IllustrationWHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES WHEN COMING UP TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT , I HAD TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE ALL BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR
2002 GMC GMC Truck
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all GMC Truck 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
Limited mileage data: 5 of 9 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 1 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
9 reports2002 GMC 4X4 CAB LONG WIDE BED PICK UP. CONSUMER STATES THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER ALSO STATES BRAKES DID NOT SEEM TO WORK CORRECTLY AT TIMES AND REAR DRIVE SHAFT HAD SEVERE VIBRATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE HAD A BAD KNOCK, UPON START-UP AND THE DASH PANEL LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB
SUPPORT CABLE ON TAILGATE OF 2002 GMC SONOMA SNAPPED IN TWO. RUST AND CORROSION WERE EVIDENT AT THE BREAK POINT. I NOTICED ON THE CHEVY SILVERADO'S AND GMC SIERRA'S THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CABLES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE CABLES ON THE SONOMA HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT SINCE THERE IS NO…
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SUPPORT CABLE ON TAILGATE OF 2002 GMC SONOMA SNAPPED IN TWO. RUST AND CORROSION WERE EVIDENT AT THE BREAK POINT. I NOTICED ON THE CHEVY SILVERADO'S AND GMC SIERRA'S THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CABLES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE CABLES ON THE SONOMA HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE CABLES THEN THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I DISAGREE. *JB
2002 GMC S-15 SONOMA.....LEFT SIDE TAILGATE CABLE BROKE
SPONGY BRAKES, WHEN APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES BELOW THE ACCELERATER. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO TWO DEALERSHIPS AND BOTH SAID THE BRAKES MET FACTORY SPECS.THIS PROBLEM HAS NEARLY GOT ME IN A WRECK,DUE TO HITTING THE GAS PEDAL
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES,THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES BELOW THE GAS PEDAL. I'VE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE GMC DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS TOLD THAT BRAKES MEET FACTORY SPECS.I'VE CALLED GMC AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, WHICH I DID AND GOT SAME ANSWER THAT BRAKES MEET FACTORY SPECS. CONTACTED GMC AGAIN AND WAS OFFE…
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WHEN APPLYING BRAKES,THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES BELOW THE GAS PEDAL. I'VE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE GMC DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS TOLD THAT BRAKES MEET FACTORY SPECS.I'VE CALLED GMC AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, WHICH I DID AND GOT SAME ANSWER THAT BRAKES MEET FACTORY SPECS. CONTACTED GMC AGAIN AND WAS OFFERED FREE OIL CHANGES FOR THREE YEARS.I REQUESTED THAT A GMC REPRESENTATIVE DRIVE THIS VEHICLE OR TO GIVE ME SOMETHING IN WRITING THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE,TO NO AVAIL. MY VEHICLE IS A 2002 GMC SIERRA PICKUP WITH 12,000 MILES ON IT.MY WIFE AND I ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE DUE TO A VERY CLOSE HIGHWAY ACCIDENT WHICH REQUIRED IMMEDIATE BRAKING.WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES MY FOOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DUE TO THE BRAKE GOING BELOW THE GAS PEDAL.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN INTERMITTENT ACCELERATION PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND RAN ON DIESEL FUEL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SIX TIMES. HOWEVER, DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DEALER REFUSED TO GIVE CONSUMER A COPY OF THE WORK ORDER. *AK
WE HAVE A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500 TRUCK. IT HAS A LITTLE OVER 37000 MILES ON IT. APPARENTLY THE TRUCK STALLED AND WE HAD TO TOW IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO FOUND THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP DEFECTIVE. THE 36000 MILE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED SO IT COSTS US OVER 250.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED (PARTS/LABOR/TOWING). WE AND OUR MECHANIC BELIEVE THIS SHO…
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WE HAVE A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500 TRUCK. IT HAS A LITTLE OVER 37000 MILES ON IT. APPARENTLY THE TRUCK STALLED AND WE HAD TO TOW IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO FOUND THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP DEFECTIVE. THE 36000 MILE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED SO IT COSTS US OVER 250.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED (PARTS/LABOR/TOWING). WE AND OUR MECHANIC BELIEVE THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED ON A VEHICLE SO NEW WITH SUCH FEW MILES ON IT. PLEASE LOOK INTO FINDING OUT IF THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OTHER GMC TRUCKS. THANK YOU. *CB
THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD REST ON THE SEAT BACK OBSCURES VISION TO THE SIDES AND THE REAR, PRIMARILY EVIDENT WHEN THE DRIVER TURNS TO CHECK THE BLIND SPOT DURING LANE CHANGES OR PASSING. *JG
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.