2002 Chevrolet Z71 recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Tires

  MASTERCRAFT COURSER TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE UNDER NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS. SIZE 265/70/17 DOT # UT1Y FWB 4306 WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES AND 5 YEARS OLD. THE SEPARATION CAUSED VEHICLE DAMAGE BUT LUCKILY NO INJURIES. *TR

  Sep 2, 2012 · 34,000 miles
• Parking brake

  2002 CHEVROLET 1/2 TON EXT.CAB. Z-71 TRUCK PARKING BRAKE PREMATURELY WORN OUT AND TRUCK SLIPPED FROM PARK AND ROLLED INTO STREET. NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE AT THAT TIME. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW AND IT STARTED FAILING WITHIN 2 YRS OF OWNERSHIP. TOTAL PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

  Jul 15, 2010 · 81,000 miles
• Air bags › FrontalCrash

  MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN AN CRASH WHEN SHE WENT TO SLEEP WHILE DRIVING HER 2002 Z71 TAHOE. SHE HIT AN OAK TREE DEAD CENTER OF THE FRONT GRILL AND BUMPER. THE DRIVERS AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

  Dec 15, 2006 · 22,000 miles
• Power train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (prndl)

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET Z71. WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE STATED THAT THE SHIFTING CABLE WAS FAULTY IN THE MANNER IT WAS BOLTED AND MOUNTED ONTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 130,000.

  Jul 4, 2009 · 130,000 miles
• Parking brake

  NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, SOUNDS LIKE A SQUEAKY DOOR ONLY LOWER FREQUENCY. TOOK TO DEALER ON MAY 22, 2008, WAS TOLD IT WAS THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS LOOSE. I HAD THIS UNIT CHANGED ON MAY 22,2008. ON JUNE 5, 2008, I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR BRAKE WORK WHICH CONSISTED OF REPLACING REAR BRAKE PADS,ROTORS, & EMERGENCY BRAKE LININGS. SINCE THE STEERING WAS STILL MAKING NOISE I HAD THE DEALER CHECK IT AGAIN, THEY DID AND LUBED THE STEERING SHAFT COVER. STILL MAKES NOISE DOES NOT APPEAR TO AFFECT STEERING. ON EA04011 THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS IS THIS NOW IN EFFECT FOR AUTO TRANSMISSIONS? ON SEPT. 3, 2008, THIS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN…

  Jun 13, 2006 · 75,498 miles
• Parking brake

  PARKING BRAKE (E-BRAKES) FAILURE OF CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 Z71 WITH 4-WHEEL DISC ABS BRAKES. TRUCK PURCHASED NEW FROM FAMILY CHEVROLET IN SHINGLE SPRINGS CA. E-BRAKES NEVER WORKED FROM DAY ONE, HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD THIS WAS HOW THEY FUNCTIONED DUE TO 4-WHEEL DISC SYSTEM (FROM DEALERSHIP)-WRONG. AFTER ASKING OTHER CHEVY TRUCK OWNERS WITH THE SAME E-BRAKE SYSTEM, THEY TOO EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEMS. I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT GM DID NOT SEND A RECALL NOTICE OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM. THOUGH GM DID SEND OUT A RECALL ON THE TAIL GATE SUPPORT CABLES, I FIND THIS PROBLEM MUCH MORE OF A SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE THE E-BRAKES ARE SUPPOSE TO HOLD BACK A 2 TON VEHICLE OF WHICH IT DOES NOT. A MECHANIC FROM LES…

  Feb 20, 2002
• Service brakes, air › Antilock › Wheel speed sensor

  2002 Z71 SILVERADO CHEVROLET TRUCK PERTAINING TO ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE: ONE MONTH AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE PROBLEM RESULTED IN UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AND INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKE APPLICATION. GM INDICATED THAT THE CONDITION CAN OCCUR IF CORRISION FORMS UNDER THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND MOVES THE SENSOR AWAY FROM THE INTERGRAL SPEED SENSOR TOOTHED RING. THE CONDITION DOES NOT SET ANY ABS CODES NOR DOES IT ILLUMINATE THE ABS WARNING LAMP. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER'S MALFUNCTION MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I PERSONALLY KNOW OF SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.

  Jun 1, 2005 · 34,000 miles
• Parking brake

  PREMATURE TOTAL PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE. FAILED TEXAS VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION. VEHICLE INSPECTOR INFORMED ME THE SAME FAILURE WAS COMMON AMONG 2002 TRUCKS LIKE MINE AND WARNED OF A COSTLY REPAIR. PARKING BRAKE WAS VERY SELDOM ENGAGED YET BECAME TOTALLY WORN OUT AT SOME POINT PRIOR TO VEHICLE REACHING 50,000 MILES. DEALER ADMITTED TO A POOR DESIGN BUT SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL. HE SAID A BULLETIN WAS ISSUED TO REPLACE THE JUNK PART WITH A BEEFED UP VERSION. MY REPAIR COST EXCEEDED $400.*JB

  Jan 31, 2005 · 45,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• PARKING BRAKE FAILUREClosed

  ODI'S REVIEW OF COMPLAINT DATA RECEIVED SINCE THE CLOSE OF EA04-011 REVEALED NO INDICATION THAT THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE RE-OPENED.MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE ENCLOSED IN THE DP05-009 PUBLIC FILE.ODI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION IN THE FUTURE SHOULD CONDITIONS WARRANT.

  DP05009 · opened Dec 20, 2005 · closed May 31, 2006
• PARKING BRAKE FAILUREClosed

  ODI OPENED PE03-057 TO ASSESS PARKING BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKES THAT INCORPORATE A SINGLE-SHOE DRUM-IN-HAT PARKING BRAKE INDEPENDENT OF THE SERVICE BRAKES.COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA INDICATE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE LININGS TEND TO WEAR OUT EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (AT AN AVERAGE OF 24 MONTHS IN SERVICE), REDUCING THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM'S TORQUE BELOW THAT NEEDED TO IMMOBILIZE THE VEHICLE.GM HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS ACCELERATED WEAR TO FOREIGN MATERIAL INTRUSION AND A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SHOE TO PROPERLY SELF-CENTER WITHIN ITS BRAKE DRUM.EFFECTIVE WITH THE START OF MY 2003 PRODUCTION, A NEWER REDUCED FORCE HOLD-DOWN CLIP WAS INTRODUCED TO FACILITATE BRAKE SHOE DISENGAGEMENT FROM THE DRUM SURFACE.THIS PART IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE SERVICE LEVEL FOR THE MY 1999-2002 VEHICLES.GM HAS INDICATED THAT THE PAKING…

  PE03057 · opened Dec 8, 2003 · closed Apr 9, 2004