RoadVitals

2002 GMC Sierra 2500 Engine Problems

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

Data refreshed

Engine 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 Mar 16, 2014
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.
10%
of 134 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 engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 GMC Sierra 2500 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 engine

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

Engine
Filed Mar 16, 2014

THREE BROKEN MANIFOLD BOLTS. FROM WHAT I HEAR THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. THE BROKEN ONE CLOSE TO FIREWALL, WILL HAVE TO PULL ENGINE TO FIX. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE MANIFOLD BOLTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10572622
Incident
Jun 7, 2012
Engine
Filed Jun 11, 2013

THE TRUCK HAS SEVERAL BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS THAT ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT CAUSING FAILURE OF CORRECT EMISSION CONTROLS THROUGH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND OUT OF THE HEADERS INSTEAD. THIS IS ENVIRONMENTALLY UNFRIENDLY, AND IS REALLY ANNOYING AS THE EXHAUST LEAKS FROM UNDER THE HOOD DUE TO LACK OF BOLTS ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10516171
Incident
Nov 1, 2012
Mileage
190 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Oct 14, 2011

2002 GMC SIERRA 2500HD. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE ENGINE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, LOOSING ALL POWER TO THE STEERING AND BRAKES, AND COULD NOT BE STARTED AGAIN, UNTIL THE TRUCK WAS PUT IN PARK AND THE KEY REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THERE WERE ALSO TIMES, WHEN THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START AT ALL. THE DEALER KEPT THE TRUCK FOR THREE WEEKS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONSUMER PICKED THE TRUCK UP AND DROVE 10 MILES, IT SHUT DOWN AGAIN. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS FUEL RELATED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10429908
Incident
Oct 1, 2011
Engine
Filed Jan 12, 2011

I HAVE A GMC 2500HD 4X4 WITH THE 8.1 LITER ENGINE IN THE PAST YEAR IT HAS STALLED AND THEN RESTARTED ITSELF 5 OR 6 TIMES ONE TIME I HAD TO SIT FOR ABOUT 6 MINUTES BEFORE IT WOULD RESTART. *TR

NHTSA ID
10376422
Incident
Aug 18, 2010
Mileage
123,500 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 12, 2009

I HAVE A 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500HD WITH THE 8.1L ENGINE THAT IS EXHIBITING THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS THAT LED TO THE RECALL OF THE 2001 MODEL. (NHTSA # 07V521000). ONE MINUTE I'LL BE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND THE NEXT MINUTE THE ENGINE WILL STOP RUNNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. SOMETIMES IT'LL RESTART BEFORE IT COMES TO A STOP. SOMETIMES IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER IT'S COME TO A STOP. I'VE RESEARCHED IT ON-LINE, AND IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RESTRICTED TO THE 2001 MODELS. THE DATE I'VE LISTED IS WHEN I FIRST REMEMBER IT HAPPENING. IT'S VERY INTERMITTENT. IT'S GETTING WORSE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10280204
Incident
Dec 28, 2007
Mileage
90,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 26, 2009

2002 GMC SIERRA 2500HD 6.0L 4X4. THE 6.0L ENGINE IS KNOCKING CONSTANTLY, AND FROM DOING SOME RESEARCH. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. DEALER SAID IT IS NORMAL! SINCE WHEN IS AN ENGINE KNOCKING, NORMAL? *TR

NHTSA ID
10278312
Incident
Jul 18, 2009
Mileage
74,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 30, 2009

TRUCK WAS STALLING MAYBE THREE TIMES A YEAR APPROX. 3 YEARS AGO. DOESN'T REGISTER ANY CODES. APPROX. 1 MONTH AGO STARTED STALLING DAILY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10263600
Incident
Mar 29, 2009
Mileage
20,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 2, 2008

I HAVE A 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500HD PICKUP WITH THE VORTEC 8.1 ENGINE. I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE AS EXPERIENCED IN THE 2001 MODEL YEAR RECALL (SAFETY RECALL # 06083). I AM NOT ALONE, AS MANY MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES IN THEIR 2002-2004 PICKUP TRUCKS. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA SHOULD EXTEND SAFETY RECALL # 06083 TO INCLUDE MODEL YEARS 2002 TO 2004, AS SOME MODELS MANUFACTURED IN CANADA FREQUENTLY USE PARTS FROM PREVIOUS US MODEL YEARS. MY VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE ON THE HIGHWAYS AS A RESULT. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10232980
Incident
Apr 20, 2008
Mileage
52,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 10, 2007

BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON IN MESSAGE CENTER AND ENGINE CUT OFF, DISABLING STEERING AND BRAKES. NEARLY AVOIDED ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY AS VEHICLE HAD TO CUT OVER TO LANES INTO DIRT SHOULDER TO STOP. VE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND A NEW DIAGNOSTIC CODE ENTERED IN THE VEHICLE. FOUND 3 OTHER ODI'S WITH EXACT SAME PROBLEM, 10159068,10174007, AND 10164369.*AK

NHTSA ID
10190418
Incident
May 9, 2007
Mileage
43,000 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed Nov 21, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN GEAR ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THIS WAS A DEFECT.*AK THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 12/15/06. *JB

NHTSA ID
10174007
Incident
Jun 1, 2006
Mileage
32,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 26, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN GEAR OR IN THE IDLE POSITION. THIS WAS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM FOR OVER ONE AND A HALF YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER IN APRIL AS WELL, AND THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED.

NHTSA ID
10169358
Incident
Mar 1, 2005
Mileage
40,000 mi
BrakesEngineTransmission
Filed Aug 3, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THREE OCCASIONS. ALL INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING 25 TO 35 MPH. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENTS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO PROBLEMS RESTARTING. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 11/16/2006 - THERE WERE SUBSEQUENT PROBLEM RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, AND AS MANY AS 3 TO 5 STALLING EPISODES PER WEEK. NOT ALL INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING. SOME INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHILE AT IDLE, AND AT A STOP. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. RECENTLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION SELECTOR POSITION SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. THE ABS ACTIVATED WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE DEALER FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10164369
Incident
Aug 2, 2006
Mileage
57,778 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 6, 2006

2002 GMC SIERRA STALLS WHILE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND NORMAL DRIVING. 2 NEAR ACCIDENTS, SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WILL CRANK WITH A NO START CONDITION. KILLED ONE OF MY AC DELCO BATTERIES. HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY AND CRANK POSITION SENSOR. *JB

NHTSA ID
10159068
Incident
May 17, 2006
Mileage
55,000 mi

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 .