Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 120 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 120 · page 1 of 5
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.
WHETHER IT'S IDLING OR DRIVING SHUTS OFF I REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND THE WIRING HARNESSES THAT COME WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND STILL NO AVAIL IT'S CAUSED A LOT OF TIME OFF OF WORK AND A LOT OF HEADACHE I WORK FOR A REPUTABLE DEALERSHIP I WORKED ON VEHICLES FOR OVER 40 YEARS
WHILE REPLACING THE RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON MY SUBURBAN (SEE TRACKING NUMBER 11066863), I NOTICED THE FUEL LINES GOING TO THE FUEL FILTER WERE ALSO TERRIBLY RUSTED. IT APPEARS THE RUST EMANATES FROM THE PLASTIC CLAMP THAT SECURES THE FUEL LINE TO THE FRAME. THE TUBE NUT THAT GOES INTO THE FILTER APPEARS TO BE FROZEN WITH RUST. SALT AND DIRT ARE TRAPPED IN THE PLASTIC CLAMP AND NUT, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WASH OUT. THE FUEL LINES ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK ARE LIKELY TO BE RUSTED, TOO.
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.
TIRE SIZE P265/70R17DOT4BT6DYWR THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS SET OF 3 0611 ODD TIRE1711 THE OTHER ODD NUMBER 1711. PURCHASED TIRES IN 2012 ONLY 24000 MILES NOW THEY ARE CRACKED FOUND OUT THESE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED IN 2011.I DRIVE TO THE AROLINAS AT THE MINIMUM OF ONCE A YEAR AND I DON'T APPRECIATE DRIVING THE MOUNTAINS WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES. NOW GOODYEAR WANTS ME TO TAKE TIRES OFF AND SEND BACK TO THEM BUT IN THE MEAN TIME I HAVE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER AT MY COST. THESE TIRE WERE PURCHASED IN HOLLY SPRINGS NORTH CAROLINA,TIRES WERE MANUFACTURES IN FAYETTEVILLE N.C. WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN OFFER. *TR
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.
SOME DAYS MY TRUCK WILL NOT START SOME DAYS IT DOES FOR INSTANCE IT WILL START FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS CONSECUTIVELY AND THEN IT WONT START FOR 2-3 DAYS AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS OF JUST SITTING. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY, THE ALTERNATOR , STARTER , FUEL PUMP AND I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, LOST MY JOB BECAUSE OF NON RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION.
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, MY FAMILY AND I WERE COMING HOME FROM TWO DIFFERENT TRIPS. THE FIRST TRIP WAS TO NEW ORLEANS FROM SOUTH TEXAS. ON OUR WAY HOME, WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, OUR SUBURBAN SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. WE WERE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN. IT TURNED ON. WE PULLED OVER TO A RESTING AREA AND OPENED THE HOOD, BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION. IT HAPPENED ONCE MORE WHEN WE GOT HOME. THIS TRIP WAS DURING THE WEEK OF JULY 20TH, 2015. THIS PAST WEEKEND (MARCH 12-14, 2016), WE DROVE UP TO SAN ANTONIO FROM SOUTH TEXAS. WHILE WE WERE IN SAN ANTONIO ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF AGAIN. AGAIN, THE DRIVER PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED ON THE VEHICLE AGAIN. WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND CHECK THE VEHICLE. AGAIN, WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE MALFUNCTION. I HAD RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND HAVE READ THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN.
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.
TRAVELING ON HWY 35 IN DALLAS TEXAS AND MESSAGE APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER "REDUCED POWER MODE". VEHICLE SPEED DROPPED TO 20 MPH (POSTED SPEED WAS 70 MPH). HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND A FIX HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE DEALER SO FAR HAS CHARGED ME $900 AND IT DID NOT FIX IT.THIS SAME PROBLEMS BEEN POSTED ON GM FORUMS, GM TRUCK FORUMS WITH THESE SAME RESULTS. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OR MAYBE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS ISSUE. IT IS VERY UNSAFE. *TR
DRIVING ON RESIDENTIAL ROAD AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY REDUCED SPEED TO 10 MPH. MESSAGE DISPLAYED "REDUCED POWER MODE". NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DIAGNOSE. ALL REPAIRS I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET FORUMS ARE EXPENSIVE AND THE PROBLEM EVENTUALLY RETURNS. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME. THE MOST CONCERN IS ON THE FREEWAY WHERE YOUR VEHICLE IS REDUCED TO 10-20 MPH AND THE SPEED LIMIT IS 70 MPH. *JS
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
PAINT ON THE ROOF AND HOOD STARTED TO FADE. *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
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.
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