Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 127 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 127, in the owner's own words
the brake lines rust and they burst this occurred on my main brake line going to the abs controller I had no brakes from mechanics they say this is a common problem on usa made cars brake lines should never ever rust and burst
Component SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I WAS ON THE FREEWAY THERE WAS TRAFFIC I WENT TO SLOW DOWN MY BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME MY CAR FISH TAILED I RELEASED THE BRAKES AND THEY WERE STILL STILL LOCKED. CAUSED ME TO SLID AT LEAST 30 FEET I WAS ONLY GOING 35. WHICH CAUSED ME SLAM INTO THE CENTER DIVIDER
PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD THE CAR IN PLACE AND WAS LIKE THAT WHEN I BOUGHT IT NEW. UNABLE TO REPAIR IT TO MAKE IT HOLD THE CAR. PROBLEMS GETTING CAR INSPECTED.
WHEN DRIVING MY 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 AT SPEEDS UNDER 10 MPH IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC, THE ABS INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED. THIS HAPPENED IN DRY WEATHER ON A FREEWAY. WHEN THE ABS INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED, THE CAR VIBRATED AND ACCELERATED WITH DIFFICULTY AND JERKED. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING A TIRE TO BLOW OUT. THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE WHERE THE BRAKES HAD LOCKED UP THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL. THE FIRE COMMANDER WHO EXAMINED THE CAR AFTER PUTTING OUT THE FIRE AND THE MECHANIC WHO IS REPAIRING THE CAR BOTH EXPLAINED THAT IMPROPER ABS ACTIVATION LED TO A RUPTURE IN THE BRAKE LINE, EXPOSING THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID TO THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE LOCKED BRAKES. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN NHTSA RECALL 05V379000 CONCERNING THE ABS SYSTEM BUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CAR HAD BEEN TAKEN TO A GM DEALER TWO MONTHS EARLIER (IN JULY) WITH A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS SYSTEM. THE GM DEALER DID NOT MENTION THE RECALL BUT MADE EXTENSIVE (AND EXPENSIVE) REPAIRS TO THE CAR. THE CAR EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER, WHEN IT LED TO THE FIRE. THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME OR THE RIGHT SEASON FOR THE ABS TO DETERIORATE FROM SALT EXPOSURE SINCE THE JULY REPAIRS. MY CAR IS PROBABLY EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL BECAUSE IT IS REGISTERED IN VIRGINIA. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED BECAUSE THE CAR IS REGISTERED IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA, LESS THAN 15 MILES FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. AND MARYLAND. FAIRFAX COUNTY IS FURTHER NORTH THAN MANY PARTS OF MARYLAND AND WEST VIRGINIA. THE REGION HAS THE SAME WEATHER CONDITIONS, LENGTH OF WINTER SEASON, AND EXPOSURE TO SALT AS WASHINGTON, D.C., WEST VIRGINIA, AND MARYLAND, WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. RESIDENTS OF THE AREA FREQUENTLY DRIVE IN THESE STATES, PARTICULARLY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND MARYLAND, WHERE MANY VIRGINIA RESIDENTS WORK, SHOP, AND SEEK ENTERTAINMENT.
ANTI LOCK BRAKES ARE ACTIVATING ON THERE OWN WHEN TRYING TO STOP AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH 4 TIMES. I FINALLY PULLED THE ABS FUSE OUT THIS STOPPED IT BUT NOW I HAVE NO ABS IAM IN SOAP LAKE WASHINGTON IT SHOWS A RECALL BUT ONLY FOR A FEW STATES I BOUGHT MY SUBURBAN NEW IN BOISE IDAHO AND NOW RESIDE IN WASHINGTON STATE MY VEHACLE IS EFFECTED EXTREMELY BAD WITH THIS PROBLEM
BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND BRAKES FAILED TWICE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS. FIRST INCIDENT WAS THE REAR BRAKE LINE BURST. I REPLACED THE RUSTED BRAKE LINE. FRONT BRAKE LINE BURST 6 MONTHS AFTER REAR BRAKE LINE WAS REPLACED. ALL FRONT BRAKE LINES WERE SO RUSTED, I REMOVED AND REPLACED ALL OF THEM AS A PRECAUTION. THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED IN AREAS WHERE THEY WERE CLAMPED, SO THAT SALT AND DIRT COULD NOT BE CLEANED OUT. BRAKE LINES WERE UNPAINTED BARE STEEL.
BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING 60MPH ON HIGHWAY I-476 (PHILADELPHIA PA) WITH THE FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE. UPON BRAKING TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DIRECTLY TO THE FLOOR AND PUMPING THE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES DID NOT RESULT IN ANY BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER MANAGING TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THEN PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL MORE TIMES, BRAKE FLUID COULD BE SEEN COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AT BOTH THE AREA AROUND THE REAR AXLE AND THE AREA UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT. LATER, INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE LINES FOUND THEM ALL TO BE SEVERELY RUSTED. AFTER READING THAT THIS IS AN EXISTING PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES, IT IS GREATLY DISAPPOINTING, TO SAY THE LEAST, THAT NO NOTIFICATION OR RECALL WAS GIVEN. SUCH A SEVERE AND SCARY SAFETY PROBLEM SHOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST NOTIFICATION OF CUSTOMERS AND BETTER QUALITY DESIGN/CONTROL OF BRAKING COMPONENTS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 220,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HUB SENSOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/31/2017*CT
THE REAR BRAKE LINE FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME AND CAUSED ME TO HAVE ACCIDENT. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE FRONT BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME 2009 THE DEALER CHANGED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND OTHER BRAKE COMPONENTS STATING THAT IS WHY THE FRONT BRAKES DIDN'T WORK HOWEVER THIS FAILURE WAS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE FIRST INCIDENT ABSOLUTELY NO BRAKES.
THE PARKING BRAKE ON THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE NEW AND NOW I GET A REJECTION STICKER IN THE STATE WHERE I LIVE DUE TO THIS AND THEN HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TO REPAIR IT AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. IT WILL NOT HOLD EVEN ON THE SLIGHTEST INCLINE. VERY DANGEROUS.
BRAKE LINE HAS CORRODED AND RUBBED A HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE AND LEADED FLUIDED. HAS BEEN REPLACED AND IS RUBBING IN SAME PLACE ON FRAME AGAIN.
BRAKE LINE ROTTED OUT RESULTING IN NEAR COLLISION. SECOND FAILURE IN AUG. OF 2015 BOTH EVENTS WERE A NEAR COLLISION . THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN KEPT IN NEAR PERFECT CONDITION AS A HAULER FOR MY TRAILER, NOW FEAR TO USE AS ALL LINES LOOK BAD, SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE OF A NON COROSSIVE MATERIAL. VEHICLE SPENT MOST OF IT'S LIFE IN VERMONT
MY ANTILOCK BRAKES ARE GOING OFF AT SLOW SPEEDS, ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT, GOING ABOUT 4-5 MPH, NEED TO KNOW IF MY VIN IS COVERED IN RECALL
STARTED VEHICLE PUT IN REVERSE TO BACK UP AND WHEN APPLIED BRAKES THEY PEDAL WAS SOFT AND THEN WENT TO FLOOR AND VEHICLE HIT A TREE. BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED SEVERELY.
WENT TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK GOT OUT AND BRAKE FLUID WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR NEAR THE FRONT OF THE DRIVERS DOOR. *TR
TRAVELING ON A 4-LANE HIGHWAY, 35 MPH, APPROACHING RED LIGHT IN LINE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND FELT THE PEDAL GO TO THE FLOOR. I STEPPED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK BEFORE HITTING THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME. SECOND INCIDENT: 2014. TRAVELING DOWN HILL TOWARD STOP SIGN. SAME SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AS ABOVE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT CHEV. SUBURBANS SOLD IN NEW ENGLAND HAVE STEEL BRAKE LINES! THIS IS MY 8TH SUBURBAN. FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH RUSTING EVERYWHERE UNDER CHASSIS, ESP. BRAKE LINES. *TR
COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT I NOTICED I NEEDED TO PUSH BRAKE PEDDLE FARTHER DOWN TO STOP. THE SAME FOR EACH STOP AFTER THAT. I KNEW THAT ANOTHER BRAKE LINE HAD FAILED. I HAD TWO REPLACE UNDER HOOD ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THIS ONE IS OVER FRAME MIDWAY BACK. *TR
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN CRASH AFTER BRAKES FAILED, WITHOUT WARNING INDICATOR. BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED THROUGH IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEAR BRACKET ON FRAME. *TR
BRAKES FAILED TODAY. STEEL TUBING WAS FOUND TO BE PERFORATED ALONG THE FORWARD LEFT PORTION. THE REMAINDER OF THE TUBING IS SUBSTANTIALLY CORRODED AND APPEARS SUBJECT TO FAILURE AS WELL. I SEE THAT THIS FAILURE IS THE SUBJECT OF NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA11001 . *TR
MY SON WAS TRAVELING @ 50 MPH WHEN BRAKES FAILED. HE NARROWLY MISSED HITTING A CAR AT AN INTERSECTION. FOUND OUT FROM MECHANIC THAT BRAKE LINE HAD FAILED AND WAS ENTIRELY CORRODED. HAD NO WARNING. REPAIR COST $1,200. EVIDENTLY, THIS HAPPENS SO OFTEN THAT THERE IS AN AFTERMARKET KIT TO REPLACE ALL LINES. HAS THEIR BEEN A RECALL?.. *JS
DRIVING MY 2002 1500 SUBURBAN THE BRAKE LINE LET LOOSE, GOT THE TRUCK TO THE SHOP ON THE LIFT FOUND ALL BRAKE LINES CORRODED AND TWO LEAKING FLUID. UPON INSPECTION FOUND ALL FUEL LINES ROTTED OUT AS WELL. REPLACED ALL LINES IN THE TRUCK BRAKE AND FUEL INCLUDING FRONT RUBBER LINES AND CALIPERS. TRUCK HAS NEVER HAD A GREAT BRAKE PEDAL STILL DOES NOT. ALSO FOUND ROCKER PANELS ROTTING OUT ALONG WITH QUARTERS TRUCK IS BEAUTIFUL IN AND OUT EXCEPT THE CHEAP METAL GM USED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO PROPERLY RESPOND TO DECELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND COMING TO A LIGHT CHANGING TO YELLOW DURING A HEAVY SNOWFALL I HAD ATTEMPTED TO STOP . THE ABS PULSATED A FEW TIMES BECAUSE OF THE SNOW AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE SUBURBAN DID NOT STOP AND I COULD ONLY HOLD ON HOPE AND PRAY MYSELF AND MY 2 AND 3 YEAR OLDS GET THROUGH THE SNOWY AND SLIPPERY INTERSECTION WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE OR GETTING HIT BY SOMEONE ELSE, LUCKILY THE SNOW ON THE GROUND ACTUALLY HELPED SLOW THE VEHICLE, THE MASTER CYLINDER SHOWED MINIMAL FLUID LOSS, I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER COLD WEATHER AND AGE CAUSED THE FAILURE AND AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT 1500 TO REPAIR . THIS HAPPENED WITHIN 7 MONTHS OF A DEALER MULTI-POINT INSPECTION WHICH SHOWED NO LEAKS AND FULL BRAKE INSPECTION BY THE DEALER WHICH INCLUDED THE BRAKE LINES AND A REQUESTED SYSTEM BLEED TO TRY TO GET THE BRAKES TO WORK PROPERLY.THE TRUCK ALSO HAS A LONG SOFT PEDAL TRAVEL WHICH GOES BELOW THE GAS PEDAL HEIGHT OF WHICH THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME IS NORMAL AND LIKE ALL OLDER 2002 SUBURBANS. AND THE FINAL BILL FOR THE BRAKELINES WAS 1730.26 AFTER ADDING AN OIL CHANGE WHILE IT WAS THERE FOR SERVICE... GOT IT HOME AND FLUID WAS LEAKING PROFUSELY ON THE DRIVEWAY (WHERE I HAD NO LEAKS UP UNTIL THIS POINT) THE DEALER DENIED OVERFILLING THE OIL WOULD CAUSE THE LEAK AND SUGGESTED THAT THE COLD WEATHER CAUSED THE FRONT SEAL LEAK SO I HAD AGREED TO REPLACE THE FRONT SEAL WHICH WAS ANOTHER 374.44 AND THE NOTES NOW SHOW MULTIPLE OIL LEAKS.AND A REPEAT BRAKE INSPECTION SHOWS NO FAILURES , BUT THE BRAKES CONTINUE TO NOT WORK PROPERLY AND THE DEALER SAID IF IT CONTINUES THEY CAN MANUAL BLEED THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO SEE IF THAT HELPS THE ISSUE. *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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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