CHEVROLET PICKUP · model year

2002 CHEVROLET PICKUP

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

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002CHEVROLETPICKUP carries 21 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, 0 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 PICKUP is tires with 2 filings, followed by tires:tread/belt (2) and service brakes (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 PICKUP, 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.

21
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

21 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
TIRES2
TIRES:TREAD/BELT2
SERVICE BRAKES2
SUSPENSION1
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY1
TIRES:BEAD1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR1

Recent Complaints

20160229SERVICE BRAKES

COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE DRIVING HAD TO GO OFF ROAD TO AVOID A COLLISION

Mileage: 95,000

20130817SERVICE BRAKES

MAY OF 2012 THE BRAKE LINE ON THE FRAME RAIL UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT FAILED, AUGUST 2013 BRAKE LINE FAILED IN TWO PLACES AT THE SAME TIME JUST AFTER A STATE INSPECTION,REPAIRED,AND ANOTHER BRAKE LINE 1 FOOT FROM THE MASTERCYLINDER ALONG THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME RAIL JUST HOURS AFTER THE LAST REPAIR, I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED TO JUST MY TRUCK FAILURE G.M. HAS KNOWN FOR SOMETIME NOW THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH LOW GRADE METAL BEING USED ON THEIR TRUCKS BUT IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH TO ADDRESS, SO INSTEAD THE PUBLIC SAFETY IS BEING JEOPARDIZED OVER COSTS I AM POSITIVE IF SOMEONE WOULD CHECK BRAKE RELATED CRASHES THEY WOULD BE SHOCKED AT THE RESULTS OF THE FAILURES OF THESE TRUCKS. *TR

Mileage: 102,300

20120820CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

2002 CHEVROLET PICK UP TRUCK. CONSUMER STATES FAILURE OF ABS SYSTEM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AS HIS GRANDSON TURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE PEDAL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN. EVEN THOUGH THE ABS FAILED, THE WARNING LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. HIS GRANDSON HIT TWO VEHICLES PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY.

20080228SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING

2002 CHEVY PICK UP WITH BRAKE SENSOR DEFECT. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WORKED ON 4 TIMES, AND THE BRAKE SENSOR PROBLEM KEEPS RECURRING. *KB

20070624UNKNOWN OR OTHER

ABS MODULE STAYS ON NO WARRANTY . *AK

20061026SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

BRAKE FAILURE ON CHEVY DUMP TRUCK. *NM

Mileage: 26,591

20060110TIRES:TREAD/BELT

2002 CHEVY PICKUP TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *TS THE FENDER WAS DAMAGED. *JB

Mileage: 68,025

20050503SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

CONSUMOR STATES: IF GOING 55 MPH AND HAVE TO STOP THE BRAKES WORK IF YOU COME TO STOP, HOWEVER IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGERCY STOP THEN YOU HAVE TO PUSH BRAKE LIKE YOUR PUSHING A CONCRETE WALL.

Mileage: 900

20050207TIRES:TREAD/BELT

RECALL CAMPAIGN; TIRES HAD BEEN CHECKED AT INTERVALS OF 3K MILES, AND THERE WERE MANY INDICATIONS THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT AT 38000 MILES HE WAS INFORMED THAT TWO OF THE VEHICLE TIRES HAD A SPLIT IN THE TREADS. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRES TO GOODYEAR AN WAS OFFERED $50.00 PER BAD TIRE. THE REMAINING TIRES WERE ROTATED TO THE FRONT BUT THE VEHICLE STILL PULLED TO THE RIGHT AFTER THE ALIGNMENT. ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE NOW BEEN REPLACED WITH ANOTHER BRAND OF TIRE. *TC

Mileage: 38,000

20050201ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

20041108SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM

THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. *AK *SC

Mileage: 24,000

20041022ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

FAILURE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP, TWICE WITHIN 4000 MILES. FAILURE OF THE ORIGINAL CAP AT APPROXIMATELY 29,000 MILES AND THE REPLACEMENT CAP AT APPROXIMATELY 33,000 MILES. FAILURE CAUSED BY CRACK DEVELOPING IN CAP, CAUSING LOSS OF 1 OR MORE CYLINDERS, STALLING, ROUGH RUNNING, DIFFICULTY STARTING, EXCESSIVE ENGINE VIBRATION, ETC.*AK

Mileage: 33,300

20031017ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED DIESEL FUEL IS SEEPING INTO THE CAR. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE FUEL INJECTIONS WERE CRACKED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERS SHOP THREE TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS SINGLE PROBLEM. EACH TIME DEALER ASSURED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Mileage: 27,000

20031017FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED DIESEL FUEL IS SEEPING INTO THE CAR. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE FUEL INJECTIONS WERE CRACKED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERS SHOP THREE TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS SINGLE PROBLEM. EACH TIME DEALER ASSURED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Mileage: 27,000

20030806POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER STATES WHEN TURNING KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK ON EVERY TRUCK THE CONSUMER CHECKED FROM 1998-2003 1/2, 3/4 AND 1 TON THEY EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT. *PH *JB

20020911TIRES

FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE, MY DAUGHTER, THE PRIMARY DRIVER, COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LACK OF TRACTION WHEN THE ROAD WAS WET. ON THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT, IT HAD BEEN DRIZZLING. SHE WAS ON THE RAMP CONNECTING I-4 TO I-95 NORTH. DESPITE GOINBG LESS THAN THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, THE TRUCK BEGAN TO FISHTAIL AND WOUND UP DOING A A 180 DEGREE TURN OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER BEING EXTRICATYED FROM THE WOODS BY A TOW TRUCK, SHE WAS TOWED TO SEARS WHERE SHE REPLACED THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PASSENGER TIRES WITH MICHELIN XCLT4 LT245/75R16 TIRES. ALL HANDLING AND TRACTION PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY CEASED WITH THE LIGHT TRUCK TIRES. THE USE OF PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES ON A PICK-UP IS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN DIFFICIENCY!*AK

20020911POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE, MY DAUGHTER, THE PRIMARY DRIVER, COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LACK OF TRACTION WHEN THE ROAD WAS WET. ON THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT, IT HAD BEEN DRIZZLING. SHE WAS ON THE RAMP CONNECTING I-4 TO I-95 NORTH. DESPITE GOINBG LESS THAN THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, THE TRUCK BEGAN TO FISHTAIL AND WOUND UP DOING A A 180 DEGREE TURN OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER BEING EXTRICATYED FROM THE WOODS BY A TOW TRUCK, SHE WAS TOWED TO SEARS WHERE SHE REPLACED THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PASSENGER TIRES WITH MICHELIN XCLT4 LT245/75R16 TIRES. ALL HANDLING AND TRACTION PROBLEMS IMMEDIATELY CEASED WITH THE LIGHT TRUCK TIRES. THE USE OF PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES ON A PICK-UP IS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN DIFFICIENCY!*AK

20020416TIRES:BEAD

A STEEL CORD IS STICKING OUT OF TIRE.*AK

20020312SUSPENSION

VIBERATION PROBLEM REPLACED TIRES(35) RIMS(2) AND LEFT AXLE VIBERATION CONTINUES. *AK

20020312TIRES

VIBERATION PROBLEM REPLACED TIRES(35) RIMS(2) AND LEFT AXLE VIBERATION CONTINUES. *AK

Compare 2002CHEVROLETPICKUP to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 CHEVROLET PICKUP have?
The 2002 CHEVROLET PICKUP has 21 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 CHEVROLET PICKUP?
The most-complained component for the 2002 CHEVROLET PICKUP is TIRES with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:TREAD/BELT and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2002 CHEVROLET PICKUP 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.