2002 Chevrolet Suburban Problems, Recalls & Reliability
496 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 8 defect investigations. It scores 45/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 92,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2002 sits among all Suburban years
What owners report
“Started vehicle put in reverse to back up and when applied brakes they pedal was soft and then went to floor and vehicle hit a tree. Brake lines are rusted severely.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Suburban
“Backing to hook up to trailer, brakes failed no prior warning (light). All brake lines need replaced as well as fuel lines beginning to leak and will soon need replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Suburban
“Fuel gauge operates erratically. Shows it is full when it is only 3/4 full. While driving, the gauge changes quickly from full to 3/4 full.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Suburban
“Consumer states that has been on front collision. Please add more details. Dealer was not contacted. Ts”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Suburban
“Spare tire hoist wire broke and spare tire was released from vehicle on the highway. Vehicle was doing speed limit of 75mph and spare tire barely missed traffic behind vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Suburban
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 359 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 78,650 miles. Half of those reports fall between 43,900 and 131,589 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE UNWANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATION. THIS CONDITION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ENVIRONMENTALLY CORROSIVE AREAS. THIS RECALL WILL BE LAUNCHED IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES OF…
Fix: DEALERS ARE TO REMOVE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND THOROUGHLY CLEAN THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MOUNTING SURFACE ON THE BEARING, APPLY RUST INHIBITOR TO THE CLEANED SURFACE, GREASE THE MOUNTING SURFACE,…
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCK, VAN, AND MINI VAN CONVERSIONS EQUIPPED WITH SOUTHERN COMFORT BUILT RUNNING BOARDS THAT CONTAIN CERTAIN COURTESY LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, INC. THESE UNITS CONTAIN A COURTESY LIGHT OR LIGHTS THAT MIGHT…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS ON THESE RUNNING BOARDS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 7, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 05V379000.
Led to recall campaign 05V005000.
Technical service bulletins
572 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2002 Suburban TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban reliable?
The 2002 Chevrolet Suburban drew 496 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 45/100, scored against the model's worst year (1994).
What are the most common 2002 Chevrolet Suburban problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban are brakes & stability (211 complaints), fuel system (42), and engine (33).
At what mileage do 2002 Chevrolet Suburban problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Chevrolet Suburban problems around 78,650 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 43,900 and 131,589 miles.
Does the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.