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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

509 reports
78,000 miles · Mar 5, 2013
Engine

I HAVE A BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT WHICH IS ALL TOO COMMON ON ALL V-8 GM ENGINES ON THE SILVERADO SIERRA SERIES TRUCKS. THERE ARE OFTEN MULTIPLE BROKEN BOLTS MOST COMMONLY THE FRONT OR REAR BOLTS. THIS SHOULD BE UNDER RECALL BECAUSE IT CREATES EXHAUST LEAKS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE WHICH ADDS A SAFETY ISSUE AND FINANCI…

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I HAVE A BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT WHICH IS ALL TOO COMMON ON ALL V-8 GM ENGINES ON THE SILVERADO SIERRA SERIES TRUCKS. THERE ARE OFTEN MULTIPLE BROKEN BOLTS MOST COMMONLY THE FRONT OR REAR BOLTS. THIS SHOULD BE UNDER RECALL BECAUSE IT CREATES EXHAUST LEAKS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE WHICH ADDS A SAFETY ISSUE AND FINANCIAL BURDEN BECAUSE IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE AND LABOR INTENSIVE REPAIR. COMPLAINTS ARE ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND YOUTUBE. AS AN ASE MASTER AUTO AND TRUCK TECH I'VE REPAIRED DOZENS AND SEEN DOZENS MORE BEING IN A GOVERNMENT FLEET OPERATION. GM SHOULD CARRY THE FINANCIAL BURDEN TO REPAIR THESE VEHICLES NOT PUT THE BURDEN ON THE CONSUMER. PLEASE GET THE WORD OUT AND LETS GET GM TO PAY UP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10501432

124,000 miles · Feb 23, 2013
Service Brakes

BRAKE LINE RUPTURED. MECHANIC SAID IT HAD RUSTED THROUGH. THIS HAPPEN IN 2009 AND AGAIN TODAY 2/23/2013. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10499760

109,000 miles · Feb 12, 2013
Service Brakes

I WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON CT. RTE. 8 AT APPROX 6AM AT 55 MILES PER HOUR. STATE MAINTENANCE VEHICLES HAD PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTED THE ROAD AS I ROUNDED THE BEND APPROACHING THE TRUMBULL TOWN LINE THIS IN TURN CAUSED AN ABRUPT HALT OF TRAFFIC. I APPLIED MY BRAKES RATHER HARD WHICH DID SLOW THE VEHICLE BUT I STILL HAD TO SWERVE IN…

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I WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON CT. RTE. 8 AT APPROX 6AM AT 55 MILES PER HOUR. STATE MAINTENANCE VEHICLES HAD PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTED THE ROAD AS I ROUNDED THE BEND APPROACHING THE TRUMBULL TOWN LINE THIS IN TURN CAUSED AN ABRUPT HALT OF TRAFFIC. I APPLIED MY BRAKES RATHER HARD WHICH DID SLOW THE VEHICLE BUT I STILL HAD TO SWERVE INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE IN ORDER TO AVOID A COLLISION WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. UPON INVESTIGATION I HAD FOUND THAT THE STEEL HARD LINE RUNNING ALONG THE FRAME RAIL FOR THE REAR BRAKES WAS BADLY CORRODED AND HAD BUST. THE REST OF THE STEEL LINES WHICH ALL RUN TO AND FROM THE ABS PUMP ARE ALSO IN BAD SHAPE. IT IS MY OPINION THESE LINES BE MADE FROM STAINLESS STEEL IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY. AFTER ALL THEY MAKE MOST MODERN EXHAUST IN STAINLESS AND THAT IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS STOPPING YOUR VEHICLE!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10497958

112,000 miles · Dec 15, 2012
Service Brakes

DURING AN UNEXPECTED STOP SITUATION, MY BRAKES STOPPED WORKING NORMALLY. THE ABS SYSTEM WAS GOING ON AND OFF. MY PICK UP WOULD NOT STOP. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IN THE ONCOMING LANE AVOIDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY REPAIR SHOP AND T…

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DURING AN UNEXPECTED STOP SITUATION, MY BRAKES STOPPED WORKING NORMALLY. THE ABS SYSTEM WAS GOING ON AND OFF. MY PICK UP WOULD NOT STOP. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IN THE ONCOMING LANE AVOIDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME THAT THE BRAKELINES WERE RUSTING OUT AND IN TWO SPOTS THE LINES HAD RUPTURED, PROBABLY DURING THE EVENT DESCRIBED ABOVE. BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE LINES IN TWO SPOTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10488866

82,457 miles · Dec 14, 2012
Service BrakesSteeringStructure

TOOK TRUCK IN FOR STATE INSPECTION, TRUCK FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES, POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING , DEALER SAID IT WOULD BE $1228.43 TO $1420.99 TO JUST FIXED THE BRAKE LINES ALL LINES NEEDED REPLACED AND CALIPERS SCREWS. POWER STEERING PUMP COST 535.00 TO REPLACE. POOR QUALITY ,HIGH COST TO FIX AND LACK OF SA…

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TOOK TRUCK IN FOR STATE INSPECTION, TRUCK FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES, POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING , DEALER SAID IT WOULD BE $1228.43 TO $1420.99 TO JUST FIXED THE BRAKE LINES ALL LINES NEEDED REPLACED AND CALIPERS SCREWS. POWER STEERING PUMP COST 535.00 TO REPLACE. POOR QUALITY ,HIGH COST TO FIX AND LACK OF SAFETY ON GM PART FOR NOT COVERING RUBBER COATING OR USING STAINLESS STEEL LINES TO PROTECT OUR FAMILY VERY DISCOURAGED WITH SERVICE TECH SAID THESE ARE THE PRICES. WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR SAFETY. BRAKE LINES AND GAS LINES SHOULD NOT BE MADE OF STEEL THAT CAN CORRODE AND RUST OUT AND BREAK. POWER STEERING PUMP WITH THESE FEW MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT. MY 1988 CHEVY TRUCK NEVER HAD THESE PROBLEMS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10488844

85,000 miles · Nov 19, 2012
Visibility/wiper

WIPERS ONLY WORK ON HIGH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10485143

125,800 miles · Nov 17, 2012
Service Brakes

TRUCK FAILED ANNUAL MAINE SAFETY INSPECTION BECAUSE OF MAJOR CORROSION ON ALL BRAKE LINES RUN ALONG FRAME UNDERNEATH. (THE LINES ARE NOT YET LEAKING, BUT FAILURE IS IMMINENT AND VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.) COST OF REPAIRS IS ESTIMATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY $1400.00 BY SULLIVAN TIRE OF SCARBOROUGH MAINE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10485007

123,044 miles · Nov 9, 2012
Service Brakes

AS I APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO WARNING. I HAD TO VIGOROUSLY PUMP IT SEVERAL TIME TO COME TO A STOP AND WAS LUCKY I WAS GOING SLOWLY AND THERE WERE NO STOPPED CARS AHEAD OF ME. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH AND STILL DO NOT IF YOU START THE…

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AS I APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO WARNING. I HAD TO VIGOROUSLY PUMP IT SEVERAL TIME TO COME TO A STOP AND WAS LUCKY I WAS GOING SLOWLY AND THERE WERE NO STOPPED CARS AHEAD OF ME. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASH AND STILL DO NOT IF YOU START THE TRUCK. I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND CAREFULLY MANAGED TO GET TO MY DRIVEWAY. A LARGE PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID DRIPPED FROM THE DRIVER SIDE BENEATH THE DOOR. WHEN I INSPECTED IT FROM BELOW, I FOUND THE BRAKE LINES SEVERELY CORRODED WHERE CLIPPED TO THE FRAME AND ONE HAD BURST THROUGH, CAUSING THE LEAK AND LOSS OF STOPPING ABILITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10483842

120,121 miles · Oct 28, 2012
Service Brakes

BRAKE LINES UNDER HOOD AT DRIVERS SIDE RUSTED HOLE IN LINE CAUSED BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10482501

95,000 miles · Oct 13, 2012
Service Brakes

I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AUTOPARTS STORE FOR AN OIL FILTER FOR MY OTHER VEHICLE WHEN I CAME UPON A LIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. AS THE LIGHT CHANGED TO YELLOW I HIT MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS DOING NO MORE THAN 30 AT THIS TIME. THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I COULD STOP, I DRIFTED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION A…

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I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AUTOPARTS STORE FOR AN OIL FILTER FOR MY OTHER VEHICLE WHEN I CAME UPON A LIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. AS THE LIGHT CHANGED TO YELLOW I HIT MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS DOING NO MORE THAN 30 AT THIS TIME. THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I COULD STOP, I DRIFTED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO SAFETY. I WAS LUCKY - ANOTHER CAR WAS ALSO ABOUT TO TURN LEFT IN FRONT OF ME AS I WAS DRIFTING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, HE STOPPED SO AN ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND HAD TO HAVE ALL BRAKE LINES REPLACED. ALL WERE RUSTED AND PITTED. PAID NEARLY $900.00 TO HAVE STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINES INSTALLED. THESE (STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINES) SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED BY GM AT THE FACTORY. MANUFACTURERS ALL USE STAINLESS STEEL FOR EXHAUST, WHY NOT FOR BRAKE LINES - SEEMS A BIT MORE IMPORTANT TO USE STAINLESS BRAKE LINES. WHAT IS THE COST DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN CHEAP STEEL AND STAINLESS - A FEW EXTRA DOLLARS SPENT IN MANUFACTURING COULD SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10479982

Official recalls

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 ↗

NHTSA 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.