTHING FOR THE SAME 2002 ENGINE, WHICH IS THE SAME ENGINE. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND FRIGHTENING ENOUGH AT "BACK ROAD" SPEEDS, BUT CONSIDERABLY MORE SO AT MAJOR HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, LEAVING THE DRIVER UNABLE TO STEER, BRAKE OR IMMEDIATELY RESTART THE VEHICLE LEAVING IT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE THERE IS NO CODE IN THE ECM SO THE DEALERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE?

THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IDLING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND AFTER PULLING OUT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. AFTER TRYING FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES IT RESTARTED. THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INSTANCE, BUT HAS NOW HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND EVEN WHEN IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT. *TR

WITH MY AVALANCHE, I WAS TOWING A TRAILER WITH A CAR LOADED AND TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 10 MPH, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW FOR A TURN AND LOST NEARLY ALL THE BRAKING POWER. I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES FORWARD OF THE ABS MODULE LOCATED INSIDE THE LEFT FRAME RAIL DIRECTLY BENEATH THE DRIVERS SEAT HAD RUPTURED DUE TO CORROSION. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED ALL BRAKE LINES IN THAT AREA WERE COVERED WITH CORROSION. ALL BRAKE LINE WERE REPLACED WITH NEW STAINLESS STEEL LINES AFTER RESEARCHING THAT THIS VERY COMMON PROBLEM WAS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR RECALL. REPAIR COST: $950.00. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT BRAKE PROBLEMS OF THIS FREQUENCY AND MAGNITUDE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL AS IT IS APPARENT THAT IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND VERY DANGEROUS.

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2002 AVALANCHE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING OR DASH LIGHTS. ALTHOUGH HE DID GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION HE WAS TRYING TO STOP FOR THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AND NO ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM WAS A BRAKE LINE FAILING.

VEHICLE STALLS AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, HIGHWAY DRIVING, TRUCK HESITATES AND JERKS, AND COMES TO THE NEAR POINT OF STALLING, AND LOW SPEEDS, VEHICLE DOES THE SAME, HESITATES, AND JERKS, STALLS, ALL SYSTEMS FAIL. STARTS BACK UP UPON SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL. MECHANIC SAYS IT IS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ON THE 8.1 L 8100 SERIES MOTOR, THE SAME MOTOR THAT IS IN THE 2001 MODEL SILVERADO, SIERRA, AND SUBURBANS THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. LOCATION IS IN THE BACK OF THE MOTOR MAKING IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE OUT WITHOUT MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR WORK, REMOVING INTAKE MANIFOLD AND OTHER COMPLEX THINGS, TO REPAIR AN APPARENT $60 PART. DANGEROUS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATION THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AND HAPPENED ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN CARED FOR COMPLETELY. ALSO, DANGEROUS DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TASK OF STEERING IT TO A SAFE PLACE WITH NO POWER BRAKES OR STEERING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MECHANIC SAYS PART IT ALMOST 100% PLASTIC AND CAN SUCCUMB TO HIGH AND LOW VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE AND BREAK DOWN IN COMPOSITION. WHICH, IT HAS DONE IN THIS TRUCK, AGAIN WITHOUT NO WARNING, AND NO APPARENT COST EFFECTIVE REPAIR. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE 2002 MODEL YEAR AS WELL AS THE SAME 8.1 L MOTOR WAS INSTALLED IN THE CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 TRUCK (BY THE WAY, THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT IN 2001), WHICH, OTHER THAT THE DIFFERENT BODY STYLE HAS THE SAME CHASSIS AND MOTOR AS THE SUBURBAN. VERY DANGEROUS FOR A WOMAN, WHO CANNOT OR DOES NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO STEER A 7,000 POUND TRUCK THAT COMPLETELY STALLED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.

2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 2500 WITH 8.1 ENGINE DIES WITHOUT WARNING AT DRIVING SPEED. THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, AFTER THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO PROBLEMS WITH ALTERNATOR OR BATTERY CHARGE. NO SPUTTERING OR SLUGGISHNESS, NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AND NO BRAKES FOR THIS 7K POUND VEHICLE! SOMETIMES, ONCE PULLED OVER AND SHUTTING EVERYTHING OFF AND TRYING TO RESTART IT WILL RESTART IMMEDIATELY, SOMETIMES IT TAKES UP TO 10 MINUTES OF TRYING TO CRANK IT INTERMITTENTLY BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. IT HAS DONE THIS TWICE IN THE LAST THREE DAYS AND A DOZEN TIMES AT RANDOM INTERVALS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET OTHERS FROM WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND MOST LIKELY SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WHICH SOME SAY HAS BEEN RECALLED ON THE 2001 MODEL ENGINE FOR THE SILVERADOS, BUT CANNOT FIND ANYTHING FOR THE SAME 2002 ENGINE. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND FRIGHTENING ENOUGH AT "NEIGHBORHOOD" SPEEDS, BUT CONSIDERABLY MORE SO AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, LEAVING THE DRIVER UNABLE TO STEER, BRAKE OR IMMEDIATELY RESTART THE VEHICLE LEAVING IT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE! *TR

THE AVALANCHE IS OUR TOW VEHICLE (ONLY) WHICH IS WHY IT HAS SO FEW MILES FOR A 2002 MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. NORMALLY IT IS TOWING A 9000 POUND 28 FOOT TOY HAULER, BUT JUST BY PURE LUCK IT WAS TOWING A SINGLE AXLE FLAT BED TRAILER WITH THE CAB FOR A 1935 CHEVROLET PICKUP ON IT BACK FROM THE BODY SHOP. I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND TRIED TO STOP AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. TRIED TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKES AND THE CABLE SNAPPED. STOPPED BY DRIVING UP A HILL INTO THE GRASS. TOOK THE AVALANCHE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE BRAKE LINES ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THEY WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. IN THE COURSE OF GETTING THE BRAKE LINES OUT THEY FOUND THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE ALSO LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL FOR REPAIR WAS $2900.00, PLUS THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 6 WEEKS. GRANTED THE VEHICLE IS 12 YEARS OLD, BUT I HAVE A 1963 STUDEBAKER THAT STILL HAS SOLID BRAKE AND FUEL LINES. IT IS ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT THE AVALANCHE WASN'T TOWING A 9000 POUND 28 FOOT LONG TRAILER AT 70 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT, NO INDICATION AT ALL THAT THERE WAS A PENDING PROBLEM. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE RECALLED, AND I NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FUEL TANKS AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FUEL PUMP WIRES AND PORT WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT FUEL PUMP AND RELATED COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR WERE NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

TRAILER HITCH. WELDS HAVE CRACKS. LOOKS LIKE THE WELDS WERE NEVER COMPLETED. FIRST NOTICED FLEXING IN THE HITCH AND REPLACED IT BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENED. I'M SENDING LINKS TO A FEW PICTURES. LOOK ALONG THE WELDS ON THE ROUND TUBE. THE CRACKS APPEAR AS LINES ON THE WELDS OF THE ROUND TUBES. PICTURES OF HITCH.... HTTP://I163.PHOTOBUCKET.COM/ALBUMS/T313/MIKJHEN/100_0886.JPG HTTP://I163.PHOTOBUCKET.COM/ALBUMS/T313/MIKJHEN/100_0892.JPG HTTP://I163.PHOTOBUCKET.COM/ALBUMS/T313/MIKJHEN/100_0888.JPG HTTP://I163.PHOTOBUCKET.COM/ALBUMS/T313/MIKJHEN/100_0893.JPG. *TR

TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER SEEMS TO TWIST SLIGHTLY WHEN USED. *JB

A GUY RAN THROUGH A STOP SIGN WHICH CAUSED ME TO HIT HIM NEAR THE END OF HIS VEHICLE. HE WAS TRYING AN XTERRA AND I HIT HM HEAD ON NEAR THE END OF HIS VEHICLE HOWEVER MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY TRUCK IS GONE, RADIATOR IS EXPOSED AND HOOD PUSHED UP TO THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

2002 GM TRUCK. YELLOWING AND DOUBLE VISION IN DRIVER SIDE REARVIEW MIRROR. HAS DEGRADED OVER PAST TWO YEARS. HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL GM VEHICLES WITH SAME PROBLEM, BOTH CARS AND TRUCKS. *TR

DAY TIME RUNNING LAMPS KEEP FAILING. EVERY TIME I REPLACE THE BURNED OUT BULB SOON THE OTHER BULBS BURN OUT. THE ISSUE IS APPARENT ON MANY FULL SIZE GM TRUCKS. *TR

I PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK AND WAS UNABLE TO PUT IT BACK INTO GEAR. *TR

THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS GOING 65 MPH AND MY ENGINE DIED I HAD NO POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD TO PUSH. I WAS ABLE TO PUT MY TRUCK IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART IT. THE SECOND TIME THE ENGINE DIED I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND IT SHUT OFF. THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK, JUST GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I MADE A LEFT AND WAS GOING TO THE NEXT LIGHT TO MAKE A RIGHT AND THE ENGINE DIED. I TRIED TO PUT THE BRAKES ON, BUT THEY WERE VERY TIGHT AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I HAD TO FIGHT TO TURN THE WHEEL AND JUST MADE THE TURN WITHOUT HITTING THE OTHER TRAFFIC. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 EQUIPPED WITH HERCULES LINE ALL TRACK TIRES (N/A), SIZE 265/75/R16, DOT JENKECL, SERIAL NSS-010733. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AND TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 87,000.