IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Suburban 1500 years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Suburban 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20–25K
725–50K
2550–75K
2075–100K
26100–150K
25150K+
105 reports with mileage · 15 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 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
Power Train complaints
4 reportsHAVE 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 4WD 5.3 ENGINE A/T. WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED OUT & LOST ALL STEERING/BRAKES. 131,589 MILES ON ODOMETER AT TIME. MANAGED TO COAST VEHICLE ONTO SHOULDER, WAITED 2 MINUTES, STARTED VEHICLE AGAIN, PULLED OUT INTO BUSY TRAFFIC JUST TO MAKE IT 2 BLOCKS BEFORE STALL OUT AGAIN. …
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HAVE 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 4WD 5.3 ENGINE A/T. WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED OUT & LOST ALL STEERING/BRAKES. 131,589 MILES ON ODOMETER AT TIME. MANAGED TO COAST VEHICLE ONTO SHOULDER, WAITED 2 MINUTES, STARTED VEHICLE AGAIN, PULLED OUT INTO BUSY TRAFFIC JUST TO MAKE IT 2 BLOCKS BEFORE STALL OUT AGAIN. REPEATED THIS PROCESS SEVERAL MORE TIMES BEFORE I FOUND A GAS STATION. SUSPECTING WATER IN GAS, ADDED 1 BOTTLE OF GAS LINE ANTI-FREEZE. DROVE REST OF WAY HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. REPLACED FUEL FILTER, PCV VALVE, AIR FILTER, SPARK PLUGS, AND CLEANED THROTTLE BODY JUST TO HAVE STALL OUT THE VERY NEXT DAY. NO CODES ARE DISPLAYED IN MESSAGE CENTER IN DASH BOARD. STALLS OUT RANDOMLY WITHOUT A PATTERN. WAIT 1-2 MINUTES THEN WILL START AGAIN. *TR
SAT. 2/16/13 I STARTED MY 02 SUBURBAN UP BY TURNING THE KEY THROUGH AN OPEN DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD ABOUT 6 INCHES. THIS HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY FOR YEARS, BUT REALLY NOTICED IT THIS TIME BECAUSE MY ARM GET HIT BY STEERING WHEEL SINCE I WAS OUTSIDE VEHICLE. NORMALLY WHEN IT HAPPENS I AM SEATED IN CAR AND…
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SAT. 2/16/13 I STARTED MY 02 SUBURBAN UP BY TURNING THE KEY THROUGH AN OPEN DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD ABOUT 6 INCHES. THIS HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY FOR YEARS, BUT REALLY NOTICED IT THIS TIME BECAUSE MY ARM GET HIT BY STEERING WHEEL SINCE I WAS OUTSIDE VEHICLE. NORMALLY WHEN IT HAPPENS I AM SEATED IN CAR AND NOTICE IT SEEMS TO JUMP FORWARD. IT HAPPENS PROBABLY ONCE EVERY 100-150 STARTS. ANY IDEA WHY AND WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT. AFRAID SOMEONE MAY BE IN FRONT OF CAR SOMEDAY AND MIGHT GET HURT IF IT LURCHED. ALSO COULD HAVE DONE DAMAGE TO MY GARAGE DOOR IF IT HAD BEEN DOWN. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 SUBURBAN THAT SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2002 I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING RIGHT. EVERY TIME I BROUGHT IT IN IT WOULD BE IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR LESS THAN A DAY AND I WOULD BE TOLD THAT EVERYTHING IS OKAY. NOW MY WARRANTY IS UP AND MY TRANSMISSION IS BROKE. I HAVE NO REVERSE, AND IT DOES N…
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I HAVE A 2002 SUBURBAN THAT SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2002 I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING RIGHT. EVERY TIME I BROUGHT IT IN IT WOULD BE IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR LESS THAN A DAY AND I WOULD BE TOLD THAT EVERYTHING IS OKAY. NOW MY WARRANTY IS UP AND MY TRANSMISSION IS BROKE. I HAVE NO REVERSE, AND IT DOES NOT WANT TO DOWN SHIFT ON ANY FORWARD GEAR. I CALLED A TRANS SHOP IN MY AREA AND THEY STATED THAT WITH CHEVY SUBURBANS OF MY YEAR (GIVE AND TAKE 3YEARS BOTH WAYS) THERE IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SEAL IN THE TRANS THAT IT WEARS TOO SOON AND TRANS OIL LEAKS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD - THE OWNER DOES NOT EVEN NOTICE IT - BECAUSE IT GETS BLOWN AWAY WHILE DRIVING. THIS TO ME SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FACT THAT WHEN I CALLED THE TRANS SHOP (ATOMIC TRANSMISSIONS) THEY NEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT HAPPENED. *TR
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.