Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 GMC S Series submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I HAVE REPLACED MY HEADLIGHT SWITCH 3 TIMES NOW, THE 2ND TIME I WOULD DRIVE AND HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLASH HIGH AND LOW LIKE A POLICE CAR, NOW MY DAY TIME HEADLAMPS DO NOT WORK? INCIDENT DATES ARE NOT CORRECT NOT SURE. *NM
STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE INDICATORS ON THE DASH COMING ON WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AND ALSO THE TACH QUIT WORKING. THEN EVERYTHING WOULD START WORKING PROPERLY AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES AND THE LAST INCIDENT WAS THE ODOMETER RESET TO "0", SO NOW WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT OUR MILEAGE IS AND ALSO THE CLOCK ON THE RADIO JUMPS AHEAD A COUPLE HOURS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW GAUGE CLUSTER AT THE COST OF $200-$300 AND ALSO $60 FOR A SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR THE OTHER DASH PROBLEMS. I ALSO CALLED GM AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT IT AND TOLD THEM I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW GAUGE CLUSTER SINCE IT SEEMS THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW AND ALSO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE ODOMETER RESETTING. *JB
FIRST OF ALL MY ODOMETER GAUGE STOPPED OPERATING. IT REMAINED ON ZERO MILES WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE SINCE NOVEMBER 2005. THE WHOLE DASHBOARD CLUSTER HAD TO BE REINSTALLED. SECONDLY; THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT BEGAN POPPING ON AND THE ENVOY WAS DRIVING ROUGH. I FOUND OUT FROM A GM DEALER THAT THE CLUTCH FAN FROZE WHICH CAUSED THE WATER PUMP TO BREAK AND THE RADIATOR TO OVER HEAT BURST THE RADIATOR HOSE AND SPEW OUT AND LEAK ALL OF THE WATER AND RADIATOR FLUID FROM THE RADIATOR. THE ENVOY IS NOW NOT DRIVABLE. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS 2004 ENVOY SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2003. *NM
I HAVE TAKEN MY SATURN ION3 IN TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES NOW FOR THE BODY CONTROL MODULE KEEPS BLOWING FUSES. THE FIRST TIME WAS THE WEEK AFTER CHRISTMAS 2005, THE SECOND WAS EXACTLY A MONTH LATER AND THE THIRD TIME WAS O WEEK AFTER THAT. ON THE FIRST VISIT THEY SAY THAT THEY REPLACED THE (BCM), ON THE SECOND VISIT THEY JUST REPLACED THE FUSE AND SENT ME ON MY WAY AND THE THIRD VISIT THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME TO PICK UP MY CAR AFTER A WEEK. I PICKED MY CAR UP ON THURSDAY EVENING AND NOT 3 DAYS LATER AND THE FUSE IS BLOWN AGAIN. THEIR ONLY ANSWER WAS TO GIVE ME A COUPLE EXTRA FUSES IN THE PANEL AREA SO THAT I COULD CHANGE THEM MYSELF. *NM
ABOUT APRIL OF 2005 MY TRUCK STARTED SHUTTING OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. AT THIS TIME IT WOULD RESTART AUTOMATICALLY WITH NO OTHER PROBLEMS. TOOK IT IN TO THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRUCK WAS MISSING A STALL CODE AND THAT THEY HAD UPDATED IT. IN SEPTEMBER IT STARTED TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I HAD ASKED SOME MECHANICS I KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE AN IGNITION PROBLEM. WE STARTED CHECKING ALL IGNITION CONNECTIONS, FUSES, GROUNDS ETC. IT STOPPED FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WERE IT WILL SHUT OFF THREE AND FOUR TIMES PER TRIP. WHILE MYSELF AND TWO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE WORKING IN LUGOFF SC IT SHUT OFF ON US IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY, NEARLY CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND THAT IF IT DID IT AGAIN TO CALL THEM AND THEY WOULD SEND A SERVICE TECH OUT TO LOOK AT IT. I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN THAT GM NEEDS TO LOOK INTO. *JB
I FIRST PURCHASED THIS MALIBU 2002 IN FEB 2002. NOV 02 ( 9 MOS LATER) I HAD TO HAVE MY IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED WHICH WAS UNDER WARRANTY. AROUND THE SAME TIME MY TURN/HAZARD SIGNAL WENT OUT AND I HAVEN'T HAD IT REPLACED YET AFTER 4YRS OF HAVING THIS CAR. IF I WANT TO USE IT I HAVE TO KEEP PRESSING THE HAZARD BUTTON TO MAKE IT COME ON. NOV 2005 I TRIED TO START MY CAR, BUT IT KEPT CUTTING OFF. MY DAD STATED IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD THE FUEL PUMP,CRANK SENSOR AND MODULE REPLACED. MY CAR STILL DIDN'T START. FINALLY MY DAD WENT UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AND PRESSED THIS BLACK BUTTON (CUT OFF SWITCH) AND THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD START. I HAVE TO TRAVEL 25 MILES TO WORK SO I WAS TIRED OF WORRYING ABOUT THE CAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE THEFT SYSTEM. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER 11/29/2005 THEY HAD THE CAR UNTIL 12/15/2005. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY IGNITION SWITCH, CRANK SENSOR AND MY ALARM/AUTOMATIC STARTER. I WAS OUT OF $366.73 TO THE DEALER AND TAKING A CAB TO WORK AT 5:30AM FOR X7DY COASTED$210.00. I WAS ALSO OUT OF MONEY FOR A RENTAL CAR FOR THE LAST 7YS THEY HAD MY CAR PLUS GAS ON BOTH BECAUSE THEY USED ALL GAS IN MY CAR. I HAVE HAD X2 IGNITION SWITCHES PUT ON MY CAR, I HAVE TO CHANGE MY TAIL/PARK/BRAKE BULB SEEMINGLY EVERY 6MOS. I AM ONLY GETTING MY HAZARD/TURN SIGNAL REPLACED WHEN NHTSA REVIEWS IT AS BEING AN DEFECT. I AM HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THE SPEED OF MY CAR ALSO ON THE E WAY. I HAVE TO PUT MY FOOT TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO MAKE IT TAKE OFF AT 60MPH. I HAVE TO PUT GAS IN MY CAR EVERY 3DYS. I LAST CHANGED MY FUEL FILTER 1YR AGO AND AGAIN HAVING IT REPLACED 1/1/06. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 1WK AFTER I GOT MY CAR OUT OF THE SHOP ON 12/22 AND IT HAS BEEN ON SINCE. MY COOLANT LIGHT COMES AND GOES OFF EVERY NOW AND THEN. I HAVE HAD MY COOLANT/FUEL FLUSHED. I HAD IT WINTERIZED WHAT'S THE PROBLEM. IF WE HAVE 47-50 PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING WHY CANT IT GET DONE. PLEASE RESPOND AND HELP US CHEVY OWNERS ASAP/WF. *JB
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WAS TOLD AIR INJECTOR VALVE OPER/SOLENOID REPLACE. DROVE 800 MILES, TOOK EMISSIONS TEST FAILED. SHOWED NO CODES. WAS TOLD BY TECH TO TRY DRIVING 100 MILES. OR TAKE TO DEALER, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP CHARGED DIAGNOSTIC FEE. WAS TOLD BY THEM TO DRIVE 100 MILES. DROVE 150 RETURNED NEXT DAY. STILL THE CODES ARE NOT SHOWING. WANT ME TO DRIVE ANOTHER 150 MILES. TWO CODES ARE NOT SHOWING. TOOK BACK TO EMISSIONS PROVIDER, THEY SHOWED ME IT WAS THE 02 SENSOR AND LAST TEST ON THE OBD COMPUTER. I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME. ALSO PLEASE NOTE MY RADIO FROZE AGAIN PLAYING ON 1 STATION AND SHOWING ANOTHER. SHOWED IT TO TECH TODAY. AND ALSO MY BRAKES STILL GIVING SAME PROBLEM. ABS BRAKES STILL PULLING VEHICLE. BOUGHT NEW TIRES TO HELP WITH THE TRACTION. BUT PROBLEM STILL SAME. FUEL WAS ABOUT 12 MILES PER GAL. HOW MANY MILES DO I HAVE TO DRIVE IN ORDER FOR THE COMPUTER ON THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND. I'VE DRIVEN OVER 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) SINCE FRIDAY 10-21-05. WHAT A LEMON! I WILL BE RETURNING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP (CHEV) TOMORROW AFTER DRIVING 150 MILES. MY DAYTIME LIGHT STILL GOES OUT WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS. *NM
WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY L.A. FREEWAY ON A SATURDAY EVENING MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WITH NO WARNING TO THE POINT OF ALMOST STALLING. LUCKY FOR ME I SAY MY PRAYERS AND WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE OFF RAMP AND COAST ON TO THE STREET WHERE I WAS PUSHED OUT OF TRAFFIC BY A GOOD SAMARITAN (I'M A SINGLE FEMALE DRIVER). I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN AFTER AWHILE AND CHUGGED HOME 30 SLOW MILES TO MY HOUSE ( I WAS ALL OUT OF TOWS ON AAA AND NO MECHANICS OPEN AT THAT TIME).NEXT WEEK MY SAAB MECHANIC INDICATES THAT IT IS THE DI FAILING. ESTIMATED COST PART/LABOR IS $550.00. I JUST REPLACED THE DI 9/15/2003 AFTER A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPENED AND ALL POWER WAS LOST WHILE DRIVING, I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO SAAB. COST TO ME THE FIRST TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY $450.00 NOT INCLUDING CAR RENTAL. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD ON THE '99S AS ALL THESE POSTED COMPLAINTS INDICATE AND I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THE CURRENT RECALL IS NOT INCLUDING '99S. I'VE HELD OFF REPLACING THE REPLACEMENT THAT LASTED ONLY 20,000 MI/2 YEARS HOPING TO GET SOME RECOGNITION/HELP FROM SAAB WITH THIS. PART IS AVAILABLE. OBVIOUSLY THE CURRENT (FAILED) DI IN MY CAR IS A 2000 - 2002 SAAB DI - SO WILL THEY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR? THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I ADAMANTLY BELIEVE SAAB SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE 99S AS (I HAVE FOUND OUT) IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AMONG OWNERS. *NM
1. RUNS HOT WAS TOLD BY DEALER ITS "NORMAL" TO RUN IT AT 230 20,000 MILES. 2. REPLACE BRAKES AT 40,000 MILES. 500.00 REPAIR 3. RECALLED FOR WIPER/SIGNAL SWITCH 45,000, 4. CUTS OUT OR RPMS MOVE THE CAR DOESN'T, DEALER CANT FIND A PROBLEM 46,000 MILES. 5. "DRINKS OIL NO SIGNS OF LEAKS! 60,000 MILES DEALER HAS NO CLUE! 6. TOTAL OVER HEATING AT 70,000. REPLACE THERMOSTAT. 300.00 REPAIR 7. BATTERY WENT DEAD 71,000 MILES 90.00 REPAIR 8. TURN SIGNALS "STICK" WILL NOT TURN OFF BY THEMSELVES NOT BLINK 72,000 MILES 9. REPLACE ALTERNATOR AT 73,000 MILES, 400.00 REPAIR. IM THE SECOND OWNER...THIS CAR IS A TOTAL PIECE OF '!@#$%! NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE FOR SURE!!! *NM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE WONT START, CANT ROLL WINDOWS WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY IN THE INGNITON SAID DRIVER UNKOWN, LIGHTS COME ON, BUT RADIO WONT, PLAY , GOOD BATTERY HAD IT TESTED. WONT JUMP START NOR CAN YOU LOCK CAR WITH KEY BUT SYTEM SECURITY LIGHT IS ON WHEN DOORS ARE SHUT NO INTERIOR LIGHT COMES ON . SIDE DOOR MAY HAVE GOTTEN WET WHEN WINDOW WAS DOWN, ALREADY HAD A SIDE DOOR MODULE PUT IN. HAD OWN STAR IN THE CAR BUT HAVENT HAD IT REACTIVATE, DONT KNOW IF IT COULD CAUSE SYSTEM FAILURE . DRIVING A RENTING CAR NOW , WHEN LEFT FOR A LONG PERIODS OF TIME CAR WILL RESET ITSELF AND SART. TOOK TO CAR DEALER AND WAS INFORM THAT CAR HAD TO NOT BE WORKING TO TEST. TRIED TO SART THIS MORING AFTER NOT STARTING FOR 24HOURS AND TOWED TO THE DEALER THIS MORING THEYARE STILL WORKING ON CAR AND ITS BEEN THREE DAYS NOW CANT FIND ANYTING WORNG WITH IT.
WHILE DRIVING ON I-75 NORTH COMMING FROM FLORIDA AFTER CROSSING THE GEORGIA STATE LINE DRIVER MADE STOP AT THE REST AREA,WHEN I RESUMED TRIP THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO ENGAGE,A FEW MILES LATER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED ON IT'S OWN. *AK ALMOST CAUSING A ACCIDENT,THIS TRUCK HAS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE THE DAY IT WAS BOUGHT,ANYMORE PROBLEMS THIS TRUCK WILL BE PARKED AND TILTLED ONLY FOR MY SAFTY AND THE SAFTY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD.SEEMS TO ME AFTER 100 YEARS OF AUTO BUILDING GENERAL MOTORS COULD GET IT RIGHT,OH BY THE WAY THE LOCAL DEALER SAID HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL,I HAVE NO DOUBT IF THIS HAD BEEN A CASH FEX INSTEAD OF A WARRENTY PROBLEM THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM.
WE PARKED AT A CONVENIENCE STORE AND UPON STOPPING TO PARK THE ABS PUMP STARTED WHINING AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF EVEN AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. SERVICE MANAGER AT JIM FUOCO MOTORS IN GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO DISCONNECTED THE WIRES TO THE ABS RELAY SYSTEM UNDER THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. HE SAID THE ABS RELAY MODULE UNDER THE FRAME IS FAULTY AND THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $1000.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR TO REPLACE DUE TO FAULTY DIODES ON THE SYSTEM. HE ADVISED THAT THE TRUCK CAN BE OPERATED WITHOUT ABS SYSTEM CONNECTED AND THE BRAKES WILL OPERATE AS THE OLDER PRE-ABS BRAKES SYSTEMS DID BUT ON ICY ROADS OR HARD STOPS THE TRUCK MAY SKID AND LOSE TRACTION. THE TRUCK HAD 47,000 MILE ON IT WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR AND GM STILL REFUSES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM OR RECALL THE ABS SYSTEM. I NOTED ON THIS SITE THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ABS FAILURES INCLUDING MANY SIMILAR TO MINE. WHY HAS THIS PROBLEM NOT BEEN RECALLED AS A SAFETY ISSUE? THE ABS SYSTEMS ON THESE TRUCKS ARE FAULTY FROM MANUFACTURE, NOT FROM USE. ARE THEY WAITING UNTIL SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIES?
MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND IT CAUGHT FIRE AND NON REPAIRABLE.*AK
SINCE PURCHASING MY 2002 VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO ALREADY PUT A NEW BATTERY, NEW ALTERNATOR, NEW TIRES (ACCEPTABLE) TWO SETS OF BRAKES AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL IS ON AND NO ONE CAN FIND OUT WHY SO THEREFORE I CAN'T GET AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL LIGHT IS OFF. HELP. *NM
PROBLEM-ELECTRICAL- RADIO REPLACEMENT, THIRD RADIO PLACE I AM ON MY THIRD RADIO. THE FIRST RADIO BEGAN TO FREQUENTLY CHANGE STATIONS ON IT'S OWN. I THOUGHT IT WAS SATELLITES, TOWERS, AND DIDNT THINK MUCH OF IT IN THE BEGINNING. IT WAS NOTICED BY MY DAUGHTER AS HAVING A LIFE OF IT'S OWN. THEN IT STARTED TO CHANGE OFTEN, WHILE DISPLAYING ANOTHER CHANNEL. IT WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. SECOND RADIO- DISPLAY WINDOW BEGAN TO BLINK, FLASHING THE CHANNEL NUMBERS. IT WAS CHANGED BY DEALER THIRD RADIO-CHANGED STATIONS ONCE SO FAR. NOT A NOTICEABLE INCIDENT YET. HAVE NOT COMPLAINED YET. IN ALL RADIOS, THE PANEL GETS VERY WARM INCIDENT DATE IS LAST REPAIR DATE
THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE VEHICLE ARE SO DIM, I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR AT NIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE I AM DRIVING WITH FLASHLIGHTS. I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC AT SUNLAND PONTIAC DEALERSHIP, EL PASO, TX THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I TOLD THEM THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TO DIM ON MY VEHICLE. I TOLD THEM I WANTED NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WITH BRIGHTER BULBS OR HIGHER WATTAGE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY NEW HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY THAT CONTAINED BRIGHTER BULB, OR HIGHER WATTAGE, AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. I COMPLAINED EVERY TIME I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR MAINTENACE. INCIDENT DATE IS APPROXIMATE DATE. THEY WILL HAVE IT ON RECORD. ALSO, I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY IGNITION SWITCH AGAIN. IT IS VERY HARD TO TURN TO START THE CAR. YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT IN A CERTAIN POSITION FOR IT TO START, SOMETIMES IT WILL STAR, AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS. I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR, EVERY SINCE I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW IN 1997. I FILLED OUT A FORM AND SENT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND GMAC ABOUT ALL THE PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING AND THEY NEVER RESPONDED TO MY COMPLAINTS. I CAN E-MAIL YOU A COPY OF THE COMPLAINT FORM I SENT TO THEM. THE MOST DISTURBING DEFECT ABOUT THE CAR IS THAT YOU CAN SEE THE LOOSE WIRING BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL CONNECTED TO THE DASH. THE MECHANIC WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR TOLD ME THAT ALL OF THE 1997 5 SPEED SUNFIRES CAME LIKE THAT FROM THE MANUFACTURE. SO, THEY PUT IN A PIECE OF BLACK FOAM, SO I WOULD NO LONGER SEE THE WIRING. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. IF I HAD KNOW THEN, WHAT I KNOW NOW, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN THE CAR BACK TO THEM, AND DEMANDED MY $3,000 DOWN PAYMENT BACK. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME TO CORRECT THE DEFECTS AND PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING WITH THIS CAR. THANK YOU.*AK
1998 GMC SIERRA. *LA
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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