2002 Chevrolet Suburban 2500

COMPLAINT REPORTS ALLEGE POOR WELD QUALITY AND/OR BENDING OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER.THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATION INCLUDED ANALYSIS OF MANUFACTURER AND AGENCY INCIDENT REPORTS, REVIEW OF POLICE REPORTS, ANALYSIS OF THE AGENCY'S FATAL ANALYSIS REPORTING SYSTEM, A VEHICLE OWNER SURVEY, INSPECTION OF TOW VEHICLES/HITCHES AND ANALYSIS OF FAILED PARTS.INCIDENTS OF WELD FAILURE WERE RARE AND ASSOCIATED WITH VERY LOW-SPEED DRIVING (TURNING, BACKING AND SUDDEN STOPPING).INCIDENTS OF BENDING WERE ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROPER TRAILER HITCH ADJUSTMENT OR OVERLOADING. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH FILE FOR ADDITION INFORMATION.

GM PROVIDED ADDITIONAL DATA REGARDING ALLEGATIONS OF FAILURE OF THE TRAILER HITCH.ODI REVIEWED THAT AS WELL AS OTHER DATA PROVIDED BY PEER MANUFACTURERS.BASED ON OUR REVIEW, ODI FINDS THE NEED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-013) FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT AND STUDY OF THIS ISSUE.

HAD MY TRUCK LOOKED AT BY ALL AMERICAN CHEVROLET IN 2014 AFTER I READ YOUR ARTICLE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND WHILE THEY SAID THE LINES LOOKED RUSTY UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK, THINGS LOOKED OK. THE GM EXEC [XXX] WAS ESTIMATING A $500 REPAIR COST, AND FIGURED IT WAS NO BIG DEAL WHEN I EVENTUALLY GOT TO THAT POINT. I ALSO READ THAT GM SAID IF A PROBLEM OCCURRED I'D NOT LOSE BRAKING BECAUSE IT WAS A DOUBLE SYSTEM, AND THAT I WOULD ALSO GET AN INDICATION ON THE DASH OF A PROBLEM. SADLY OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY 2016, I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL BRAKE LINE FAILURE, AND LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. THE REPAIR WAS NOT THE $500 ESTIMATED BY GM IT WAS OVER $2,000. "..G.M. DOES NOT COMMENT ON OTHER AUTOMAKERS? RECALLS, [XXX], A SPOKESMAN FOR G.M., WROTE IN AN EMAIL. [XXX] GM ADDED THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAD DEVELOPED A PARTS KIT LAST YEAR FOR THE BRAKE LINES..." ?THESE ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH DEALERS AND THE AFTERMARKET,? HE SAID. ?BASED ON TIME STUDIES, THE REPAIR INCLUDING LABOR SHOULD COST ABOUT $500. WE CAN ONLY SUGGEST HOW MUCH LABOR TIME THE REPAIR SHOULD TAKE.? I ALSO RECEIVED NO WARNING ON THE DASH OF THE TRUCK WHEN THE LINES FAILED, AND THE FLUID WAS POURING ONTO THE ROAD, I COULD SEE A TRAIL OF IT BEHIND THE CAR. LUCKILY I HAD KEPT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WELL MAINTAINED AND I DOWNSHIFTED THE TRUCK TO STOP AND HAD IT TOWED BY AAA TO THE SHOP. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS OR WHO AT GM SHOULD I SPEAK WITH? WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED I NEEDED TO GET THE TRUCK REPAIRED RIGHT AWAY AND THE COST WAS OVER $2200. [XXX] [XXX] *DL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

NHTSA ID

10940385

Incident

Dec 24, 2016

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING AT A STOP SIGN WITHOUT WARNING. HAS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CITY DRIVING SPEEDS AND WHILE AT A STOP SIGN. SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN RECALL ID: 07V521000. THE DEALER SAYS MY VEHICLE ISN'T COVERED IN THIS RECALL. WHY?

NHTSA ID

10864580

Incident

May 9, 2016

Mileage

77,600 mi

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS IN TWO WEEKS THAT NEARLY CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. I WOULD BE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SLOW AND INTERSTATE DRIVING, WHERE THE ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY LOSE ALL POWER AND THE BATTERY LIGHT WOULD COME ON. I WOULD HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE GLIDE TO THE SERVICE LANE WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THESE HAPPENED ALL TIMES OF DAY AND ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND CAUSED HAZARDOUS CLOSE CALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS THROUGH DIAGNOSTIC TESTING BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUND TO HAVE A DEFECTIVE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. ATTACHED FOR YOUR INFORMATION IS A COPY OF THE INVOICE WHICH INCLUDES THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS REQUIRED. REVIEWING NHTSA COMPLAINTS THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST WHICH NEEDS TO HAVE A NHTSA INVESTIGATION AND RECALL. PLEASE ADVISE IF IT WOULD HELP GET THIS PROBLEM ADDRESSED IF I SEEK LEGAL, LEGISLATIVE OR REGULATORY RELIEF. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10850622

Incident

Mar 4, 2016

Mileage

141,946 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE BRAKES WOULD PULSATE AND INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 07V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,204. UPDATED 6/8/15*CN UPDATED 10/2/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10701706

Incident

Jun 17, 2008

Mileage

113,204 mi

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. I HAVE HAD IT FOR TWO YEARS. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO WHAT IT'S THE GM RECALL. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERYTIME I DRIVE. I CAN BE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET OR ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND MY VEHICLE WILL JUST SHUT OFF AND THE BATTERY LIGHT WILL COME ON. AFTER SITTING FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE TRUCK WILL START BACK UP WITH NO PROBLEM OR WITHOUT HAVING ANY BOOST. I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE AND NOONE COULD EVER TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I THINK IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. PLEASE ASSIST ME IN FINDING OUT HOW I CAN GET MY TRUCK FIXED AS I AM A MOTHER OF 4 AND THAT IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I AM BLESSED FOR HAVING NOT BEING IN A FATAL ACCIDENT OR ACCIDENT PERIOD DUE TO THIS PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE. THANKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10576895

Incident

Apr 1, 2014

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE LINES ALONG THE FRAME RAIL UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE LINES BURST AND A LOSS OF FLUID CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR. DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE IT TOOK A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE TO GET THE TRUCK STOPPED PROBABLY DUE TO A LOSS OF BRAKE PRESSURE. I WAS DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED BEFORE BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH OR HITTING A PEDESTRIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $4000. THAT'S RIGHT FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10558558

Incident

Jun 17, 2013

Mileage

162,282 mi

LAUNCHING BOAT AT THE RAMP WHEN BRAKE LINE RUPTURED AND I LOST ALL PEDAL. UNDER DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IN THE SAME SPOT AS MY 2005 2500 HD CHEVY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10542896

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

92,000 mi

AFTER SO LONG IGNORING THE SMELL IN MY CAB, I DECIDED TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AT BENNY'S EXHAUST IN BRISTOL, TN, AND FOUND THAT EXHAUST MANIFOLD HEAD BOLTS BROKE OFF ON BOTH SIDES OF ENGINE. 1ST BOLT INITIALLY THEN SECOND BOLT NEXT TO IT BROKE AS WELL. NO WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO MOTOR OR AFTERMARKET PARTS ADDED THAT WOULD AFFECT THIS PART AND CREATE FAILURE. EXHAUST GAS ENTERS THE UNDERHOOD AREA SOMETIME CAN BE SMELLED INSIDE PASSENGER CAB AREA. THE EXHAUST MAKES A BLACK PLUME UP SIDE OF MOTOR ON BOTH SIDES. THIS VEHICLE CAN NOT BE REGISTERED IN ANY STATE THAT HAS EMISSIONS TESTING, BECAUSE IT WILL NOT PASS. I AM FORCED TO REGISTER IT TO NON-TESTING STATES. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THIS MATTER. IT APPEARS THAT THIS AFFECTS ALL YEARS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH GM, WHY WON'T THEY TAKE CARE OF THIS MATTER. AFTER SOMEONE SPENDS SEVERAL TENS OF THOUSANDS ON A VEHICLE, WHY ISN'T SAFETY THE STANDARD GM SHOULD MEASURE ITSELF UP TOO. ENGINEERS, ARE YOU MAKING SURE PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE IS BUILT INTO ALL YOUR VEHICLES. I WON'T BUY GM NO MORE AFTER OWNING GM ALL MY LIFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10456455

Incident

Apr 18, 2012

Mileage

151,000 mi

Fog lamp control may be missing from radio display after a BCM update. Engineering is investigating.

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.

This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.

Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.

GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging or shipping. This bulletin advises the dealers to be more careful not to damage the transmissions during removal and to package the core properly for return.