Chevrolet Suburban Complaints (2002)

439 consumer complaints on file.

#10210136November 27, 2007
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A VACATION ABOUT 30 MI EAST OF PA/OH BORDER. A/C SUDDENLY WENT FROM COLD TO HOT. WE TURNED OFF A/C. WHEN WE TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC, METAL SHARDS THROUGHOUT A/C SYSTEM FROM COMPRESSOR, HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE A/C SYSTEM AT A COST OF OVER $1700. WANT TO ADD THAT DEALER HAS BEEN VERY NICE ABOUT PURCHASE AND PROBLEMS - THEY EXPLAINED THAT CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10207293October 29, 2007
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR, EQUIPMENT
CLANKING IN STEERING WHEEL / COLUMN. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE JUST HOW 2002 SUBURBANS RUN. NOT HAPPY WITH ANSWER, TOOK IT BACK AGAIN, INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. 6 MONTHS LATER, SAME THING, AGAIN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. GUESS WHAT, MAKING APPOINTMENT TO GO BACK BECAUSE OF SAME PROBLEM IN STEERING, WITH CLANKING AND VIBRATION, CAN HEAR IT AND FEEL MOSTLY WITH ANY TURN OF THE WHEEL....BET IT WILL ONCE AGAIN BE AN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACEMENT AND 3 DAYS WITH OUT MY VEHICLE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10204696October 2, 2007
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
THE PLASTIC HINGE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE REAR WINDOW GLASS ON THE SUBURBAN TAILGATE HAS SEPARATED WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY JOINED AND THE WINDOW IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE ON THIS SIDE. IN TALKING TO ONE OF THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOPS AND A LOCAL AUTO GLASS COMPANY, I WAS TOLD BY BOTH THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBURBANS. I THINK THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS WIND SHEAR UNDER THE GLASS COULD RIP THE GLASS OFF MY VEHICLE AND CREATE A PROBLEM FOR ANYONE BEHIND ME. GIVEN WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOPS, HAS AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM BEEN CONSIDERED OR CONDUCTED AND IS THERE CONSIDERATION OF A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10204559October 1, 2007
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SHOP. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT THE POWER STEERING BECAUSE HE COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL AT ALL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. UPDATED 07/18/11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10201033August 28, 2007
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING ON 2002 CHEVY. SUBURBAN FAILS. HAD POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AND PROBLEM CONTINUES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10200795August 26, 2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ABS ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE PERMANENTLY FAILED RESULTING IN LOSS OF ANTI LOCK BRAKES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10197429July 25, 2007
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS, SIZE P26570R16 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT TIRES. HE INSPECTED THE TIRES AND NOTICED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING. THE TIRE SHOP STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. AS OF JULY 25, 2007, THE TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,163 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10195291July 4, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING AT ALL DIFFERENT SPEEDS INCLUDING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES STALL 3 TIMES PER DAY, AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL IN A DAY. LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES RESULTED WHICH SOMETIMES PRESENTED A CHALLENGE TO SAFELY GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY OR ROADWAY WHILE COASTING TO A STOP. STALLS OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TOWING A 5000 POUND BOAT AND ALSO OCCURED WHILE TOWING A 9000 POUND CAMPER TRAILER. TWO DEALERS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND REPORTED FINDING NO CAUSE FOR THE STALLING. I FOUND AN AUTOMOTIVE INTERNET DISCUSSION FORUM WHERE MANY OTHER PEOPLE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 8.1L ENGINE. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE REPORTED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS THE CAUSE, AND THAT REPLACING THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT STALLED AT ALL SINCE THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10195014June 29, 2007
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR
3RD FAILURE OF THE INTERMEDITE STEERING SHAFT ON THE 2002 CHEVROLET 1/2 TON SUBURBAN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10193510June 16, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I DRIVE A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. FREQUENTLY, WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, IT DID NOT HAVE POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. AFTER STOPPING AND TURNING THE KEY OFF FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES I COULD START UP THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS SITUATION FIRST STARTED LAST FALL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GARAGE WHICH COULD FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THESE UNPREDICTABLE SHUT OFFS ,AND I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE CITY AT HIGHWAY AND CITY SPEEDS, WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND WHILE ACCELERATING. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS IT HDS SHUT OFF WHILE TOWING A TRAILER. THE SHUT OFFS DID NOT CORRELATE WITH WEATHER, TIME OF DAY, USEAGE, TEMPERATURE, OR SPEED. LOSETPOWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHICH IMPACTED THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10192591June 6, 2007
STEERING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE WHEELS WHEN THE FRONT WHEELS WERE TURNED. SHE STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE MAY BE THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $275 FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO THE MANY REPAIRS RELATED TO THE WHEEL FAILURE. SHE STATED THAT A RUNNING BOARD LIGHT IS DIM ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF HER VEHICLE, WHICH SHE HAS NOTICED ON MANY SUBURBANS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 65,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10192266June 1, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I DRIVE A 2002 CHEVY SUBURBAN. FREQUENTLY, WHILE I AM DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF, I DO NOT HAVE POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I CAN TYPICALLY START UP THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS SITUATION FIRST STARTED LAST OCTOBER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GARAGE AFTER THE THIRD INCIDENT BECAUSE THE CHEVY DEALER WAS BOOKED. THE GARAGE COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THESE UNPREDICTABLE SHUT OFFS AND I TOOK IT IN TO THE CHEVY DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE DEALER KEPT THE TRUCK FOR NEARLY A MONTH AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO SHUT OFF, ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE CITY. I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE DIAGNOSTICS. THE SECOND DEALER ALSO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK. A THIRD DEALER HAD THE BENEFIT OF TAKING THE VEHICLE AFTER IT HAD SHUT OFF TWICE WITHIN A 24 HOUR PERIOD--BOTH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE THIRD DEALER COULD FIND NO SPECIFIC CODES ON THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS THAT COULD EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM AND GAVE ME BACK MY VEHICLE. THIS TRUCK CONTINUES TO SHUT OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS IT HAS SHUT OFF WHILE I AM TOWING A TRAILER, AND WHILE I AM TRAVELING ONTO EXITS. THE SHUT OFFS DO NOT CORRELATE WITH WEATHER, TIME OF DAY, USAGE, TEMPERATURE, OR SPEED. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 30 MAY AS I APPROACHED A CITY INTERSECTION. THE TRUCK IS PARKED, FOR NOW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10189168April 28, 2007
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH A/C COMPRESSOR ON 2002 SUBURBAN/TAHOE WITH REAR A/C. DEFECTIVE SYSTEM CAUSES LOUD CHATTER IN BELT TENSIONER DUE TO SLUGS OF LIQUID REFRIGERANT BEING PUSHED INTO THE COMPRESSOR. PROBLEMS FREQUENT ENOUGH FOR GM TO HAVE ISSUED TSB #01139B BUT GM REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS DEFECT ARE DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10187807April 13, 2007
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH A CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE OF 74,500 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. ONCE THE FUEL GAUGE REACHED THE HALF WAY MARK IT WOULD SUDDENLY DROP AND REGISTER AN 'EMPTY' READING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER THEY TOLD HIM THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST HIM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10180687January 25, 2007
PARKING BRAKE
EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE ON MY 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON MY SON-IN-LAW'S 2002 CHEV. SUBURBAN. NEITHER OF US KNEW THIS UNTIL WE TOOK OUR VEHICLES IN FOR A STATE INSPECTION STICKER & IT FAILED INSPECTION. WAS TOLD THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM BUT GMC DID NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. WE BOTH, HAD THE REPAIR DONE AT OUR EXPENSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10178895January 17, 2007
PARKING BRAKE
I WAS UNABLE TO HAVE MY 2002 SUBURBAN INSPECTED. THE PARKING BRAKE BAND ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE BRAKE DRUM THIS DECEMBER. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 92K MILES. MY FATHER-IN-LAW HAS THE SAME YEAR/MAKE VEHICLE AND HE HAD TO HAVE HIS PARKING BRAKE REPLACED, BUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. HIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 76K MILES. CHEVROLET HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT THAT THIS MODEL VEHICLE IS PRONE TO THIS PROBLEM, YET WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10178899January 17, 2007
STEERING:LINKAGES
I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 SUBURBAN. MY INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS BEEN REPLACED/REPAIRED AT LEAST 5 TIMES SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS BEGUN TO MAKE NOISES AGAIN, INDICATING IT IS TIME FOR YET ANOTHER SERVICE TRIP. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10178295January 10, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MY 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES THE TRUCK WOULD RESTART. THE CHEVY DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONDITION. IT DOES NOT TRIGGER A CHECK ENGINE SIGNAL. IT USUALLY HAPPENS AFTER LONG PERIODS OF FREEWAY DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. THIS IS NOT A LOW FUEL ISSUE. I SUSPECT IT IS A CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILING AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10176650December 20, 2006
VISIBILITY
TL* - THE CONTACT STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT BOTH SIDE VIEW MIRRORS CREATE A DOUBLE-VISION. PER THE CONTACT THIS CAUSES HER NOT TO BE ABLE TO USE HER SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS IN THE PASS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175562December 8, 2006
PARKING BRAKE
THIS IN REFERENCE TO A CLOSED NHTSA ACTION # DP05009. AFTER A PARKING BRAKE FAILURE THAT OCCURRED ON THIS 2002 CHEVY SUBURBAN WITH 54,000 MILES ON IT, IN NOVEMBER, I LOOKED INTO SIMILAR SITUATIONS WITH OTHER SUBURBAN OWNERS AND OF THE 3 I FOUND, 2 IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND ONE IN INDIANA, ALL HAD SIMILAR PARKING BRAKE PROBLEMS. WHEN I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, I WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR SAFETY NOTICES REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. AFTER REVIEWING YOUR NHTSA SITE, I SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS ADDRESSED AND CLOSED BUT ONLY APPLIED TO VEHICLE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS IN AUTOMATIC MODELS TOO, WHICH WAS APPARENTLY GLOSSED OVER BECAUSE OF THE PERCENTAGE OF ROLL AWAY INCIDENTS. THIS PROBLEM IS STILL OUT THERE, AND CHEVY DENIES IT. CHEVY NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A SERIES WIDE PROBLEM AND FIX IT ON A RECALL BASIS. THE INSULTING THING ABOUT THIS IS THE DEALERSHIP ACTS LIKE IT IS SOMETHING NEW, AND PERHAPS I WAS LEAVING THE PARKING BRAKE ON ALL THE TIME. IT IS NOT NEW, AND I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN AWAY WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ON IN MY LIFE. AND WE WONDER WHY THE AMERICAN AUTO INDUSTRY IS FAILING TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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