RoadVitals

2002 Chevrolet Suburban Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Aug 30, 2006
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 286 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 13 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.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Aug 30, 2006

MY 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN EXPERIENCED PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TOTAL COST FOR THE REPAIR IS $3000.00. THE TRUCK HAS NEVER TOWED A THING, THE CAR IS ONLY USED TO DRIVE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ETC. IT HAS 64,000 MILES AND JUST STOPPED ON A TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10167025
Incident
Aug 24, 2006
Mileage
64,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 7, 2006

AT 24,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR 2002 SUBURBAN FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10154810
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Mileage
24,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 3, 2006

MY 2002 SUBURBAN HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 46091 MILES THAT REQUIRED ME TO PURCHASE A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3200.00. WE WERE ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE STOPPED SHIFTING WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND BARELY MADE IT SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED FINE ALTHOUGH IT WAS BEYOND REPAIR. THE FLUID LEVEL WAS GOOD AND IT WAS NOT BURNED. CHEVROLET SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AS THE WARRANTY IS FOR 3 YEARS AND 36000 MILES. *NM

NHTSA ID
10151707
Incident
Jan 20, 2006
Mileage
46,091 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 7, 2006

JANUARY 1, 2006 JUST AFTER LEAVING MY HOME, I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I ACCELERATED FROM A STOP A LOUD CLUNK AND THEN A CONSTANT WHINNING SOUND. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME THE ONE MILE FROM THE STOP SIGN IN FIRST GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT TO SECOND, AFTER RETURNING HOME THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE EITHER. TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 104,000 MILES. REPAIR SHOP SAYS THE TRANSMISSION SHELL AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS CRACKED. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP STATES THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. THEY WOULD CONSIDER THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION, A BAD DESIGN ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR SHOP. *NM

NHTSA ID
10147170
Incident
Jan 1, 2006
Mileage
104,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 11, 2005

AFTER NUMEROUS OTHER REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE, IT STARTED WHINING THROUGH THE FIRST FEW GEAR CHANGES. THE GM SHOP SAID THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT OUT AND THEY HAD TO OVERHAUL THE TRANSMISSION. IT IS STILL IN THE SHOP BECAUSE AFTER THEY PUT EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER, THE WHINING NOISE IS STILL THERE. AFTER 11 DAYS AND THREE TEAR DOWNS AND REBUILDS, THE MECHANIC IS AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT IS WRONG. *JB

NHTSA ID
10132481
Incident
Aug 1, 2005
Mileage
43,391 mi
Transmission
Filed May 9, 2005

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY IN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS

NHTSA ID
10120449
Incident
May 8, 2005
Mileage
63 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 27, 2004

SUDDEN, WITHOUT WARNING, TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NO EXPLANATION GIVEN BY DEALER OTHER THAN INTERNAL FAILURE WITH RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. ONLY 45,000 MILES AND WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10096514
Incident
Oct 27, 2004
Mileage
43,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 15, 2004

AT 16000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED WHILE DRIVING 50/55 MPH. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SUN GEAR AND PLANETARY GEAR FAILED. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. *NM *NM

NHTSA ID
10074357
Incident
Apr 1, 2004
Mileage
68,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 24, 2004

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10059648
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
EngineTransmission
Filed Apr 1, 2003

ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE COMPLAINT. MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE BOX FOR THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10015181
Incident
Mar 12, 2003
BrakesElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Oct 11, 2002

THE CONSUMERS NOTICED THE DAY THAT THEY HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THAT THE COOLANT LIGHT WAS ON AS THEY TEST DROVE. THE SALESMAN SAID THAT THE GASKET WAS LOOSE AND WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF. IN MAY OF 2002 THE COOLANT LIGHT HAD COME ON AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE MAN AND HE SAID THAT IT WAS HOT AND THE COOLANT EVAPORATED.*SCC

NHTSA ID
568007
Incident
Mar 19, 2002
Transmission
Filed May 22, 2002

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLY HIS GEAR SHIFT TO PARK TO DRIVE. THERE IS A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH AND THE VEHICLE WILLNOT MOVE. WHEN GEAR SHIFT IS PLACE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE.

NHTSA ID
8010353
Incident
May 22, 2002
Transmission
Filed Mar 25, 2002

TRANSMISSION OIL LEAKING ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CREATING A BURNING SMELL AND OIL ALL OVER THE TRANSFER CASE AND TRANSMISSION AS WELL AS THE EXHAUST PIPE.*AK

NHTSA ID
759782
Incident
Mar 25, 2002

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .