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2002 Chevrolet Suburban 2500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

31 reports with mileage · 2 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

33 reports
85,000 miles · Sep 22, 2008
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

MY 2002 CHEVROLET 2500 SUBURBAN 8.1L, HAS BEEN STALLING CONTINUOUSLY. IT STALLS WHEN DRIVING, SLOW, FAST OR EVEN AT A RED LIGHT, IT DOESN'T MATTER. I HAVE HAD THE FUEL PUMP, STARTER, ALTERNATOR AND BATTER ALL REPLACED. I HAVE READ ON MANY SITES THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10243080

92,000 miles · May 5, 2008
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. A RED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO NUMEROUS DEALERS, BUT NO ONE COULD DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. T…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. A RED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO NUMEROUS DEALERS, BUT NO ONE COULD DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. UPDATED 6/9/08 *CN

NHTSA ODI #10226653

81,000 miles · Apr 28, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SPORADICALLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SPORADICALLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

NHTSA ODI #10225951

76,000 miles · Feb 14, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 WITH 8100 ENGINE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE STARTS BACK AFTER A FEW MINUTES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218093

66,485 miles · Dec 3, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 4 WD WITH AN 8.1 LITER ENGINE WITH 67,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS STALLED OUT 5 TIMES OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS, NEARLY CAUSING A SERIOUS CRASH ON THE SECOND TO LAST ONE ON INTERSTATE ROUTE 80 OUTSIDE OF SPARTA, NEW JERSEY. THE ENGINE JUST STOPS AND I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TA…

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I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 4 WD WITH AN 8.1 LITER ENGINE WITH 67,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS STALLED OUT 5 TIMES OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS, NEARLY CAUSING A SERIOUS CRASH ON THE SECOND TO LAST ONE ON INTERSTATE ROUTE 80 OUTSIDE OF SPARTA, NEW JERSEY. THE ENGINE JUST STOPS AND I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO MECHANICS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR IT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. WHAT SHOULD I DO AND WHERE SHOULD I GO TO GET THIS FIXED. IT IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT MY FAMILY AND HORSES WHEN WE HAUL HORSES FOR OUR EQUESTRIAN ACTIVITIES. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE DISASTER THIS WOULD BE WITH PEOPLE AND HORSES ON THE HIGHWAY IF THE VEHICLE STOPS DEAD!!?? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10210664

75,000 miles · Jul 4, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING AT ALL DIFFERENT SPEEDS INCLUDING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES STALL 3 TIMES PER DAY, AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL IN A DAY. LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES RESULTED WHICH SOMETIMES PRESENTED A CHALLENGE TO SAFELY GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY OR ROADWAY WHILE …

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VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING AT ALL DIFFERENT SPEEDS INCLUDING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES STALL 3 TIMES PER DAY, AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL IN A DAY. LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES RESULTED WHICH SOMETIMES PRESENTED A CHALLENGE TO SAFELY GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY OR ROADWAY WHILE COASTING TO A STOP. STALLS OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TOWING A 5000 POUND BOAT AND ALSO OCCURED WHILE TOWING A 9000 POUND CAMPER TRAILER. TWO DEALERS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND REPORTED FINDING NO CAUSE FOR THE STALLING. I FOUND AN AUTOMOTIVE INTERNET DISCUSSION FORUM WHERE MANY OTHER PEOPLE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 8.1L ENGINE. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE REPORTED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS THE CAUSE, AND THAT REPLACING THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED, AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT STALLED AT ALL SINCE THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10195291

74,000 miles · Jun 16, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

I DRIVE A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. FREQUENTLY, WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, IT DID NOT HAVE POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. AFTER STOPPING AND TURNING THE KEY OFF FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES I COULD START UP THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS SITUATION FIRST ST…

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I DRIVE A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. FREQUENTLY, WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, IT DID NOT HAVE POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. AFTER STOPPING AND TURNING THE KEY OFF FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES I COULD START UP THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS SITUATION FIRST STARTED LAST FALL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GARAGE WHICH COULD FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THESE UNPREDICTABLE SHUT OFFS ,AND I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE CITY AT HIGHWAY AND CITY SPEEDS, WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND WHILE ACCELERATING. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS IT HDS SHUT OFF WHILE TOWING A TRAILER. THE SHUT OFFS DID NOT CORRELATE WITH WEATHER, TIME OF DAY, USEAGE, TEMPERATURE, OR SPEED. LOSETPOWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHICH IMPACTED THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10193510

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

I DRIVE A 2002 CHEVY SUBURBAN. FREQUENTLY, WHILE I AM DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF, I DO NOT HAVE POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I CAN TYPICALLY START UP THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS SITUATION FIRST STARTED LAST OCTOBER. I TOOK THE VEHICL…

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I DRIVE A 2002 CHEVY SUBURBAN. FREQUENTLY, WHILE I AM DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF, I DO NOT HAVE POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I CAN TYPICALLY START UP THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS SITUATION FIRST STARTED LAST OCTOBER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GARAGE AFTER THE THIRD INCIDENT BECAUSE THE CHEVY DEALER WAS BOOKED. THE GARAGE COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THESE UNPREDICTABLE SHUT OFFS AND I TOOK IT IN TO THE CHEVY DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE DEALER KEPT THE TRUCK FOR NEARLY A MONTH AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO SHUT OFF, ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE CITY. I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND SHARED THE RESULTS OF THE DIAGNOSTICS. THE SECOND DEALER ALSO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK. A THIRD DEALER HAD THE BENEFIT OF TAKING THE VEHICLE AFTER IT HAD SHUT OFF TWICE WITHIN A 24 HOUR PERIOD--BOTH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE THIRD DEALER COULD FIND NO SPECIFIC CODES ON THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS THAT COULD EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM AND GAVE ME BACK MY VEHICLE. THIS TRUCK CONTINUES TO SHUT OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS IT HAS SHUT OFF WHILE I AM TOWING A TRAILER, AND WHILE I AM TRAVELING ONTO EXITS. THE SHUT OFFS DO NOT CORRELATE WITH WEATHER, TIME OF DAY, USAGE, TEMPERATURE, OR SPEED. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 30 MAY AS I APPROACHED A CITY INTERSECTION. THE TRUCK IS PARKED, FOR NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10192266

74,500 miles · Apr 13, 2007
Fuel System, Other

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH A CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE OF 74,500 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. ONCE THE FUEL GAUGE REACHED THE HALF WAY MARK IT WOULD SUDDENLY DROP AND REGISTER AN 'EMPTY' READING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROB…

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TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH A CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE OF 74,500 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. ONCE THE FUEL GAUGE REACHED THE HALF WAY MARK IT WOULD SUDDENLY DROP AND REGISTER AN 'EMPTY' READING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER THEY TOLD HIM THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST HIM.

NHTSA ODI #10187807

32,500 miles · Nov 3, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

INTERMITTENT ENGINE STALL AND NO START IDENTICAL TO DESCRIPTION IN PE06016

NHTSA ODI #10172509

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

EA07013 · Trailer Hitch Receiver Failure

Opened Sep 14, 2007 · Closed Sep 12, 2008

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Trailer Hitches

COMPLAINT REPORTS ALLEGE POOR WELD QUALITY AND/OR BENDING OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER.THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATION INCLUDED ANALYSIS OF MANUFACTURER AND AGENCY INCIDENT REPORTS, REVIEW OF POLICE REPORTS, ANALYSIS OF THE AGENCY'S FATAL ANALYSIS REPORTING SYSTEM, A VEHICLE OWNER SURVEY, INSPECTION OF TOW VEHICLES/HITCHES AND ANALYSIS OF FAILED PARTS.INCIDENTS OF WELD FAILURE WERE RARE AND ASSOCIATED WITH VERY LOW-SPEED DRIVING (TURNING, BACKING AND SUDDEN STOPPING).INCIDENTS OF BENDING WERE ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROPER TRAILER HITCH ADJUSTMENT OR OVERLOADING. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH FILE FOR ADDITION INFORMATION.

PE07025 · Trailer Hitch Receiver Failure

Opened May 14, 2007 · Closed Sep 14, 2007

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Trailer Hitches

GM PROVIDED ADDITIONAL DATA REGARDING ALLEGATIONS OF FAILURE OF THE TRAILER HITCH.ODI REVIEWED THAT AS WELL AS OTHER DATA PROVIDED BY PEER MANUFACTURERS.BASED ON OUR REVIEW, ODI FINDS THE NEED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-013) FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT AND STUDY OF THIS ISSUE.