2002 Chevrolet C/K Pickups

Routine

Owners filed 14 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip3
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
000
Parking Brake2
000
Wheels › Rim1
000
Suspension › Front1
000
Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and Attachments1
003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor1
000
Service Brakes, Electric1
000
Service Brakes1
100
Electrical System1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service BrakesCrash
Filed Aug 12, 2015105,000 milesMO

INITIALLY WE HAD THE BRAKES CHANGED, THEN WE TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY WERE TEST DRIVING IT, AND TRIED TO STOP THE TRUCK, AND RAN INTO THE WELDER IN THE SHOP AND DESTROYED THE WELDER AND WRECKED THE FRONT BUMPER OF OUR TRUCK. WE THEN HAD THE BEARINGS WORKED ON. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND WHERE SOME TRUCKS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM OF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGING AT SLOW SPEEDS. OUR TRUCK HAS A VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN TRYING TO STOP, BUT IT ONLY OCCURS AT THE FINAL STAGE OF STOPPING, AT SLOW SPEEDS. IT HAS OCCURED NUMEROUS TIMES, AND WITH NO WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE ROAD.

Service Brakes, Electric
Filed Jun 1, 201179,000 milesOH

I PURCHASED A 2002 CHEV. K1500 5.3LITER 4X4 PICKUP IN OCT. 2010. ONCE I TOOK THE TRUCK HOME THE BRAKES STARTED ACTING UP. I CONTACT GM AND THEY ADVISED THE TRUCK HAD A RECALL ON THE ABS SYSTEM BUT THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORM ON THE TRUCK AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANY MORE FOR ME. I THOUGHT IF IT WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM THEY HAD TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THE ABS SYSTEM IS KICKING IN AT LOW SPEED UNDER 10MPH. WHEN YOU ARE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT OR AT A CROSS WALK. AND THE TRUCK WILL TAKE TWICE THE DISTANCE TO STOP. THEY DO NOT THINK THEY ARE NEEDING TO DO ANYTHING WITH THE PROBLEM. BUT, THEY ARE DOING A DISSATISFACTION TO THE CONSUMER. I AM A EMPLOYEE AT A AUTO REPAIR SHOP. AND WE ARE SEEING 1 OR 2 A MONTH WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL GM NEED TO STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT AND THEY ARE NOT. IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE TO HAVE THE ABS BRAKE KICK IN AND RUN SOMEONE OVER. BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT MAY NEED TO BE LOOK INTO VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING ON MORE THEN JUST THE TRUCKS. CARS AND SUV ARE ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Sep 12, 2010146,939 milesIN

I OWN A 2002 SILVERADO 1500. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS BRAKES KICKING IN AT ABOUT 5 MPH AND NEARLY CAUSING SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I WAS ABLE TO CLEAN THE ABS SENSORS AND MOUNTING AREAS AND ONCE AGAIN HAVE BRAKES. HOWEVER,NOW(SEPT. 2010) THE METAL BRAKE LINES UNDER THE DRIVERS DOOR RUSTED THROUGH AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH 3 PEOPLE INSIDE,INCLUDING MY SON AND HIS 3 YEAR OLD SON. I AM HAVING IT TAKEN TO A GARAGE TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. I HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES, NONE OF WHICH HAVE HAD THESE PROBLEMS. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Feb 19, 2010116,000 milesOH

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES KICK IN AT SLOW SPEEDS. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK. THEY ISSUED A RECALL FOR MY BRAKES, BUT ALL THEY DO IS CLEAN THE SENSOR, SO WHEN THEY GET DIRTY, THEY START DOING IT AGAIN. I CONTACTED MY CHEVY DEALER,AND HE SAID THEY COULD LOOK AT IT, MIGHT HAVE TO CHARGE ME THOUGH. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 26, 200858,243 milesNH

STARTED OUT TO WORK ONE MORNING,TRUCK PERFORMED FINE. STOPPED FOR GAS RESTARTED TRUCK,NOTICED THAT BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT FURTHER THAN NORMAL ,AND IT TOOK MORE FOOT PRESSURE TO STOP. CONTINUED TO WORK,WORKED,DROVE HOME. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR,AND HAD NO STOPPING POWER. NEXT MORNING CHECKED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR ,IT WAS EMPTY. I THAN NOTICED PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER DRIVERSIDE OF TRUCK. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED TO MY SURPRISE RUST THROUGH ON THE STEEL BRAKE LINE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED WAS TOLD THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. HAD TRUCK TOWED TO DEALER,SERVICE MANAGER WANTED GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT OF 40 DOLLARS AND CHANGE TO LOOK AT IT,TO CONFIRM WHAT I ALREADY KNEW THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. THEY SAID THIS WAS NORMAL AND WOULD NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR IT,ONLY TO OFFER SMALL CREDIT TOWARDS PARTS,WHICH AMOUNTS TO NOTHING. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO NOW ,AND ARE MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK HOME. *TR

Parking Brake
Filed Nov 30, 200745,000 milesTX

2002 CHEVROLET 1500 SILVERADO PICKUP 4 WHEEL DRIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PARKING BRAKE FAILS AND GOES TO FLOOR.........IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED AND DOES NOT WORK ...FAIL STATE INSPECTION.......DEFECTIVE DESIGN. *TR

Parking Brake
Filed Oct 1, 200712,000 milesCA

I RELIED ON THE PARKING BRAKE WHILE I WAS DOING SOME WORK. THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO HOLD, AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED. LUCKILY I NEARLY AVOIDED BEING STRUCK. FURTHER ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM ON ALL CHEVY AND GM PICKUP TRUCKS FOR 2002. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, BUT NOT THOSE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE RELIED ON TO HOLD THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES PROVIDE THE UPGRADED PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM FOR THESE VEHICLES. THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REDESIGNED ON 2003 VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO PROPERLY REVIEW THIS ISSUE, NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE COMPLAINTS FOR ALL GM AND CHEVY PICKUP TRUCKS. YOU WILL SEE A MULTITUDE OF LISTINGS FOR PARKING BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE RECALL OF NHTSA 05V161000 AS THERE IS NO MECHANICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEMS ON THE MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jul 11, 200773,000 milesOH

ABS PULSATED AT LOW SPEEDS AND DID NOT STOP, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENTS. HAD TO PULL ABS FUSE TO DISABLE IT. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Aug 26, 200543,500 milesMI

THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS AT SLOW SPEEDS MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I NEARLY ENTERED A BUSY HIGHWAY AS I WAS UNABLE TO STOP PROMPTLY. AFTER A FEW DAYS IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I NEARLY HIT A BUILDING AS I WAS TRYING TO STOP IN A PARKING SPACE. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM. HOWEVER THE AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITY WOULD NOT MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS UNLESS I PAID THE BILL. THEY HAD TO CLEAN THE ABS SENSORS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed Jan 2, 20057,900 milesMI

PREMATURE WEAR ON ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS FOR THIS TRUCK. ROTORS COULD NOT BE TURNED ON FIRST BRAKE PAD CHANGE BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE METAL USED TO MANUFACTURE THESE ROTORS HAD TO BE OF INFERIOR QUALITY. BRAKE PADS WERE STILL FAIRLY GOOD ! *JB

Electrical System
Filed Apr 1, 200425,000 milesNJ

THE ELECTRICAL SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. *AK THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FREQUENTLY GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. EVERY TIME THE SIGNAL LIGHTS, HIGH BEAM STALK OR TILT WHEEL FEATURES WERE USED THERE WOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF ILLUMINATION. (MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH GM#26100840 AND ACD#D6258C) *SC *JB

Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and Attachments3 injured
Filed Mar 18, 2004IL

12/7/2003 SITTING ON TAILGATE OF 2002 CHEVROLET PICKUP GOING DOWN ROAD 12-15 MPH BOTH CABLES SNAPPED AT SAME TIME RELEASING THE TAILGATE DOWN AND DUMPING MYSELF AND TWO OTHERS ONTO THE COUNTY PAVEMENT. TRUCK IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BOUGHT IN EFFINGHAM ILLINOIS AT DAN HECHT CHEVROLET BY TONY METTER OF SIGEL , IL. HEAD CONTUSIONS (MAJOR) TWO OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED, KEMPER INSURANCE IS INVOLVED.*AK

Wheels › Rim
Filed Sep 21, 200355,792 milesTX

THE WHEEL RIMS CRACKED ON A 2002 CHEVROLET K2500HD PICKUP RESULTING IN LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. *JB

Suspension › Front
Filed Mar 11, 2003OR

LOOSE FIT BETWEEN FRONT TORSION BARS AND LOWER A FRAME ON HALF TON CHEVY PICKUP TRUCKS AND TAHOES.*JB

14 of 14 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2002 — this page14000Routine
200124000Routine
200034100Routine
199937111Fatalities reported
199878110Routine
199772100Routine
199622100Routine
199523120Routine
199452110Routine
199312000Routine
19927000Routine
19916000Routine
19901000Routine

Compare every C/K Pickups year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.