Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Standard tires issued with vehicle were offroad wrangler hp which have very poor rain handling capabilities. I was not notified of this or given option of switching to highway tires with better rain capability. As a result of the poor control of vehicle in rain, front edge was damaged when entered parking lot and was trying to turn on wet pavement and slid into wall when steering was non-responsive due to tire sliding instead of turning. Speed was less then 10 MPH. I have found several articles on internet indicating should either replace those tires or have them "siped" to achieve better control in rain. Since my Avalanche is two wheel drive I never thought much if any about offroad use or that the standard tires would be so geared up for offroad use as to make them handle poorly in rain. Capitol Chevrolet service manager confirmed this information with me. …
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche-27.000 miles. Regular tire rotation and alignment. Tires still wore in irregular pattern. On 12-13-04 noticed spot on right rear tire where a "bubble" had burst and the steel belts were coming through.(about 1" in dia.). Vehicle still under warranty. Took to local tire retailer who stated that tire was defective and should be taken to car dealer. Called car dealer. Sent to Goodyear dealer. First tech examined tire and stated it was a defective tire. Manager came out and said lack of maintenance was cause of problem. Then stated that 265/70r17 ats was for offroad use and not intended for highway use only. Said all 4 tires needed to be replaced with 265/70r17 rt.
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 4x4. Goodyear at 17" tires. All 4 tires evenly worn 75% had sidewall deterioration where tread and sidewall connect at 51500 miles. Wires were actually sticking out and had lumps where the wire was failing. Definitely not normal wear pattern. Failure would have been blow out and out of control and who knows what. Caught the failure and presented it to a Goodyear tire dealer and they would not do anything. Still possess all 4 tires if I could only show them to an actual Goodyear representative for review my mind would be at ease
While traveling north on interstate-15 through st. George, utah, I experienced a tire tread separation on my left rear Firestone steeltex radial tire at approximately 65 MPH while towing my 23 foot travel trailer. Total tire mileage: 26,995 miles. The tire did not deflate, I was able to maintain control of my 2002 Chevy Avalanche 2500 truck and get stopped at the side of the road. After inspecting the vehicle for damage, I was able to drive off the I-15 within approximately 1.5 miles at 15 MPH and install a spare tire.
Dt*: the contact stated on the left rear tire there is a small bulge on the sidewall. The vehicle was taken to the local dealership for inspection. Upon inspection, the dealership determined the tires were defective and replaced all four tires. Several months later the contact experienced a blow out with the left rear tire. The local dealership was notified and the tire was replaced. The tire line is Goodyear p26570r17.
While washing the tires, the consumer's hand was cut due to wires sticking from the sides. Upon closer inspection the consumer found that all four tires had parts of the steel belt sticking from the side. The steel belts were at the junction were the sidewall and the tread meet on the tire. The dealer was willing to replace the tires at a prorated cost. M
The consumer was forced to replace all the tires due to excessive wear. The tires were beginning to separate at the treads and the steel belts were showing. At the time of purchase the consumer found that one tire had a plug in it. The tires were buldging by the junction of the sidewalls and threads.
The front passenger side tire experienced tread separation. This was the third separation failure out of the eight original tire supplied as original equipment with the consumers two vehicles. (Goodyear wrangler, p265/70r171132, serial # t306731-grf88m4mp).
All four tires developed a knot on the sidewall next to the tread. Dealership indicated that the knot developed because the belt turned lose due to a defect in the tire. A Goodyear representative indicated that the tires still have half of the tread life remaining.
Similar to complaint odi 766153. This occurred , twice this year, initially 1/10/03, brakes drums and rotors in rear were severely worn. 2nd date shown below. Outside rim also became brown and corroded. Dealer repaired and replaced due to 3/36 warranty.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Avalanche years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche, 8% of the model year's 444 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 37,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to wheels & tires problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.