Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet C/K Pickups, most frequently naming the brakes, other / unspecified and body & structure categories. 4 NHTSA investigations name it; and 3 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2003 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 2 |
| Mar 2004 | 1 | 3 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 4 |
| Jan 2005 | 1 | 5 |
| Aug 2005 | 1 | 6 |
| Jul 2007 | 1 | 7 |
| Oct 2007 | 1 | 8 |
| Nov 2007 | 1 | 9 |
| Oct 2008 | 1 | 10 |
| Feb 2010 | 1 | 11 |
| Sep 2010 | 1 | 12 |
| Jun 2011 | 1 | 13 |
| Aug 2015 | 1 | 14 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
ODI'S REVIEW OF COMPLAINT DATA RECEIVED SINCE THE CLOSE OF EA04-011 REVEALED NO INDICATION THAT THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE RE-OPENED.MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE ENCLOSED IN THE DP05-009 PUBLIC FILE.ODI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION IN THE FUTURE SHOULD CONDITIONS WARRANT.
HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILRES
GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
ODI OPENED PE03-057 TO ASSESS PARKING BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKES THAT INCORPORATE A SINGLE-SHOE DRUM-IN-HAT PARKING BRAKE INDEPENDENT OF THE SERVICE BRAKES.COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA INDICATE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE LININGS TEND TO WEAR OUT EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (AT AN AVERAGE OF 24 MONTHS IN SERVICE), REDUCING THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM'S TORQUE BELOW THAT NEEDED TO IMMOBILIZE THE VEHICLE.GM HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS ACCELERATED WEAR TO FOREIGN MATERIAL INTRUSION AND A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SHOE TO PROPERLY SELF-CENTER WITHIN ITS BRAKE DRUM.EFFECTIVE WITH THE START OF MY 2003 PRODUCTION, A NEWER REDUCED FORCE HOLD-DOWN CLIP WAS INTRODUCED TO FACILITATE BRAKE SHOE DISENGAGEMENT FROM THE DRUM SURFACE.THIS PART IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE SERVICE LEVEL FOR THE MY 1999-2002 VEHICLES.GM HAS INDICATED THAT THE PAKING BRAKE IS INTENDED TO OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION TO IMMOBILZE PARKED VEHICLES, AND THAT IN MANY CASES, ACCELERATED PARKING BRAKE LINING WEAR IS CAUSED BY ROUGH USE, VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AND DRIVING WITH THE PARKING ENGAGED. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING PARKING BRAKE USAGE FACTORS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SEVENTEEN REPORTED VEHICLE CRASHES.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
INITIALLY WE HAD THE BRAKES CHANGED, THEN WE TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY WERE TEST DRIVING IT, AND TRIED TO STOP THE TRUCK, AND RAN INTO THE WELDER IN THE SHOP AND DESTROYED THE WELDER AND WRECKED THE FRONT BUMPER OF OUR TRUCK. WE THEN HAD THE BEARINGS WORKED ON. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND WHERE SOME TRUCKS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM OF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGING AT SLOW SPEEDS. OUR TRUCK HAS A VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN TRYING TO STOP, BUT IT ONLY OCCURS AT THE FINAL STAGE OF STOPPING, AT SLOW SPEEDS. IT HAS OCCURED NUMEROUS TIMES, AND WITH NO WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE ROAD.
I PURCHASED A 2002 CHEV. K1500 5.3LITER 4X4 PICKUP IN OCT. 2010. ONCE I TOOK THE TRUCK HOME THE BRAKES STARTED ACTING UP. I CONTACT GM AND THEY ADVISED THE TRUCK HAD A RECALL ON THE ABS SYSTEM BUT THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORM ON THE TRUCK AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANY MORE FOR ME. I THOUGHT IF IT WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM THEY HAD TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THE ABS SYSTEM IS KICKING IN AT LOW SPEED UNDER 10MPH. WHEN YOU ARE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT OR AT A CROSS WALK. AND THE TRUCK WILL TAKE TWICE THE DISTANCE TO STOP. THEY DO NOT THINK THEY ARE NEEDING TO DO ANYTHING WITH THE PROBLEM. BUT, THEY ARE DOING A DISSATISFACTION TO THE CONSUMER. I AM A EMPLOYEE AT A AUTO REPAIR SHOP. AND WE ARE SEEING 1 OR 2 A MONTH WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL GM NEED TO STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT AND THEY ARE NOT. IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE TO HAVE THE ABS BRAKE KICK IN AND RUN SOMEONE OVER. BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT MAY NEED TO BE LOOK INTO VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING ON MORE THEN JUST THE TRUCKS. CARS AND SUV ARE ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR
I OWN A 2002 SILVERADO 1500. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS BRAKES KICKING IN AT ABOUT 5 MPH AND NEARLY CAUSING SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I WAS ABLE TO CLEAN THE ABS SENSORS AND MOUNTING AREAS AND ONCE AGAIN HAVE BRAKES. HOWEVER,NOW(SEPT. 2010) THE METAL BRAKE LINES UNDER THE DRIVERS DOOR RUSTED THROUGH AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH 3 PEOPLE INSIDE,INCLUDING MY SON AND HIS 3 YEAR OLD SON. I AM HAVING IT TAKEN TO A GARAGE TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. I HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES, NONE OF WHICH HAVE HAD THESE PROBLEMS. *TR
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES KICK IN AT SLOW SPEEDS. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK. THEY ISSUED A RECALL FOR MY BRAKES, BUT ALL THEY DO IS CLEAN THE SENSOR, SO WHEN THEY GET DIRTY, THEY START DOING IT AGAIN. I CONTACTED MY CHEVY DEALER,AND HE SAID THEY COULD LOOK AT IT, MIGHT HAVE TO CHARGE ME THOUGH. *TR
STARTED OUT TO WORK ONE MORNING,TRUCK PERFORMED FINE. STOPPED FOR GAS RESTARTED TRUCK,NOTICED THAT BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT FURTHER THAN NORMAL ,AND IT TOOK MORE FOOT PRESSURE TO STOP. CONTINUED TO WORK,WORKED,DROVE HOME. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR,AND HAD NO STOPPING POWER. NEXT MORNING CHECKED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR ,IT WAS EMPTY. I THAN NOTICED PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER DRIVERSIDE OF TRUCK. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED TO MY SURPRISE RUST THROUGH ON THE STEEL BRAKE LINE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED WAS TOLD THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. HAD TRUCK TOWED TO DEALER,SERVICE MANAGER WANTED GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT OF 40 DOLLARS AND CHANGE TO LOOK AT IT,TO CONFIRM WHAT I ALREADY KNEW THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. THEY SAID THIS WAS NORMAL AND WOULD NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR IT,ONLY TO OFFER SMALL CREDIT TOWARDS PARTS,WHICH AMOUNTS TO NOTHING. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO NOW ,AND ARE MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK HOME. *TR
2002 CHEVROLET 1500 SILVERADO PICKUP 4 WHEEL DRIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PARKING BRAKE FAILS AND GOES TO FLOOR.........IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED AND DOES NOT WORK ...FAIL STATE INSPECTION.......DEFECTIVE DESIGN. *TR
I RELIED ON THE PARKING BRAKE WHILE I WAS DOING SOME WORK. THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO HOLD, AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED. LUCKILY I NEARLY AVOIDED BEING STRUCK. FURTHER ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM ON ALL CHEVY AND GM PICKUP TRUCKS FOR 2002. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, BUT NOT THOSE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE RELIED ON TO HOLD THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES PROVIDE THE UPGRADED PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM FOR THESE VEHICLES. THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REDESIGNED ON 2003 VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO PROPERLY REVIEW THIS ISSUE, NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE COMPLAINTS FOR ALL GM AND CHEVY PICKUP TRUCKS. YOU WILL SEE A MULTITUDE OF LISTINGS FOR PARKING BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE RECALL OF NHTSA 05V161000 AS THERE IS NO MECHANICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEMS ON THE MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS. *TR
ABS PULSATED AT LOW SPEEDS AND DID NOT STOP, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENTS. HAD TO PULL ABS FUSE TO DISABLE IT. *AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
GENERAL MOTORS: INFORMATION PROVIDED BY BULLETIN FOR ALL 2012 AND PRIOR GENERAL MOTOR TRUCKS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES REGARDING THE ADJUSTABLE COMFORT AND CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY OF THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER HEAD RESTRAINT. *PE
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP
SOME VEHICLES HAVE A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT MAY NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE FLUID IS LOW, WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT MEET THE PARTIAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENT OF REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY. *SLC
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS; INTERIOR LIGHTING
IPC, INTERIOR LIGHTS AND/OR HEADLAMPS FLICKER. *AK FB2
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.