CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS · model year

2002 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS

14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002CHEVROLETC/K PICKUPS carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2002 C/K PICKUPS is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by parking brake (2) and service brakes, hydraulic (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2002 C/K PICKUPS, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

14 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP3
PARKING BRAKE2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
WHEELS:RIM1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR1
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recent Complaints

20150812CrashSERVICE BRAKES

INITIALLY WE HAD THE BRAKES CHANGED, THEN WE TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY WERE TEST DRIVING IT, AND TRIED TO STOP THE TRUCK, AND RAN INTO THE WELDER IN THE SHOP AND DESTROYED THE WELDER AND WRECKED THE FRONT BUMPER OF OUR TRUCK. WE THEN HAD THE BEARINGS WORKED ON. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND WHERE SOME TRUCKS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM OF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGING AT SLOW SPEEDS. OUR TRUCK HAS A VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN TRYING TO STOP, BUT IT ONLY OCCURS AT THE FINAL STAGE OF STOPPING, AT SLOW SPEEDS. IT HAS OCCURED NUMEROUS TIMES, AND WITH NO WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE ROAD.

Mileage: 105,000

20110601SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

I PURCHASED A 2002 CHEV. K1500 5.3LITER 4X4 PICKUP IN OCT. 2010. ONCE I TOOK THE TRUCK HOME THE BRAKES STARTED ACTING UP. I CONTACT GM AND THEY ADVISED THE TRUCK HAD A RECALL ON THE ABS SYSTEM BUT THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORM ON THE TRUCK AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANY MORE FOR ME. I THOUGHT IF IT WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM THEY HAD TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THE ABS SYSTEM IS KICKING IN AT LOW SPEED UNDER 10MPH. WHEN YOU ARE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT OR AT A CROSS WALK. AND THE TRUCK WILL TAKE TWICE THE DISTANCE TO STOP. THEY DO NOT THINK THEY ARE NEEDING TO DO ANYTHING WITH THE PROBLEM. BUT, THEY ARE DOING A DISSATISFACTION TO THE CONSUMER. I AM A EMPLOYEE AT A AUTO REPAIR SHOP. AND WE ARE SEEING 1 OR 2 A MONTH WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL GM NEED TO STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT AND THEY ARE NOT. IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE TO HAVE THE ABS BRAKE KICK IN AND RUN SOMEONE OVER. BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT MAY NEED TO BE LOOK INTO VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE

Mileage: 79,000

20100912SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I OWN A 2002 SILVERADO 1500. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS BRAKES KICKING IN AT ABOUT 5 MPH AND NEARLY CAUSING SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I WAS ABLE TO CLEAN THE ABS SENSORS AND MOUNTING AREAS AND ONCE AGAIN HAVE BRAKES. HOWEVER,NOW(SEPT. 2010) THE METAL BRAKE LINES UNDER THE DRIVERS DOOR RUSTED THROUGH AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH 3 PEOPLE INSIDE,INCLUDING MY SON AND HIS 3 YEAR OLD SON. I AM HAVING IT TAKEN TO A GARAGE TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. I HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES, NONE OF WHICH HAVE HAD THESE PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 146,939

20100219SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES KICK IN AT SLOW SPEEDS. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK. THEY ISSUED A RECALL FOR MY BRAKES, BUT ALL THEY DO IS CLEAN THE SENSOR, SO WHEN THEY GET DIRTY, THEY START DOING IT AGAIN. I CONTACTED MY CHEVY DEALER,AND HE SAID THEY COULD LOOK AT IT, MIGHT HAVE TO CHARGE ME THOUGH. *TR

Mileage: 116,000

20081026SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

STARTED OUT TO WORK ONE MORNING,TRUCK PERFORMED FINE. STOPPED FOR GAS RESTARTED TRUCK,NOTICED THAT BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT FURTHER THAN NORMAL ,AND IT TOOK MORE FOOT PRESSURE TO STOP. CONTINUED TO WORK,WORKED,DROVE HOME. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR,AND HAD NO STOPPING POWER. NEXT MORNING CHECKED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR ,IT WAS EMPTY. I THAN NOTICED PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER DRIVERSIDE OF TRUCK. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED TO MY SURPRISE RUST THROUGH ON THE STEEL BRAKE LINE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED WAS TOLD THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. HAD TRUCK TOWED TO DEALER,SERVICE MANAGER WANTED GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT OF 40 DOLLARS AND CHANGE TO LOOK AT IT,TO CONFIRM WHAT I ALREADY KNEW THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. THEY SAID THIS WAS NORMAL AND WOULD NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR IT,ONLY TO OFFER SMALL CREDIT TOWARDS PARTS,WHICH AMOUNTS TO NOTHING. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO NOW ,AND ARE MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK HOME. *TR

Mileage: 58,243

20071130PARKING BRAKE

2002 CHEVROLET 1500 SILVERADO PICKUP 4 WHEEL DRIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PARKING BRAKE FAILS AND GOES TO FLOOR.........IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED AND DOES NOT WORK ...FAIL STATE INSPECTION.......DEFECTIVE DESIGN. *TR

Mileage: 45,000

20071001PARKING BRAKE

I RELIED ON THE PARKING BRAKE WHILE I WAS DOING SOME WORK. THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO HOLD, AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED. LUCKILY I NEARLY AVOIDED BEING STRUCK. FURTHER ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM ON ALL CHEVY AND GM PICKUP TRUCKS FOR 2002. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, BUT NOT THOSE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE RELIED ON TO HOLD THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES PROVIDE THE UPGRADED PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM FOR THESE VEHICLES. THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REDESIGNED ON 2003 VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO PROPERLY REVIEW THIS ISSUE, NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE COMPLAINTS FOR ALL GM AND CHEVY PICKUP TRUCKS. YOU WILL SEE A MULTITUDE OF LISTINGS FOR PARKING BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE RECALL OF NHTSA 05V161000 AS THERE IS NO MECHANICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARKING B

Mileage: 12,000

20070711SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ABS PULSATED AT LOW SPEEDS AND DID NOT STOP, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENTS. HAD TO PULL ABS FUSE TO DISABLE IT. *AK

Mileage: 73,000

20050826SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS AT SLOW SPEEDS MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I NEARLY ENTERED A BUSY HIGHWAY AS I WAS UNABLE TO STOP PROMPTLY. AFTER A FEW DAYS IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I NEARLY HIT A BUILDING AS I WAS TRYING TO STOP IN A PARKING SPACE. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM. HOWEVER THE AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITY WOULD NOT MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS UNLESS I PAID THE BILL. THEY HAD TO CLEAN THE ABS SENSORS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *JB

Mileage: 43,500

20050102SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

PREMATURE WEAR ON ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS FOR THIS TRUCK. ROTORS COULD NOT BE TURNED ON FIRST BRAKE PAD CHANGE BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE METAL USED TO MANUFACTURE THESE ROTORS HAD TO BE OF INFERIOR QUALITY. BRAKE PADS WERE STILL FAIRLY GOOD ! *JB

Mileage: 7,900

20040318STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

12/7/2003 SITTING ON TAILGATE OF 2002 CHEVROLET PICKUP GOING DOWN ROAD 12-15 MPH BOTH CABLES SNAPPED AT SAME TIME RELEASING THE TAILGATE DOWN AND DUMPING MYSELF AND TWO OTHERS ONTO THE COUNTY PAVEMENT. TRUCK IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BOUGHT IN EFFINGHAM ILLINOIS AT DAN HECHT CHEVROLET BY TONY METTER OF SIGEL , IL. HEAD CONTUSIONS (MAJOR) TWO OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED, KEMPER INSURANCE IS INVOLVED.*AK

20040303ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE ELECTRICAL SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. *AK THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FREQUENTLY GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. EVERY TIME THE SIGNAL LIGHTS, HIGH BEAM STALK OR TILT WHEEL FEATURES WERE USED THERE WOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF ILLUMINATION. (MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH GM#26100840 AND ACD#D6258C) *SC *JB

Mileage: 25,000

20030921WHEELS:RIM

THE WHEEL RIMS CRACKED ON A 2002 CHEVROLET K2500HD PICKUP RESULTING IN LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. *JB

Mileage: 55,792

20030311SUSPENSION:FRONT

LOOSE FIT BETWEEN FRONT TORSION BARS AND LOWER A FRAME ON HALF TON CHEVY PICKUP TRUCKS AND TAHOES.*JB

Compare 2002CHEVROLETC/K PICKUPS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS have?
The 2002 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS?
The most-complained component for the 2002 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Is the 2002 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.