Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet C/K Series, most frequently naming the brakes and suspension categories. 4 NHTSA investigations name it; and 7 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 2012 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 2013 | 1 | 3 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 4 |
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
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK MY BRAKES FAILED. THE BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED AND PITTED. AN OBVIOUS DESIGN ERROR, A COMPONENT THAT CAN FAIL IN AN INSTANT RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSTOPPABLE SHOULD BE MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL. CHEAP AND LIGHTWEIGHT MAY BE OK FOR A FENDER IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR A BRAKE LINE. *TR
INCIDENT #1 ABS BRAKES FAILED COMING TO A STOP FROM INTERSTATE OFF RAMP GOING DOWN A HILL. APPLIED BRAKES AND WHEN VEH SPEED GOT BELOW 10MPH BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED BACK AGAINST MY FOOT CAUSING VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOUR LINE HIGHWAY. NOTE: NO TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT THIS INTERSECTION AND VEHICLE SPPEED LIMIT WAS 55 MPH FOR ON HIGHWAY USERS. THAT WAS SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS TRUCK. INCIDENT #2 TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT APPROX 80,000 MILES. GM DID COVER THE REPAIRS AFTER I PAID GOOD WILLED DEDUCTABLE ONLY SO THAT I WOULD HAVE VALID WARRANTY ON REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FOR FUTURE FAILURE. DEALER STATED THAT FIRST AND REVERSE CLUTCHES HAD WELDED THEMSELVES TOGETHER. INCIDENT #3 HAD 26 FOOT TRAVEL TRAVILER HOOKED TO TRUCK, LOADED FAMILY OF FOUR IN VEHICLE TO BEGIN OUR TRIP, STARTED TRUCK APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL SHIFTED INTO GEAR PULLED APPROX 100 FT TO TURN LEFT ONTO TWO LANE HIGHWAY, APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. TURNED HARD RIGHT TO AVOID ONCOMING CAR TRAVELING AT 55 MPH AND RAN OFF INTO 2 FOOT DITCH TAKING TRAILER WITH TRUCK AND LUCKLY ENOUGH TRAILER GOT HUNG ON BUMPER AND STOPED VEHICLE. NERVIOUSLY I HAD WIFE GET OUT OF TRUCK AND GET IN DRIVERS SEAT APPLY BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE TO FIND THAT REAR BRAKE LINE ON LEFT FRAME RAIL HAD RUSTED THROUGH. THE CONDITION OF THIS TRUCK WHICH HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT HAS LEFT ME BAFFLED AS NOW BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT ROCKER PANELS HAVE RUSTED COMPLETLY OUT AS WELL AS RUSTED OUT BRAKE BACKING PLATES AND THE BED SIDE WHEEL OPENINGS HAVE STARTED TO BUBBLE FROM RUST. I FEEL AS IF I HAVE PURCHASED A COMPLETE LEMON AS WELL AS A DANGER TO MYSELF AND FAMILY. WHAT WILL FAIL NEXT? FUEL LINES SPRAYING GAS? THIS VEHICLE IS HOUSED IN VIRGINIA! *TR
LOST ALL BRAKES. AFTER INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD CORRODED AND SPRUNG A LEAK. HAD TO STOP TRUCK WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE. *TR
NEW TRUCK CHEVROLET C5500 HAS HAD A VIBRATION SINCE PURCHASE. GM REFUSES TO FIX. HAS CAUSED THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR TO BE REPLACED. THIS VIBRATION IS GETTING WORSE AND IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PROPERLY SEE OUT OF THE MIRROR AND MAKE SAFE LANE CHANGES. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE MORE TRUCKS LIKE THIS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *LA
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
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CRANKSHAFT REAR OIL SEAL LEAKS DURING EXTREME COLD WEATHER OPERATION. ON CERTAIN MODELS INCLUDING THE CHEVROLET AND GMC C4500/C5500 MODELS. *TT
EMERGING ISSUES SEMINAR ONTHE IDL BROADCAST SYSTEM. *TT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ROUGH IDLE AFTER START, AND/OR A SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) LIGHT. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 1995 CHEVROLET AND GMC S/T MODELS. *TT
CUSTOMER COMPLAINT OF A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. *TT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
DIAGNOSING OXYGEN SENSOR PROBLEMS. *TT
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.