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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

120 reports
180,000 miles · May 9, 2016
Service Brakes

WIFE WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK WITH HER MOTHER, WENT TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR - LIMPED THE TRUCK HOME - CHECKED MASTER CYLINDER, ADDED FLUID AND WHEN WE PUSHED THE PEDAL, FLUID CAME POURING OUT THE CORRODED REAR BRAKE LINE - WHILE NO ONE WAS HURT THIS TIME, IT IS EASY TO IMAGINE HOW IT COULD OTHERWISE BEEN A DIS…

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WIFE WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK WITH HER MOTHER, WENT TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR - LIMPED THE TRUCK HOME - CHECKED MASTER CYLINDER, ADDED FLUID AND WHEN WE PUSHED THE PEDAL, FLUID CAME POURING OUT THE CORRODED REAR BRAKE LINE - WHILE NO ONE WAS HURT THIS TIME, IT IS EASY TO IMAGINE HOW IT COULD OTHERWISE BEEN A DISASTER.

NHTSA ODI #10863865

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2016
Fuel/propulsion System

SOME DAYS MY TRUCK WILL NOT START SOME DAYS IT DOES FOR INSTANCE IT WILL START FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS CONSECUTIVELY AND THEN IT WONT START FOR 2-3 DAYS AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS OF JUST SITTING. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY, THE ALTERNATOR , STARTER , FUEL PUMP AND I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME H…

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SOME DAYS MY TRUCK WILL NOT START SOME DAYS IT DOES FOR INSTANCE IT WILL START FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS CONSECUTIVELY AND THEN IT WONT START FOR 2-3 DAYS AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS OF JUST SITTING. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY, THE ALTERNATOR , STARTER , FUEL PUMP AND I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, LOST MY JOB BECAUSE OF NON RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION.

NHTSA ODI #10853285

220,000 miles · Mar 21, 2016
EngineFuel/propulsion System

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, MY FAMILY AND I WERE COMING HOME FROM TWO DIFFERENT TRIPS. THE FIRST TRIP WAS TO NEW ORLEANS FROM SOUTH TEXAS. ON OUR WAY HOME, WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, OUR SUBURBAN SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. WE WERE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND STARTED THE VEHICLE …

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ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, MY FAMILY AND I WERE COMING HOME FROM TWO DIFFERENT TRIPS. THE FIRST TRIP WAS TO NEW ORLEANS FROM SOUTH TEXAS. ON OUR WAY HOME, WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, OUR SUBURBAN SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. WE WERE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN. IT TURNED ON. WE PULLED OVER TO A RESTING AREA AND OPENED THE HOOD, BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION. IT HAPPENED ONCE MORE WHEN WE GOT HOME. THIS TRIP WAS DURING THE WEEK OF JULY 20TH, 2015. THIS PAST WEEKEND (MARCH 12-14, 2016), WE DROVE UP TO SAN ANTONIO FROM SOUTH TEXAS. WHILE WE WERE IN SAN ANTONIO ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF AGAIN. AGAIN, THE DRIVER PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED ON THE VEHICLE AGAIN. WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND CHECK THE VEHICLE. AGAIN, WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE MALFUNCTION. I HAD RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND HAVE READ THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN.

NHTSA ODI #10850667

86,000 miles · Sep 29, 2015
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

NHTSA ODI #10778344

217,000 miles · Sep 15, 2015
Service Brakes

DRIVING IN CLOSE TRAFFIC (BUMPER TO BUMPER) UPHILL ON TWO LANE BRIDGE, BRAKE PEDAL JUST WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND NO BRAKES! FRANTICALLY, I WORKED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE. GOING DOWN THE BRIDGE I COASTED (NO AREA TO PULL OFF), ONCE OFF THE BRIDGE AND SAFE TO PULL OVER I DID SO. NOTHING APPEARED WRONG, SO I TRIE…

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DRIVING IN CLOSE TRAFFIC (BUMPER TO BUMPER) UPHILL ON TWO LANE BRIDGE, BRAKE PEDAL JUST WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND NO BRAKES! FRANTICALLY, I WORKED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE. GOING DOWN THE BRIDGE I COASTED (NO AREA TO PULL OFF), ONCE OFF THE BRIDGE AND SAFE TO PULL OVER I DID SO. NOTHING APPEARED WRONG, SO I TRIED THE BRAKES A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND DECIDED I COULD MAKE THE .5 MILE REST OF WAY HOME. ONCE THERE, I FOUND FLUID LEVEL DOWN OVER HALF WAY. AFTER SEARCHING FOUND HARD BAKE LINE HAD HOLDS IN IT. AFTER SEARCHING MY BRAKE LINES, THEY APPEAR TO ALL BE RUSTED BADLY. IN ALL THE VEHICLES I'VE OWNED, I'VE NEVER HAD BRAKE LINES FAIL LIKE THIS. IN SEARCHING THE WEB SITES I FIND THAT CHEVY MAY HAVE USED INFERIOR METALS FOR THEIR BRAKE LINES DURING THIS TIME FRAME. IF THIS IS TRUE, WHY HAVE THEY NOT TAKEN CARE OF CORRECTING THIS ISSUE? THANKS, CONCERNED.

NHTSA ODI #10763987

91 miles · Aug 6, 2015
Service Brakes

DRIVING DOWN L STREET IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA APPROACHING 96TH STREET. BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD JUST BEFORE LIGHT AT 96TH ST ON A SLIGHT HILL WHICH ASSISTED VEHICLE STOPPING. THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LOW. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO YECK'S AUTO …

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DRIVING DOWN L STREET IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA APPROACHING 96TH STREET. BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD JUST BEFORE LIGHT AT 96TH ST ON A SLIGHT HILL WHICH ASSISTED VEHICLE STOPPING. THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LOW. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO YECK'S AUTO IN BELLEVUE, NE. HAD I BEEN FOLLOWING OTHER VEHICLES CLOSELY OR APPROACHED A QUICK CHANGING YELLOW LIGHT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED. YECK'S AUTO HAS SINCE DETERMINED THE BRAKE LINES FAILED. AFTER INTERNET INVESTIGATION YIELDS THAT GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT. NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AT BEARDMORE CHEVROLET IN BELLEVUE, NE AT PRESCRIBED INTERVALS SINCE DAY 1. GM SAYING THIS IS NORMAL IS FRANKLY UNACCEPTABLE. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN AS LUCKY AS I WAS ON THIS DAY.

NHTSA ODI #10746650

150,000 miles · Jan 3, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineVehicle Speed Control

TRAVELING ON HWY 35 IN DALLAS TEXAS AND MESSAGE APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER "REDUCED POWER MODE". VEHICLE SPEED DROPPED TO 20 MPH (POSTED SPEED WAS 70 MPH). HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND A FIX HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE DEALER SO FAR HAS CHARGED ME $900 AND IT DID NOT FIX IT.THIS SAME PROBLEMS BEEN POSTED ON G…

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TRAVELING ON HWY 35 IN DALLAS TEXAS AND MESSAGE APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER "REDUCED POWER MODE". VEHICLE SPEED DROPPED TO 20 MPH (POSTED SPEED WAS 70 MPH). HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND A FIX HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE DEALER SO FAR HAS CHARGED ME $900 AND IT DID NOT FIX IT.THIS SAME PROBLEMS BEEN POSTED ON GM FORUMS, GM TRUCK FORUMS WITH THESE SAME RESULTS. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OR MAYBE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS ISSUE. IT IS VERY UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10669788

156,000 miles · Dec 3, 2014
Fuel/propulsion System

DRIVING ON RESIDENTIAL ROAD AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY REDUCED SPEED TO 10 MPH. MESSAGE DISPLAYED "REDUCED POWER MODE". NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DIAGNOSE. ALL REPAIRS I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET FORUMS ARE EXPENSIVE AND THE PROBLEM EVENTUALLY RETURNS. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME. THE MOST CONCERN IS ON THE FREEW…

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DRIVING ON RESIDENTIAL ROAD AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY REDUCED SPEED TO 10 MPH. MESSAGE DISPLAYED "REDUCED POWER MODE". NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DIAGNOSE. ALL REPAIRS I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET FORUMS ARE EXPENSIVE AND THE PROBLEM EVENTUALLY RETURNS. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME. THE MOST CONCERN IS ON THE FREEWAY WHERE YOUR VEHICLE IS REDUCED TO 10-20 MPH AND THE SPEED LIMIT IS 70 MPH. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10661938

190,000 miles · Nov 13, 2014
Service Brakes

THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A PUBLIC ROAD AND WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN THERE WERE NO BRAKES OR PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL. VEHICLE WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO A STOP AFTER SOME EVASIVE DRIVING TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES. THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN DUE TO CORROSION OF THE FITTINGS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WITH THIS VEHICLE.…

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THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A PUBLIC ROAD AND WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN THERE WERE NO BRAKES OR PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL. VEHICLE WAS PUT IN NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO A STOP AFTER SOME EVASIVE DRIVING TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES. THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN DUE TO CORROSION OF THE FITTINGS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WITH THIS VEHICLE. NOW REPLACING ALL BREAK LINES TO AVOID TAKING ANY CHANCES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10654663

180,000 miles · Nov 13, 2014
Service Brakes

THE BRAKES WENT OUT DUE TO A CORRODED FITTING, WHILE BACKING A BOAT TRAILER/BOAT INTO THE WATER. SO NO BRAKES, USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE AND THE BRAKE LINE FITTING WAS REPAIRED. ON NOVEMBER 10, 2014 THE BRAKES WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IT. AGAIN A CORRODED FITTING. NO ACCIDENTS BUT RESULTE…

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THE BRAKES WENT OUT DUE TO A CORRODED FITTING, WHILE BACKING A BOAT TRAILER/BOAT INTO THE WATER. SO NO BRAKES, USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE AND THE BRAKE LINE FITTING WAS REPAIRED. ON NOVEMBER 10, 2014 THE BRAKES WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IT. AGAIN A CORRODED FITTING. NO ACCIDENTS BUT RESULTED IN VEHICLE BEING TOWED AND NOW AN EXPENSIVE FIX TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10654661

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.