2002 Chevrolet Suburban Steering Problems

When driving at highway speeds or even around town the vehicle randomly jerks to one side or another alignment was just done and was told all was good tires are new Pitman armor place ball joints replaced still having the issue of it darting specially when going around curves it wants to pull vehicle to the ditch and I look like I am driving drunk which I'm not I've had my mechanic try to inspect the issue he couldn't find it I heard they're made possibly be a TSB out for it but it's hidden

NHTSA ID

11507298

Incident

Feb 14, 2023

The steering pump has plenty of fluid in the reservoir and has been changed regularly. All of the sudden all power assisted steering disappeared when turning to the left making parking nearly impossible causing a great safety concern as this is my only vehicle and now my wife cannot take the truck anywhere. According to other owners, it's a common issue caused by the booster valve sticking shut and when I inquired about repair, I was quoted a part cost of 300 bucks which I don't have at all. Hopefully enough folks report this issue resulting in action taken by NHTSA even though the vehicle is almost 20 years old.

NHTSA ID

11419663

Incident

Jun 2, 2021

PULSATING AT BRAKING, LONGER THAN NECCESARY TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP AT LOW SPEED , EXTREME RUST TO UNDERCARRIAGE, SUSPENSION, AND BRAKE PARTS.

NHTSA ID

10439515

Incident

Oct 1, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SHOP. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT THE POWER STEERING BECAUSE HE COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL AT ALL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. UPDATED 07/18/11

NHTSA ID

10204559

Incident

Aug 29, 2007

Mileage

74,000 mi

POWER STEERING ON 2002 CHEVY. SUBURBAN FAILS. HAD POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AND PROBLEM CONTINUES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10201033

Incident

Aug 28, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE WHEELS WHEN THE FRONT WHEELS WERE TURNED. SHE STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE MAY BE THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $275 FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO THE MANY REPAIRS RELATED TO THE WHEEL FAILURE. SHE STATED THAT A RUNNING BOARD LIGHT IS DIM ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF HER VEHICLE, WHICH SHE HAS NOTICED ON MANY SUBURBANS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 65,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB

NHTSA ID

10192591

Incident

Apr 1, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi

CONSUMERS 2002 SUBURBAN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10148707

Incident

Nov 30, 2005

Mileage

72,201 mi

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, 1500 LT, 4WD. THE SUBURBAN WAS SERVICED ROUTINELY AT THE DEALER AND HAD 69,000 MILES. THE SHAFT IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP BROKE CAUSING COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED OFF OF THE MAIN ROADWAY AND AT LOW SPEED, BUT CAUSED A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED, THE EVENTS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10133075

Incident

Aug 9, 2005

2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING SENSORS. *MR THE SENSORS REACTED SPORADICALLY. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH HIS 1999 GMC YUKON. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10121550

Incident

May 1, 2005

THE TRUCK HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH A CLANGING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, MOSTLY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT IT MAY CAUSE A STEERING COMPONENT TO BREAK, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING, AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE NOISE, TO WHICH HE REPLIED THAT THERE WASN'T ANY RECALLS, AND THE NOISE WAS NOT DANGEROUS/SERIOUS. *AK THE DEALERS TECH INDICATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10109448

Incident

Sep 20, 2004

Mileage

40,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE STARTING IT AGAIN. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. IT STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED A TOTAL OF FIVE TIMES. ALSO, FUEL FILTER HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ONSTAR CALLED THE PROBLEM CODE RED. CONSUMER WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. AT 70 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE AND LURCH. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT A CLUNKING NOISE IS HEARD WHEN TURNING TIGHT CORNERS. *TC

NHTSA ID

10099685

Incident

May 2, 2002

WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING WENT OUT. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS EXAMINED, THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10095059

Incident

Oct 4, 2004

Mileage

68,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING HOWEVER, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10089657

Incident

Aug 22, 2004

2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN HAD POWER STEERING FAILURE.*MR WHEN THEN POWER STEERING FAILED THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM SHOULD ALLOW THE DRIVER TO HAVE FULL CONTROL OF THE STEERING EVEN IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10083390

Incident

Jun 24, 2004

Mileage

42,091 mi

WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL. THE CONSUMER DOWN SHIFTED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *PH

NHTSA ID

10050018

Incident

Nov 26, 2003

I WAS HIT ON THE HEAD INSIDE MY 2002 SUBURBAN, WEARING MY SEAT BELT AT 48 MPH BY AN ONCOMING MAZDA MIATA. MY STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSED, I WENT INTO ONCOMING 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC, WENT UP A CURB, WENT THROUGH A BRICK RETAINING WALL, AND HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY ON ANY OF THE 3 IMPACTS. WHY? ALSO, MY DRIVER?S SEAT CAME OFF THE TRACK. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041031

Incident

Jan 7, 2003

Mileage

20,000 mi

THE STEERING COLUMN IS OFF CENTER TO THE RIGHT, WHICH MEANS IF THE AIR BAG IS NEEDED IT WILL NOT PROTECT THE BODY IN THE CENTER. PETITION SENT TO EXEC SECT.... CONSUMER PURCHASED A 2002 CHEVY TAHOE AND A 2002 CHEVY SUBURBAN. BOTH VEHICLES STEERING COLUMN WAS OFF CENTER. THE CONSUMER'S MOTHER DROVE THE SUBURBAN AND WHEN SHE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, SHE SAT IN FOUR OTHER SUBURBAN'S. THREE OUT OF THE FOUR WERE WORSE THAN HER VEHICLE. THE FOURTH ONE WAS OFF CENTER TO THE LEFT. ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER LEASED A TRAILBLAZER AND THAT VEHICLE IS FINE. THE CONSUMER LEASED THREE OTHER CHEVY EXPRESS VANS AND THEY ARE FINE. ALL VEHICLES WERE LEASED AT THE SAME PLACE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD NO DEFECT WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE FIRST RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *PH

NHTSA ID

10039727

THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING SINCE APRIL 2003. VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10027021

THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT TECHNICALLY INSPECT MY TRUCK THAT IS THEY JUST LOOKED AT IT ACCORDING TO THE WRITE UP PERSON. *JB

NHTSA ID

10021223

Incident

May 28, 2003

POPPING NOISE AND CLINKING FELT IN STEERING AND EXCESSIVE PLAY. IT IS HARDER TO TURN TO THE RIGHT-LITERALLY YOU FEEL THE WHEEL GOING AROUND MUCH FURTHER THAN IF TURNING TO THE LEFT, ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT NEED AN ALIGNMENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BUSHINGS AND FIXED LOWER CLEARANCE ARMS (WHICH HAD EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE). PICKED IT UP AND FELT THE SAME CLINKING AND HEARD THE NOISE AGAIN!! I RETURNED IT AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOOK A TEST DRIVE-HE ONLY HAD TO TURN OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND HE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THEY REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT. AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW DAYS, I ONCE AGAIN FELT THE SAME SENSATION AND NOISE-NOT AS BAD AS BEFORE BUT STILL THERE. STEERING HAS A LOT OF PLAY IN IT-I CAN ROCK IT BACK AND FORTH AND IT DOESN'T MOVE THE VEHICLE. IF YOU GO OVER ANY BUMP IN THE ROAD YOU FEEL THE CLINKING IN THE STEERING. IT HAS ONCE AGAIN BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS STOPPING AT AROUND 20-30 MILES PER HOUR, ESPECIALLY OVER BUMPS-IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE IT WILL STOP-BRAKE PEDAL SEEMS TO GO TO THE FLOOR-I HAVE TO RELEASE IT AND PRESS AGAIN-I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS. I REPORTED THIS AND THE SERVICE DEPT. TOLD ME THIS IS HOW ABS WORKS-I DON'T THINK SO. THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE HAS 10,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10013998

Incident

Mar 20, 2003

Mileage

9,800 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT HAS BEEN ON FRONT COLLISION. PLEASE ADD MORE DETAILS. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. TS

NHTSA ID

8021319

Incident

Aug 22, 2002

STEERING COLUMN IS NOT CENTERED PROPERLY WITNIN VEHICLE AND MAY CAUSE SEVERE INJURY IF DEPLOYED. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8018256

Incident

Jun 10, 2001