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2002 Chevrolet TahoeProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 449 owner complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

38
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.7× the Tahoe median · #6 of 31 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints44982 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage137kService brakes, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 13, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe has problems

449 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes908
Service brakes, hydraulic685
Steering402
Tires373
Power train370
Air bags3126
Electrical system304
Parking brake240
Suspension191
19 other systems14617

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2002 Chevrolet Tahoe recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

Recall 05V-379 · Aug 29, 2005 · 1,353,718 vehicles

Risk. THIS CAN CAUSE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKE APPLICATIONS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Front assembly: head restraint

Recall 02V-253 · Sep 17, 2002 · 558,904 vehicles

Risk. IF A PERSON WERE TO INSERT THEIR FINGER(S) INTO THE PINCH POINT WHEN THE HEAD RESTRAINT FOLDS, IT COULD TRAP AND PINCH THE FINGER(S) CAUSING INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Mileage at failure

When do service brakes problems start?

137kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 86 service brakes complaints. 24% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles21under 100k miles65100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Service brakes

9 owners mentioned a cost

$1,350median

Middle half: $1,201 – $2,000

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Tahoe year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Tahoe median. How we score

'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Chevrolet Tahoe safety ratings

2002 Chevrolet Tahoe 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Chevrolet Tahoe frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe, and the recalls they led to.

  1. PARKING BRAKE FAILUREDP05009 · closed May 31, 2006
    No recall
  2. THROTTLE STICKING CLOSEDEA02015 · closed Jan 12, 2004
    No recall
  3. Brake line corrosion failureEA11001 · closed Apr 8, 2015
    No recall
  4. STEEL WHEEL RIM FRACTUREPE03026 · closed Nov 3, 2003
    No recall
  5. UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATIONPE05020 · closed Sep 13, 2005
    Led to recall 05V-379
In owners' words

What Tahoe owners report

Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I HAVE AN 02 TAHOE Z71 THAT RECENTLY I'VE BEEN HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN TRYING TO STOP LIKE THE ABS IS TRYING TO KICK IN RANDOMLY BETWEEN ABOUT 5 TO 15 MPH WHEN SLOWING FOR RED-LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS THERE'S TIMES I HAVE TO LET OFF AND REAPPLY BRAKE 2 TO 3 TIMES AT LEAST BEFORE IT…
Complaint 11404840 · Mar 25, 2021 · 220,536 miles
BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION. WHILE ON A FAMILY VACATION TO THE OUTER BANKS THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A REPAIR SHOP TO LOOK OVER THE BRAKE SYSTEM AFTER REFILLING THE MASTER CYLINDER WITH BRAKE FLUID. THE REPAIR SHOP FOUND NO…
Complaint 11266920 · Oct 7, 2019 · 200,000 miles
THIS VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL FROM THE ENGINE, FRONT AND BACK BRAKES WERE FAULTY, THE STARTER WAS GOING BAD, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR THE BACK WINDOWS WERE NOT IN WORKING CONDITION. THE VEHICLE WOULD DISPLAY SENSOR LIGHTS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE ENGINE CHECKED BUT THEN AFTER ABOUT 2 DAYS IT WOULD NOT…
Complaint 11241900 · Aug 5, 2019 · 185,777 miles

Own a 2002 Tahoe?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.