2002 GMC Suburban

Routine

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires › tread/belt. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Tread/Belt2
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump2
000
Service Brakes1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000
Air Bags › Frontal1
101

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Structure03V094000
Filed Mar 7, 20033,674 vehiclesSouthern Comfort Conversions

Defect. CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCK, VAN, AND MINI VAN CONVERSIONS EQUIPPED WITH SOUTHERN COMFORT BUILT RUNNING BOARDS THAT CONTAIN CERTAIN COURTESY LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, INC. THESE UNITS CONTAIN A COURTESY LIGHT OR LIGHTS THAT MIGHT OVERHEAT WHEN THE WIRE HARNESS IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT.

Risk. THIS OVERHEATING CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE RUNNING BOARD TO MELT OR CAUSE A FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS ON THESE RUNNING BOARDS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 7, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SOUTHERN COMFORT AT 1-800-745-6096.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Oct 4, 2014145,000 milesIA

THE BRAKES FAILED AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. THE BRAKE LINES WERE BADLY RUSTED, MUCH WORSE THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS HAD IT HAPPENED AT A GREATER SPEED! *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Aug 28, 200669,000 milesPA

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD A POWER FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH. THE IGNITION WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS AN IGNITION PROBLEM. ON THE SECOND VISIT, THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SERVICE DEALER.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Nov 4, 200575,000 milesTX

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE FUEL GAUGE WORKED IMPROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE STALLING PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A FUEL PUMP FAILURE. THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 05/23/06. *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 17, 2005IL

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AND CHANGING GEARS, AND WHEN PUTTING IT IN REVERSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS FALLING OUT. WHILE CHANGING GEARS ITS LIKE A BIG THUD. WHEN CHANGING FROM PARK TO REVERSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING APART. WHEN TURNING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL RED LIGHT STAYS ON, AND THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. THE CONTACT WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE CHECKED. ALSO, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. *AK

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 8, 2004IL

THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN THE CONSUMERS WIFE HIT A BUS AT 40 MPH. THIS RESULTED IN A CONCUSSION. *AK *SC *JB

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Jan 28, 200424,000 milesTX

WITH LESS THAN 24,000 MILES ON 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, THERE IS EXTREMELY ABNORMAL WEAR ON TREADS OF FRONT TIRES IN PARTICULAR. LARGE, DEEP AND UNEVEN INDENTATIONS ON THE TREAD, ESPECIALLY FRONT INSIDE OF TIRES. *AK

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Jan 28, 2004TX

WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED FRONT END VIBRATED. CONSUMER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED FRONT TIRES WERE UNEVENLY WORN. *AK

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1994
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20041000Routine
20035100Routine
2002 — this page7100Routine
20015200Routine
200015200Routine
1999285260Above average
1998100331Fatalities reported
1997200340Above average
1996172424Fatalities reported
1995227723Fatalities reported
1994411640High concern
1993212240Above average
199280420Routine
199130200Routine
199022200Routine

Compare every Suburban 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.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 7, 2003. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.