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2002 GMC Sierra 1500Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 166 owner complaints about the 2002 GMC Sierra 1500, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2002 GMC Sierra 1500
57
CarFlaw IndexSolid year25% below the Sierra 1500 median · #19 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints16622 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage100kService brakes, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 17, 2020. Updated daily. Photo: Xnatedawgx, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 GMC Sierra 1500 has problems

166 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 brakes646
Service brakes, hydraulic536
Suspension90
Parking brake81
Structure80
Steering70
Wheels50
Power train50
Air bags55
12 other systems212

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

1 recall

2002 GMC Sierra 1500 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

Equipment adaptive/mobility

Recall 04V-562 · Nov 26, 2004 · 1,660 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WHEELCHAIR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY SECURED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO A WHEELCHAIR OCCUPANT.

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 GMC.

Mileage at failure

When do service brakes problems start?

100kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 61 service brakes complaints. 49% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
0under 30k miles30under 100k miles31100k 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, hydraulic

10 owners mentioned a cost

$800median

Middle half: $504 – $975

Service brakes

10 owners mentioned a cost

$1,350median

Middle half: $600 – $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 Sierra 1500 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 Sierra 1500 median. How we score

'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
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 GMC Sierra 1500, and the recalls they led to.

  1. PARKING BRAKE FAILUREEA04011 · closed May 10, 2005
    Led to recall 05V-161
  2. PARKING BRAKE FAILUREPE03057 · closed Apr 9, 2004
    No recall
In owners' words

What Sierra 1500 owners report

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

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR COMING DOWN AN OVERPASS. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND I NARROWLY AVOIDED A CRASH. I TOOK TO MY MECHANIC. THEY SAID THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I AM NOT GETTING THIS FIXED AS IT IS AN OLDER TRUCK BUT I DO THINK THAT…
Complaint 11375020 · Nov 17, 2020 · 196,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ABS AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE THE BRAKE LINES WERE…
Complaint 11256642 · Sep 19, 2019 · 120,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING ABILITY WAS LOST AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN…
Complaint 11105083 · Jul 2, 2018 · 158,000 miles

Own a 2002 Sierra 1500?

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