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2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 525.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
509Owner complaints

Model-year median: 525

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 509 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Service Brakes: 184 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 164 reports
  • Structure: 30 reports
  • Power Train: 26 reports
  • Steering: 25 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    587
    1999    614
    2000    468
    2001    509
    2002    805
    2003    797
    2004    525
    2005
    Compare all Silverado 1500 years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Service Brakes
    184    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    164    Structure
    30    Power Train
    26    Steering
    25
    All reported categories
    Electrical System
    20    Parking Brake
    20    Air Bags
    14    Engine And Engine Cooling
    13    Suspension
    13    Fuel/propulsion System
    11    Tires
    10    Unknown Or Other
    10    Visibility
    10    Fuel System, Gasoline
    9    Engine
    8    Equipment
    6    Seat Belts
    5    Vehicle Speed Control
    5    Seats
    4    Electronic Stability Control (esc)
    3    Equipment Adaptive/mobility
    3    Service Brakes, Electric
    3    Wheels
    3    Service Brakes, Air
    2    Trailer Hitches
    2    Exterior Lighting
    1    Forward Collision Avoidance
    1    Latches/locks/linkages
    1    Visibility/wiper
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    443 reports with mileage · 66 unknown

    NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

    What to inspect

    Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

    • Service Brakes. Review the 184 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 164 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Structure. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    45 crash reports5 fire reports15 injury reports

    Seats complaints

    4 reports
    Clear category filter
    218,000 miles · Jun 21, 2017
    Seats

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT METAL FRAME DETACHED. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN CONTINUED DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A POST REPAIR SHOP AND THE SEAT FRAME WAS WELDED. THE SEAT WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WA…

    Read full complaint

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT METAL FRAME DETACHED. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN CONTINUED DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A POST REPAIR SHOP AND THE SEAT FRAME WAS WELDED. THE SEAT WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WAS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. THE CONTACT CALLED PINE BELT CHEVROLET DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REPLACEMENT PART. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 218,000.

    NHTSA ODI #11000403

    220,000 miles · Nov 4, 2015
    Electrical SystemSeatsUnknown Or OtherFire

    I PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY AND PUT CAR IN PARK, LEFT ENGINE RUNNING. WENT TO DOOR OF RESIDENCE TO GET MY KIDS. KIDS WENT OUT TO THE CAR AND WERE YELLING FIRE! I SEEN THE INSIDE UP IN SMOKE. I REACHED INSIDE TO TURN ENGINE OFF. WE THEN STARTED POURING BUCKETS OF WATER INTO SEAT AND ON FLOOR AROUND THE SEAT TO TRY TO PREVENT SPREAD OF…

    Read full complaint

    I PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY AND PUT CAR IN PARK, LEFT ENGINE RUNNING. WENT TO DOOR OF RESIDENCE TO GET MY KIDS. KIDS WENT OUT TO THE CAR AND WERE YELLING FIRE! I SEEN THE INSIDE UP IN SMOKE. I REACHED INSIDE TO TURN ENGINE OFF. WE THEN STARTED POURING BUCKETS OF WATER INTO SEAT AND ON FLOOR AROUND THE SEAT TO TRY TO PREVENT SPREAD OF THE FIRE. I LUCKILY PUT THE FIRE OUT. FIRE DEPT UNHOOKED BATTERY AND REMOVED MELTED PLASTIC AROUND SEAT. IT SEEMS A WIRE SOMEHOW SHORTED OUT BENEATH SEAT AND CAUGHT THE SEAT AND FLOOR ON FIRE.

    NHTSA ODI #10788183

    40,000 miles · Feb 28, 2007
    Seats

    DEFECTIVE HINGE ON CENTER JUMP SEAT (ARM REST) CONSOLE LID. NO ABUSE, ACCIDENT OR COLLISION CAUSED. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO ANYONE USING ARM REST OR REACHING BEHIND SEAT AS THE PART OF THE HINGE THAT BROKE NOW STICKS STRAIGHT UP. IS A CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 2002 MODEL. *JB

    NHTSA ODI #10183850

    79,150 miles · Jul 18, 2006
    Seats

    DRIVERS SEATBACK HAS BROKEN TWICE IN LESS THAN A YEAR. *NM

    NHTSA ODI #10162789

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No recalls in this snapshot.

    Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

    Defect investigations

    2

    EA04011 · Parking Brake Failure

    Opened Apr 9, 2004 · Closed May 10, 2005

    Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake; Parking Brake:conventional; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable

    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 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

    Additional source detail variants (4)

    Parking Brake:conventional

    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 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

    Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical

    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 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

    Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable

    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 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

    Parking Brake

    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 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

    PE03057 · Parking Brake Failure

    Opened Dec 8, 2003 · Closed Apr 9, 2004

    Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake

    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 BRAKE IS INTENDED TO OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION TO IMMOBILZE PARKED VEHICLES, AND THAT IN MANY CASES, ACCELERATED PARKING BRAKE LINING WEAR IS CAUSED BY ROUGH USE, VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AND DRIVING WITH THE PARKING ENGAGED. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING PARKING BRAKE USAGE FACTORS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SEVENTEEN REPORTED VEHICLE CRASHES.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.