2002 GMC Silverado 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

• Engine

  MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE BREAKING OFF AND CAUSING EXHAUST LEAKS. *TR

  May 5, 2014 · 96,000 miles
• Service brakes

  WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF MY TRUCK. I HEAVILY APPLIED THE BRAKES AND IMMEDIATELY THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. ALL BRAKE FLUID DUMP OUT AND THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF INTO THE WOODS. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME I DISCOVERED THE "HARD" BRAKE LINES HAD HEAVY RUST AND CORROSION AND HAD DEVELOPED A PIN LEAK WHICH RUPTURED UPON PRESSING. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL VEHICLES OVER THE YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN CORROSION ON BRAKE LINES LIKE THIS TRUCK. I ORDERED THE PARTS AND WAS TOLD BY A FACTORY GM MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *TR

  Oct 14, 2013 · 109,000 miles
• Tires

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SILVERADO 2500. THE VEHICLE HAS TELSTAR WEATHERIZER TIRES, SIZE 265/75/R16. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM HIS GARAGE. HE NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED BULGES ON THE EXTERIOR SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TIRE DEALER AND HAD A TIRE REPLACED. TWO DAYS LATER, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. HE REPLACED THE TIRE BUT, THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 20,000.

  Jul 28, 2008 · 20,000 miles
• Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

  TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SILVERADO GMC WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 111,000. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN THREE AND TEN MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES AND THE BRAKES LOCK. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HAS ALL OF THE PARAMETERS OF THE CURRENT RECALL #05V379. THE RECALL DETAILS INDICATES: CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE UNWANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATION. THIS CONDITION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ENVIRONMENTALLY CORROSIVE AREAS. THIS RECALL WILL BE LAUNCHED IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODA…

  Jan 16, 2007 · 111,000 miles
• Air bagsCrash1 injury

  WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH CONSUMER SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A TREE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

  Mar 14, 2005
• Tires › Tread/belt

  WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE TIRE, AND DRIVE TO GOODYEAR. MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THE CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. GOODYEAR, WRANGLER, P235/75R16 R. *AK

  Jul 6, 2004
• Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift

  PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE JACK, AFTER EXPERIENCING A TIRE BLOW OUT. (NAR) *PH *CB

  Jan 1, 1901
• Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Catalytic convertor

  THERE IS BLACK SOOT IN THE TAIL PIPE FROM VEHICLE RUNNING RICH. *PH AND THE CONSUMER FEARS THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WILL BE DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 7700 MILES. *CB

  Jan 16, 2004

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
• UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATIONClosedLed to recall 05V379000

  IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 29, 2005, GM NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT WAS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999 THROUGH 2002 C/K PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) WHEEL SPEED SENSOR CORROSION THAT MAY RESULT IN UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKING (RECALL 05V-379).GM'S RECALL COVERS APPROXIMATELY 804,000 VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING 14 SALT-BELT STATES:CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, AND WEST VIRGINIA.THE RECALL PROCEDURE WILL INVOLVE REMOVING THE SENSOR, CLEANING THE MOUNTING SURFACE, APPLYING A RUST INHIBITOR (ZINC-X) TO THE SURFACE, AND REINSTALLING THE SENSOR.IF NECESSARY, THE SENSOR WILL BE REPLACED. THE POPULATION AND FAILURE REPORT DATA GIVEN IN THIS RESUME ARE…

  PE05020 · opened Apr 28, 2005 · closed Sep 13, 2005
• PARKING BRAKE FAILUREClosedLed to recall 05V161000

  IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002…

  EA04011 · opened Apr 9, 2004 · closed May 10, 2005
• 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