Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 66 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 66, in the owner's own words
PASSENGER FRONT BRAKE IS LOCKING UP WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENTS AND CALIPER AND ROTOR REPLACEMENT. HAS CAUSE SMALL FIRE.
NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH, BUT UPON BREAKING AT SLOW SPEED THE PEDAL EITHER PUSHES BACK OR THE BRAKES SLOW THE VEHICLE AT A FRIGHTENINGLY SLOW PACE, ALL WHILE THE ABS SYSTEM IS ON AS IF SLIDING ON ICE, BUT IT WAS AND IS DRY PAVEMENT. THIS HAPPENS 95 -100% OF EVERY BRAKING ATTEMPT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO FIX SINCE THE COMPUTER CODES WERE BOUNCING ALL OVER THE PLACE. I SEE THIS IS A PROBLEM AFTER I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THE WEB. I PULLED THE MAIN ABS 60 FUSE UNDER THE HOOD TO TURN OFF THE SYSTEM. THIS CAUSES THE BREAK WARNING FAILURE LIGHT TO COME ON BUT I CAN AT LEAST STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A FAILURE ON A SAFETY SYSTEM (ABS) THAT ACTUALLY CAUSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE...AS EACH STOP IS A POTENTIAL CRASH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MAKING LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED UNWANTED ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATION WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MOUNTING SURFACE ON THE BEARING NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
CORRODED AND LEAKING BRAKE LINES. ABS ACTIVATING DURING LOW SPEED BRAKING.
WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES AT LOW SPEED I FEEL A CHATTERING LIKE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE ACTIVATED AND THE CAR WON'T STOP UNTIL I LET UP AND RE-APPLY PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL. I'VE COME CLOSE TO AN ACCIDENT MORE THAN ONCE.
WHILE DRIVING HOME, ON A HIGHWAY, I APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT CHANGED AND I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES TO STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. AFTER GETTING IT HOME I CHECKED THE BRAKES AND THEY LOOKED AS THOUGHT THEY SHOULD WORK (NOTE IT WAS INSPECTED IN DEC 2015 AND PASSED). AFTER MORE CHECKING I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME RAIL WERE RUSTED AND HAD FAILED AS THAT AREA WAS COVERED IN BRAKE FLUID. I PURCHASED MY 2002 Z71 SUBURBAN NEW THAT YEAR AND IT HAS LESS THAN 66,000 MILES ON IT NOW.
ALL BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS LIGHT UP INTERMITTENTLY, I CAN MAKE THEM GO OFF SOMETIMES BY SHUTTING DOWN AND RESTARTING ENGINE, BUT NOT ALWAYS. RECALL # 05V379000 COVERS SAME MODEL YEAR VEHICLES IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES, CORROSION ISSUE! MY LOCAL DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR BRAKE SENSOR PROBLEMS. BRAKES STILL FUNCTION NORMALLY EVEN WITH ALL WARNING LIGHTS "ON". I WANT THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED UNDER A SAFETY RECALL! I CAN'T ALLOW ANYONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. I AM A MECHANIC, NO ONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY WOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO IF THE BRAKES ACTUALLY DO FAIL WHILE DRIVING.
WIFE WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK WITH HER MOTHER, WENT TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR - LIMPED THE TRUCK HOME - CHECKED MASTER CYLINDER, ADDED FLUID AND WHEN WE PUSHED THE PEDAL, FLUID CAME POURING OUT THE CORRODED REAR BRAKE LINE - WHILE NO ONE WAS HURT THIS TIME, IT IS EASY TO IMAGINE HOW IT COULD OTHERWISE BEEN A DISASTER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
DRIVING IN CLOSE TRAFFIC (BUMPER TO BUMPER) UPHILL ON TWO LANE BRIDGE, BRAKE PEDAL JUST WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND NO BRAKES! FRANTICALLY, I WORKED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE. GOING DOWN THE BRIDGE I COASTED (NO AREA TO PULL OFF), ONCE OFF THE BRIDGE AND SAFE TO PULL OVER I DID SO. NOTHING APPEARED WRONG, SO I TRIED THE BRAKES A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND DECIDED I COULD MAKE THE .5 MILE REST OF WAY HOME. ONCE THERE, I FOUND FLUID LEVEL DOWN OVER HALF WAY. AFTER SEARCHING FOUND HARD BAKE LINE HAD HOLDS IN IT. AFTER SEARCHING MY BRAKE LINES, THEY APPEAR TO ALL BE RUSTED BADLY. IN ALL THE VEHICLES I'VE OWNED, I'VE NEVER HAD BRAKE LINES FAIL LIKE THIS. IN SEARCHING THE WEB SITES I FIND THAT CHEVY MAY HAVE USED INFERIOR METALS FOR THEIR BRAKE LINES DURING THIS TIME FRAME. IF THIS IS TRUE, WHY HAVE THEY NOT TAKEN CARE OF CORRECTING THIS ISSUE? THANKS, CONCERNED.
DRIVING DOWN L STREET IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA APPROACHING 96TH STREET. BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD JUST BEFORE LIGHT AT 96TH ST ON A SLIGHT HILL WHICH ASSISTED VEHICLE STOPPING. THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LOW. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO YECK'S AUTO IN BELLEVUE, NE. HAD I BEEN FOLLOWING OTHER VEHICLES CLOSELY OR APPROACHED A QUICK CHANGING YELLOW LIGHT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED. YECK'S AUTO HAS SINCE DETERMINED THE BRAKE LINES FAILED. AFTER INTERNET INVESTIGATION YIELDS THAT GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT. NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AT BEARDMORE CHEVROLET IN BELLEVUE, NE AT PRESCRIBED INTERVALS SINCE DAY 1. GM SAYING THIS IS NORMAL IS FRANKLY UNACCEPTABLE. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN AS LUCKY AS I WAS ON THIS DAY.
THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A PUBLIC ROAD AND WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN THERE WERE NO BRAKES OR PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL. VEHICLE WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO A STOP AFTER SOME EVASIVE DRIVING TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES. THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN DUE TO CORROSION OF THE FITTINGS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WITH THIS VEHICLE. NOW REPLACING ALL BREAK LINES TO AVOID TAKING ANY CHANCES. *TR
THE BRAKES WENT OUT DUE TO A CORRODED FITTING, WHILE BACKING A BOAT TRAILER/BOAT INTO THE WATER. SO NO BRAKES, USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE AND THE BRAKE LINE FITTING WAS REPAIRED. ON NOVEMBER 10, 2014 THE BRAKES WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IT. AGAIN A CORRODED FITTING. NO ACCIDENTS BUT RESULTED IN VEHICLE BEING TOWED AND NOW AN EXPENSIVE FIX TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES. *TR
MY WIFE HAD DRIVEN THE SUBURBAN LIKE ALWAYS AND WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. AT THE END OF THE DAY SHE PARKED IT AND IT SAT UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING. I WALKED OUT TO IT AND FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE I SAW A LARGE PUDDLE UNDERNEATH MY DRIVERS SIDE. WHEN I TURNED ON MY TRUCK THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON AND WHEN I SHIFTED INTO GEAR I NOTICED THE BRAKES WERE OUT. I CONTACTED GM AND GAVE THEM THE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER (EA11001) BUT SINCE THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING IN THEIR SYSTEM THEY CANNOT COVER ANYTHING. I SEE THAT THIS ISSUE IS THE SECOND ONE OPENED AND THIS ONE HAS BEEN OPENED SINCE JAN 5, 2011. *TR
VEHICLE BRAKING IS INTERMITTENTLY AFFECTING DURING LOW SPEED BRAKING. THE ABS ENGAGES PULSING THE BRAKES AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE BRAKING ABILITY AT LOW SPEEDS. THE BRAKE LINES, CALIPERS, AND PADS HAVE ALL BEEN CHECKED OR REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. THE SPEED SENSORS ON BOTH FROM HUBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOR POSSIBLE MALFUNCTION AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I HAVE TRIED TO CONSISTENTLY DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM ON VARIOUS GRADES, TERRAIN, TURNING DIRECTION, AND SPEED WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT AND NO WARMING EXISTS PRIOR TO FAILURE. *TR
WITH OUT WARNING, UPON APPROACHING A STOP SIGN MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR.THANK THE LORD I WAS ABLE TO STOP BY USING MY E BRAKE. OTHER WISE I WAS LOOKING AT A BIG TREE. THIS WAS A HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE.I THEN HAD TO BE TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD MY BRAKE LINES WHERE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.MIND YOU THIS 2002 SUBURBAN HAD AT THE TIME 42,000 MILES. THE TOTAL COST WAS JUST SHY OF $2,000.00. I ALSO HAD THIS TRUCK UNDER COATED WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED NEW. TO DATE 7-11-2014 I HAVE HAD 3 BRAKE JOBS 3RD BEING TODAY. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE MECHANIC I SHOULD GET RID OF THE TRUCK BECAUSE THE ENTIRE UNDERNEATH IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. *TR
VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO STOP WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS. PARKING IS SO HARD TO DO, THAT I PARK AT LEAST 4 SPACES FROM OTHER VEHICLES WHENEVER POSSIBLE. IT FEELS LIKE THE ABS IS KICKING IN WHEN IT SHOULDN'T BE. NO ABS LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THIS OCCURS. WHEN I AM TRAVELING SLOWLY DOWNHILL, PULLING INTO PARKING SPACES, STOPPING AT RED LIGHTS/STOP SIGNS, ETC. THE BRAKES WILL NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY, IT FEELS LIKE THE PEDAL IS PUSHING BACK AT ME, THE BRAKES MAKE A STRANGE GROWLING SOUND, AND THE VEHICLE REFUSES TO STOP. I HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES REPEATEDLY, AND SOMETIMES IT STILL WILL NOT STOP, SOMETIMES IT WILL BRAKE VERY SUDDENLY. WHEN PICKING UP/DROPPING OFF MY KIDS AT SCHOOL, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS THAT WERE MERE INCHES FROM BECOMING TRAGEDIES. I HAVE NO OTHER VEHICLE TO CARRY MY 4 CHILDREN IN, OR I WOULD STOP USING THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN IT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE, HOWEVER MY VIN IS NOT PART OF IT (PER CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-222-1020). I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE FLUID CHECKED OFTEN, I HAVE HAD BRAKE PADS REPLACED AS WELL, IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE. IT HAS NOW BECOME A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. I AM GOING TO SEE IF ANY SHOP NEARBY HAS DEALT WITH THIS BEFORE. PLEASE HELP. *TR
PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT VEHICLE STOPPING. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE. *TR
DRIVING AT 40 MPH, WENT TO STOP AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. BRAKE LINE UNDER THE TRUCK BLEW OUT. ALL BRAKE LINES WERE VERY RUSTY. *JS
WHILE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH WENT DOWN SLIGHTLY AND THEN WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH VEHICLE NOT STOPPING. DROVE IT INTO THE CUL-DE-SAC ACROSS THE STREET, APPLIED BRAKES AT THE STOP SIGN, DIDN'T STOP, WENT INTO DRIVEWAY AND PARKED IT. HUSBAND WENT UNDERNEATH AND NOTICE LARGE AMOUNT OF LEAKING FLUID. AT NO TIME DID ANY INDICATOR LIGHT COME ON. TOOK IT TO GOODYEAR (CHEVY DEALER TOO FAR TO SAFELY DRIVE) AND THEY SAID MASSIVE CORROSION ON THE BRAKE LINE AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. I WAS INCREDIBLY LUCKY NO NEIGHBOR KIDS WERE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK AS I WAS BACKING UP. IT IS GOING TO BE A HORRENDOUS REPAIR BILL. *TR
I WAS TOWING MY BOAT AND HAD TO STOP FOR A YELLOW, THEN RED LIGHT. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COULD NOT STOP, RAN THROUGH THE LIGHT. I MADE IT THROUGH BEFORE TRAFFIC ENTERED THE INTERSECTION, SO NO ACCIDENT. I DROVE SLOWLY TO A REPAIR FACILITY WITH SAFETY FLASHERS ON. MECHANIC SAYS ALL THE BRAKE LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED AS THEY ARE BADLY RUSTED! REPAIR COST IS EXPECTED TO BE 800 DOLLARS! WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED, HAD JUST COME OFF THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH! *TR
A WAS EXITING RT 50 ONTO ROUTE 8, WEST BOUND RAMP...IN QUEENANNES COUNTY MARYLAND, THE LIGHT CHANGED SUDDENLY FROM GREEN TO YELLOW AND I REALIZED I COULD NOT MAKE THE LIGHT. I HIT THE BRAKES HARD AND VEHICLE STARTED TO STOP, AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST LET GO AND WENT TO THE FLOOR. FOUND I HAD NO POWER BRAKES, JUST THE MECHANICAL PORTION. I HAD PARKS TIRE AND AUTO, IN GRANSONVILLE CHECK IT OUT TODAY, THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2013 THE MECHANIC MATT HRISKO SAID THE BRAKE LINES WERE ALL CORRODED AND THE RIGHT FRONT LINE SPRUNG A LEAK DUE THE CORROSION. MOREOVER, HE SAID ALL THE LINES WERE CORRODED AND IN DANGER OF SPRINGING HOLES TOO. HE ALSO FOUND A COUPLE OF THE BLEEDER VALVES WERE CORRODED AND/OR LEAKING TOO. THE ASE MECHANICS THERE, EDDIE AND MATT, SAID THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SO MANY OF THESE REPLACEMENTS THAT THEY WENT OUT AND BOUGHT THEIR OWN FLARING KITS...IT IS A BIG JOB...THE FENDERS HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND ALL, ABOUT 7 TO 8 HOURS LABOR. JUST THE LINE REPLACEMENTS WOULD BE UPWARDS OF $800.00. THE CALIPERS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED THEN TOO, AS THE FITTINGS TO ADJUST/BLEED THE BRAKES ARE CORRODED, SOME ARE FROZEN SHUT AND OTHERS LEAKING. THAT WOULD ADD UPWARDS OF ANOTHER $1200 TO $1500. *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR ## VIN PASSED ##
HAVE 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 4WD 5.3 ENGINE A/T. WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED OUT & LOST ALL STEERING/BRAKES. 131,589 MILES ON ODOMETER AT TIME. MANAGED TO COAST VEHICLE ONTO SHOULDER, WAITED 2 MINUTES, STARTED VEHICLE AGAIN, PULLED OUT INTO BUSY TRAFFIC JUST TO MAKE IT 2 BLOCKS BEFORE STALL OUT AGAIN. REPEATED THIS PROCESS SEVERAL MORE TIMES BEFORE I FOUND A GAS STATION. SUSPECTING WATER IN GAS, ADDED 1 BOTTLE OF GAS LINE ANTI-FREEZE. DROVE REST OF WAY HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. REPLACED FUEL FILTER, PCV VALVE, AIR FILTER, SPARK PLUGS, AND CLEANED THROTTLE BODY JUST TO HAVE STALL OUT THE VERY NEXT DAY. NO CODES ARE DISPLAYED IN MESSAGE CENTER IN DASH BOARD. STALLS OUT RANDOMLY WITHOUT A PATTERN. WAIT 1-2 MINUTES THEN WILL START AGAIN. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND AS I ATTEMPTED TO STOP I APPLIED BRAKES WHICH WITHOUT ANY WARNING WENT TO FLOOR AND VEHICLE KEPT MOVING. I WAS LUCKY THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AT STOP SIGN AND I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE SUBURBAN IN NEUTRAL AND COAST TO STOP. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND TO DECELERATION ATTEMPTS AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO BE FULLY DEPRESSED. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THERE WAS A BRAKE FLUID LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE LINES HAD CORRODED, WHICH CAUSED THE LEAK. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BY REPLACING THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE LINES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000. UPDATED 02/26/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER TECH ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS PREVALENT IN THAT AREA. UPDATED 03/1/2013 *JS
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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