Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 238 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 238 · page 1 of 10
Front Control arm broke at the frame. There is a recall for this control arm issue for a 2002 Bravada but, my vin was not included. 01V126000 is the NHTSA. The control arms fractured causing separation from the frame. Bravada is at service shop and they have confirmed the frame separation from control arm. This is very dangerous and has caused it to be unsafe and deadly.
I was merging onto the interstate going approximately 35 mph, I spun out on black ice across three lanes of traffic and smashed into the guard rail. The airbags DID NOT deploy during this accident, even when the car rolled back and hit the wall again. Since the airbags did not deploy, I suffered trauma to my chin and inside my mouth. I have facial cellulitis, and I needed to receive 3 stitches inside my mouth to stop the bleeding. This happened because my face hit the steering wheel, rather than being protected by the airbag. There were no warning lights on the vehicle prior to failure. The airbags not deploying could have potentially injured me greatly if I had been going any faster.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL NOISE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN GEAR AND THERE WAS LATERAL MOVEMENT OF BOTH REAR WHEEL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SUSPENSION OUTER LINK BRACKETS WERE SEVERELY CORRODED, AND THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS TAKEN. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V126000 (SUSPENSION) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 129,300. *LN *AS
SIDE MIRRORS BEING ADJUSTED INCORRECTLY BOTH WHEN BACKING AND ALTERING WHEN GOING FORWARD
PASSENGER SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM SEAT HEATER WHILE CAR WAS OFF AND NO ONE IN IT. THE SEAT HEATER HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR DAYS. MY CAR WAS PARKED AFTER GOING TO THE STORE ABOUT 3PM. FOUND THE NEXT MORNING ABOUT 10;30 AM .GM DENIED MY CLAIM. SAFETY ISSUE,DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURED DEFECT ,THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. WHOLE INSIDE OF THE CAR IS TRASHED . THE FIRE OBVIOUSLY STARTED FROM THE SEAT MUST HAVE BEEN A BLAZE THE HEADLINER AND VISOR ALSO BURNT. MUST HAVE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF DUE TO LACK OF OXYGEN. I CONTACTED GM THEY NEVER SENT ANYONE TO LOOK AT IT. I EMAILED THEM PHOTOS AND THROUGH THAT THEY ARE DENYING THAT IT IS A DEFECT OR A SAFETY ISSUE. THROUGH RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THIS HAS HAPPENED TO AND YET THERE IS STILL NOT A RECALL FOR THIS
TAKATA RECALL. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL A COUPLE YEARS AGO AT THE TIME MY BRAVADA WAS NOT DOING WHAT IT SAID WHICH WAS THE SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. NOW I AM SELLING GAS EVERYONE I START HER UP. I CAN NOT FIND THE LETTER I RECEIVED ABOUT THISSTYER SO THOUGH T I WOULD TRY THIS AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME ANSWERS. THANK YOU :)
AT 60K MILES HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND MOTOR (WITH 2003 CHEVY BLAZER). MIRRORS DON'T RECALL AND MOVE WHEN UNLOCKING CAR. PASSENGER SEAT BELT GETS TIGHT AFTER BRAKING AND HAS TO BE UNDONE, RECOILED, AND PUT BACK ON. BACKUP LIGHTS BLOW EVERY YEAR. THE AWD WAS FIXED TWICE BY DEALER AND MESSED UP AGAIN SO WE HAD IT REMOVED. THE AIR SUSPENSION BLEW & WAS REPLACED WITH SPRINGS. TERRIBLE RACKET IN THE REAR END. DRIVER HEATED SEAT QUIT WORKING 2 YEARS AGO. THIS YEAR, TRANSMISSION HAS QUIT WORKING (WHILE DRIVING) AND I AM OVER THIS CAR! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THERE WAS AN BURNING ODOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SEAT WAS MELTING FROM THE BOTTOM AND WAS DRIPPING ONTO THE CARPET. THE CONTACT PULLED THE FUSE BOX WIRES FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT TO PREVENT THE SEAT FROM BURNING; HOWEVER, THE SEAT WAS STILL GETTING HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 215,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V121000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.
I RECENTLY HAD A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. TRUCK WAS DRIVING GREAT, HAD NO TELL TALE SIGNS OF ANY PROMBLEMS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TRUCK CUTS OFF AND WOULD NOT START, HARNESS REPLACED, CAR STARTED NOW GAS PEDAL NOT WORKING AND REDUCE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS, NEVER BEEN PROMBLEMATIC. TRUCK WAS LOCATED ON CITY STREET NOT MOVEABLE. THE GAS PEDAL MALFUNCTIONED SUDDENLY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING LIGHT FLASHED. THE VEHICLE HAD A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN SPEED WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MORE THAN TWICE AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V527000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AND WAS WAITING ON THE PART FOR MONTHS TO RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR AND WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE RECALL WOULD BE COMPLETED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000. MA 10/15/2015 *CN
WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT I NOTICED THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. I HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE WHILE I WAS DRIVING BUT IT WAS ONLY A FLICKERING LIGHT AND NOT A STEADY LIGHT. AFTER DRIVING HOME I NOTICED THE LIGHT WAS AGAIN OFF. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER, AND THE LIGHT CONTINUED TO BE ON FOR ABOUT A WEEK (WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING) AND THEN IT WENT OFF AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS OFF FOR ONLY ONE DAY. NOW THE LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME WHEN THE SUV IS RUNNING. I TOOK THE SUV INTO OUR MECHANIC AND HE TRIED TO PULL UP AN ERROR CODE. HE SAID THAT IT COULD BE A CORRODED WIRE OR IT COULD BE THE ENTIRE AIR BAG(S) NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE ALSO STATED THAT IF ONE AIR BAG IS NOT WORKING THAT NONE OF THE OTHERS WILL EITHER. THE PRICE QUOTED TO FIX THIS IS FROM $150 JUST TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG, AND UP TO $1200 TO REPLACE AIRBAG.
TRAVELING APX 5-10 MPH DOWN A HWY SLOWING DOWN AND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WITH TRAFFIC LIGHT THE ENGINE STALLED/QUIT COMPLETELY AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE WITH HELP TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES THE ENGINE RESTARTED. THIS VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO (RC 04048) AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BY MYSELF ON 1/21/05 AS SOON AS I WAS NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. LOOKING AT THE INVOICE THAT I STILL HAVE IN MY FILES TODAY IT CLAIMS A WIRE JUMPER HARNESS AND STRAP WAS INSTALLED. SEEMS LIKE THIS FIX HAS FAILED.
VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND RAN OFF THE ROAD. IT THEN CAME BACK ON THE ROAD AND ENDED UP T-BONING THE TRAILER OF AN 18-WHEELER BEFORE SKIDDING BACK AROUND AND COMING TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BUT THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE SPEED AT IMPACT WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 35-50 MPH SO IT DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE MAGNETIC PICK UP SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
THE CAR IS ACTING JUST LIKE THE OTHER IGNITION SWITCH RECALLS GENERAL MOTORS HAS ISSUED. IF THERE IS ANY WEIGHT ON THE KEY CHAIN THE CAR HAS A TENDENCY TO STALL. SOMETIMES IT WILL START UP RIGHT AWAY WHILE OTHER TIMES IT MAY NEED TO SIT FOR UP TO 30 MINUTES BEFORE STARTING AGAIN. *TR
ENGINE STALLS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. LOST BRAKES, STEERING, NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. LUCKILY WAS ON SMALL HIGHWAY, ABLE TO COAST TO STOP AND HAVE CAR TOWED. MECHANIC UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM AFTER KEEPING AND DRIVING VEHICLE FOR 10 DAYS. SEARCHED ISSUE ONLINE. HORRIFIED TO READ HUNDREDS OF SAME COMPLAINT; SAME VEHICLE, SAME YEAR. HORRIBLE STORIES OF RESULTING ACCIDENTS. NOW NEWS FULL OF "IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE" ISSUES. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. GM NOT OFFERING ADVICE AND CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY. SAYS "TOO MANY KEYS ON KEY CHAIN." 2 KEYS ON MINE. VEHICLE NOT ON GM RECALL LIST. BOUGHT SECOND HAND IN 2011. NOW TOO SCARED TO DRIVE IT. STILL OWE $5,000 ON CAR. CANT AFFORD TO ADD THAT TO NEW LOAN. WILL NOT SELL IT TO UNSUSPECTING SOUL WHO MAY BE KILLED. *TR
ON JAN.8,2013 MY VEHICLE WAS WRECKED. LOCAL POLICE AND THE STATE TROOPER INFORMED ME THE BRAVADA HAD FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS TOTALED. WHEN I WENT TO THE TOW COMPANY TO CLAIM MY BELONGS FROM THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. MY HUSBAND HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. HE WASN'T HURT BAD BUT HE COULD HAVE DIED.THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. I HAD THIS VEHICLE SERVICED FOR SEVERAL PROBLEMS,BUT I WAS NEVER TOLD THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T WORK. *TR
WAS DRIVING AND LOST CONTROL WITH INABILITY TO STEER. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND FOUND THAT STEERING FLUID WAS DRAINING FROM MY CAR. TOOK IT TO THE BODY SHOP & THEY SAID THE STEERING PUMP BLEW. IM GLAD I WASN'T TRAVELING FASTER AND THAT NO ONE WAS STRUCK. *TR
ON THE 17JULY 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30PM, I WAS DRIVING AND WINDSHIELD WASHERS STOP WORKING. PLEASE NOTE , THE NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A SEVERE WEATHER FLASH FLOOD WARNING. *TR
IT ALL BEGAN WHEN I WENT TO WALMART TO GET SOME TIRES ON MY 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA ALL-WHEEL DRIVE...WELL I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR ALL 4 TIRES,SO I ASKED THEM IF I COULD PUT TIRES ON IT? AND THEY SAID YES..SO THAT IS WHAT WE DID..WELL 1 MONTH AFTER I HAD THOSE 2 TIRES PUT ON THE FRONT,THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK STARTED MAKING NOISE AND WAS HARD TO TURN...I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID WALMART SHOULD HAVE NEVER PUT JUST 2 TIRES ON THE TRUCK..CAUSE ALL 4 TIRES HAVE TO BE THE SAME OR IT WILL MESS THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE UP..WELL IT MESSED THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UP ON MY TRUCK..I TOLD WALMART ABOUT IT AND THEY PAID TO FIX MY TRUCK AND PAID FOR 2 MORE TIRES FOR THE TRUCK MAKING ALL THE TIRES THE SAME...WELL ITS NOT BEEN A YEAR AND ITS STARTING TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN!!!! SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM ON THESE ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES BUT IT HAS BEEN FOR ME!! NOW I SIT HERE WITH A WIFE AND THREE KIDS WITH NO VEHICLE!!!! *TR
2002 OLDS BRAVADA (WHICH WE HAVE OWNED SINCE 9/2004) WAS BEING DRIVEN BY MY TEENAGE SON (WITH 3 OTHER KIDS IN THE VEHICLE), AS HE LEFT A STOP SIGN, THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE BROKE LOOSE FROM THE BODY, SEPARATING THE CONTROL ARMS FROM THE FRAME AND DROPPING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. HE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20MPH AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. HE MANAGED TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A DITCH, A SEMI-SAFE DISTANCE FROM TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED 11/10/12AM TO A NEARBY GM DEALERSHIP. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR BEGINS AT NEARLY $7000., WHICH WOULD EXCEED THE VEHICLES VALUE. THE GM DEALERSHIP, TO WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, HAS ADVISED US NOT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AS IT WOULD BE TOO EXTENSIVE. TO FURTHER THAT STATEMENT, THE GM DEALERSHIP HAS DISCOURAGED US TO EVEN OBTAIN A FULL AND ACCURATE QUOTE AS THIS WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TIME FOR A VEHICLE THAT SHOULD NEVER SEE THE ROAD AGAIN, AGREEABLY. TO QUOTE BOTH THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND THE GENERAL SERVICE MANAGER OF THE GM DEALERSHIP; "THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE WITH AN ISSUE SUCH AS THIS." REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO REPORT THIS TO GM HAVE FAILED. IN EFFORTS TO MINIMIZE PERSONAL OPINIONS FROM THIS POST, I WILL ONLY SAY THIS IS UTTERLY UNACCEPTABLE ON THE PART OF GM, AND A SAFETY HAZARD TO UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMERS. *TR
POWER STEERING WENT OUT... *JS
THE CAR SHUTS OFF SUDDENLY AND ALL OF THE GAUGES LIGHT UP. THE CAR MUST BE RESTARTED, SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS PRESENTS A DANGER AS THE CAR MAY SUDDENLY LOSE MOBILITY ON A HIGHWAY. IT SEEMS THAT THIS MAY BE RELATED TO MULTIPLE POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET THAT CLAIM THIS SYMPTOM IS CAUSED BY A VOLTAGE SPIKE TO THE COMPUTER GENERATED BY THE AIR SHOCKS. THIS CAR WAS BUILT SEPTEMBER 1,2001 AND WAS SUPPOSEDLY INCLUDED IN A RECALL BUT THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS CAR AND IF IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL, ONCE THE REPAIR IS DONE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND IT ON THE GM COMPUTERS AND THE RECALL WOULD THEN NOT BE IN EFFECT FOR THIS VEHICLE. IF IT WAS REPAIRED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE ROAD. *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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