2002 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck: common problems

Owners of the 2002 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck filed 37 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 37
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 24% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 24% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
4 Steering 11% of all complaints
5 Structure 8% of all complaints
6 Tires 8% of all complaints
7 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
8 Fuel system 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 9 complaints (24% of all).
Service brakes: 9 complaints (24% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (11% of all).
Steering: 4 complaints (11% of all).
Structure: 3 complaints (8% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 37 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion4 · 11%
transmission slipping3 · 8%
brake failure2 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 5%
stalls while driving2 · 5%
steering or power steering problems2 · 5%
battery drain1 · 3%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 3%
jerking, harsh shifts1 · 3%
oil leak or consumption1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Powertrain	9	0
Service brakes	9	1
Engine and cooling	4	0
Steering	4	0
Structure	3	0
Tires	3	0
Electrical system	2	0
Fuel system	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Suspension	1	0
Visibility	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Mechanic looked at vehicle to see what was wrong and found out multiple issues including: front and rear brakes barely working, master cylinders messed up, oil leaks, transmission leaks, coolant leaks, control arms have rusted out on both sides but we're welded (which makes them weaker) I've broken down 4 times in a…
Powertrain · 2014-09-26 · NHTSA complaint #10639204
Undercarriage steel brake lines ruptured caused by road salt corrosion resulting in total loss of brakes.
Service brakes · 2011-03-19 · NHTSA complaint #10392234
Door lock is not working on drivers side of chevy s-10 2002 , I want to see if my vehicle is on list for repair of this problem.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2010-12-24 · NHTSA complaint #10372330
Truck had 49,695 miles and all twelve bolts had to be replaced as they were broken and rusted causing safety hazard. 3. Manifold was removed and twelve new bolts were used to replaced defective bolts.
Engine and cooling · 2010-10-24 · NHTSA complaint #10362122
2002 chevy silverado stalls/ "dies" "cuts- out while driving took to dealer they tested it said nothing was wrong we paid for testing- truck continued to have problem took to different dealer fuel sensor was bad it was replaced. Truck continues to have same problem.
Engine and cooling · 2009-08-16 · NHTSA complaint #10280572
My 2002 gm silverado hd 2500 8.1 engine stalls at all speeds. This will usually happen with in the first 15 min of driving time . But not every time, when it stalls I pull over wait about 2 to 3 min and it will usually start and fun fine. I have had the truck checked on a scanner with no error code.
Electrical system · 2008-11-15 · NHTSA complaint #10248873
Then my brand new battery died within a few minutes. Charged the battery, again the same problem. Took it in on 8/11/08 to have it diagnosed .mechanic said my radio is absorbing the battery. I have thee original radio that came with thee vehicle.
Structure · 2008-08-14 · NHTSA complaint #10238107
During the winter months of 2004-2005 while residing at our home in arizona the 2002 chevrolet pickup with an 8.1 liter engine began to stop running without any indication of any kind of warning or impending problem whatsoever.
Engine and cooling · 2007-07-08 · NHTSA complaint #10195588

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20022
20035
20045
200510
20061
20075
20083
20092
20102
20111
20141

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,176 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Chevrolet Truck has 16 complaints (32 years in the data). This year has 37, above average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 37. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (11%), transmission slipping (8%), brake failure (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2002 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2002 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.