IllustrationPAINT ON THE ROOF AND HOOD STARTED TO FADE. *TR
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
Structure complaints
6 reports2000 CHEVY SUBURBAN REAR GLASS HATCH HINGE ON PASSENGERS SIDE SEPARATED FROM THE GLASS, I HAVE READ ABOUT 50+ OF THESE FROM 2000-2005 MODELS AND GM SAYS NO ONE HAS COMPLAINED. THEY WANT YOU TO BUY A NEW ONE FOR $800.00. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A BLAST OF AIR LIKE A TORNADO OR HURRICANE IN MY CAR. PAPERS AND THINGS IN MY CAR STARTED FLYING. WHEN I STOPPED I DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR WINDOW HAD SEPERATED ITSELF FROM THE FRAME AT THE TOP AND WAS NOW OPEN BY AN INCH. THE WINDOW IS DESIGNED TO OPEN FROM THE BOTTOM WITH A LATCH. …
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I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A BLAST OF AIR LIKE A TORNADO OR HURRICANE IN MY CAR. PAPERS AND THINGS IN MY CAR STARTED FLYING. WHEN I STOPPED I DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR WINDOW HAD SEPERATED ITSELF FROM THE FRAME AT THE TOP AND WAS NOW OPEN BY AN INCH. THE WINDOW IS DESIGNED TO OPEN FROM THE BOTTOM WITH A LATCH. THE TWO HINGES AT THE TOP OF THE WINDOW HAD NOW ALSO SNAPPED BROKEN FROM THE WINDOW, LEAVING ONLY THE SIDES ATTACHED. THIS IS A VERY LARGE WINDOW AND COULD HAVE TOTALLY COME OFF IN TRAFFIC CAUSING GREAT HARM TO OTHERS. IF THE WINDOW HAD BEEN OPEN AS IT IS ALSO DESIGNED IT WOULD HAVE BLOWN OFF. I HAVE SINCE FOUND THAT THE COLLISION REPAIR PLACE I USED SAID HE HAD ANOTHER JUST LIKE IT THE WEEK BEFORE. IN TRYING TO REPLACE THE WINDOW WITH ANOTHER USED ONE HE FOUND THAT THE ADHESIVE WAS ALSO STARTING TO DO THE SAME, THEREFORE IT WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE. IN FIXING THE WINDOW THE COLLISION EXPERT SHOWED HOW EASY IT WOULD BE FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO FIX. IT NEEDS BOTH SIDES OF THE HINGES BOLTED. I DO FEEL THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO SAVE OTHERS HARM. I HAVE ALSO SAVED ALL PARTS PERSONALLY FOR ANY/ALL INSPECTION.
THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE LIFT GLASS SEPARATED AND THE GLASS WOULDN'T CLOSE. YOU HAD TO MANUALLY LINE IT UP. APPARENTLY THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM BUT GM WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE CUSTOMER SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY OVER $800 TO GET THIS FIXED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE LIFTGATE GLASS SEPARATED FROM THE HINGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO WIND WAS BLOWING AT THE TIME. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE LIFTGATE WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE LIFTGATE GLASS SEPARATED FROM THE HINGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO WIND WAS BLOWING AT THE TIME. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE LIFTGATE WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000.
THE PLASTIC HINGE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE REAR WINDOW GLASS ON THE SUBURBAN TAILGATE HAS SEPARATED WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY JOINED AND THE WINDOW IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE ON THIS SIDE. IN TALKING TO ONE OF THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOPS AND A LOCAL AUTO GLASS COMPANY, I WAS TOLD BY BOTH THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMM…
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THE PLASTIC HINGE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE REAR WINDOW GLASS ON THE SUBURBAN TAILGATE HAS SEPARATED WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY JOINED AND THE WINDOW IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE ON THIS SIDE. IN TALKING TO ONE OF THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOPS AND A LOCAL AUTO GLASS COMPANY, I WAS TOLD BY BOTH THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBURBANS. I THINK THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS WIND SHEAR UNDER THE GLASS COULD RIP THE GLASS OFF MY VEHICLE AND CREATE A PROBLEM FOR ANYONE BEHIND ME. GIVEN WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOPS, HAS AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM BEEN CONSIDERED OR CONDUCTED AND IS THERE CONSIDERATION OF A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT? *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.