Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
2002 chev. 1500 silv. Purch. 2001 tx.ABS brake system failed on st under 5mph,brought to mechanic.,brake pads, and tires.southeast texas hot and very humid, laws of nature, airbags are no good in either vehicle.(she has a son age 14, and 3yr old grl).axil is rusty worried that it might break.god is with all of us ,his intentions are always good. God protected her and her chiildren in this vehicle thus so far..\& we desire to protect thier children and you know this, but sometimes people go through unfortunate tragedys such as divorce, health, etc.a single, no money that wants safety for ther children and work .Chevy Silverado brought new paid off less than 3yr. Her 1994 Ford mustang (was insured farmers)purchased in 1997.ABS brakes failed, transmision prob.& engine replaced. …
I have an exhaust leak, due to a broken exhaust manifold bolt. GM used the wrong bolts on my 5.3liter engine. My Chevy dealer says it's going to cost me $1200 to $1400 to repair my engine. My truck only has 87000 miles on it.
I have a broken exhaust manifold bolt which is all too common on all v-8 GM engines on the Silverado sierra series trucks. There are often multiple broken bolts most commonly the front or rear bolts. This should be under recall because it creates exhaust leaks and catalytic converter failure which adds a safety issue and financial burden because it is a very expensive and labor intensive repair. Complaints are all over the internet and youtube. As an ase master auto and truck tech I've repaired dozens and seen dozens more being in a government fleet operation. GM should carry the financial burden to repair these vehicles not put the burden on the consumer. Please get the word out and lets get GM to pay up.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact experienced several issues with his vehicle and took it to an independent mechanic for repair. When he took the receipt for the repair to the dealer, they refused to speak with him. The dealer claimed to have called the manufacturer and was informed that they were not responsible for the repair charges because the vehicle was serviced by an independent mechanic. The rear end seal, transmission collar, intake gasket, theupdated 04-20-09 head gasket on the engine, and the catalytic converter were all replaced. The failure mileage was 98,000.
My car is old but it has been running fine, and I keep up with regular maintenance and oil change appointments. I came out of walmart after buying groceries and when I tried to start the car it sounded like it was trying to turn over, but it wouldn't actually start. After 30 minutes of sitting in the car trying to get it to start it finally started. I took the car to my regular mechanic and they could not find anything wrong with it. They cleaned the battery cables in hopes of relieving the problem. Now a week later it did it again 2 times in the same day.
Dt*: the contact stated an oil puddle was noticed under the vehicle while parked in the driveway on 3 occasions. The dealer was contacted and replaced the oil pan gasket. The 2nd time an oil puddle was found, the vehicle was taken to the dealer who found an oil leak in the crankcase sensor. The dealer replaced the oil pan gasket & installed oil pressure unit on 09/23/04. On 09/05/06, the vehicle was taken in for a recall, and the dealer determined that the oil pan gasket needed to be replaced a third time.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado z71. The contact was driving 15 MPH when the engine back fired and stalled. The contact stated that an abnormal knocking was heard during the failure. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where the mechanic confirmed there was carbon build-up around the pistons and advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 70,000.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 hd. The contact was driving approximately between 45-50 MPH on normal road conditions. The engine stalled without warning. The vehicle restarted after waiting 10-15 minutes. The vehicle resumed normal operation. There was a separate occasion the vehicle experienced the identical failure. The vehicle has not been inspected for the malfunction at this time. The failure mileage was 131,500. Updated 04/20/2010. Updated 09/21/10
Normal driving a t63000 miles and check engine light code p0340 for (camshaft sensor circuit malfunctioned. An inddependent repair shop located a problem with the distributor driver gear having exsessive wear. Gear kit was purchase from dealer and installed. Repair shop indicated the gear kit had an additional spacer which was not on the distributor orginially, this sounds like a design flaw. Code was cleared and has not returned. I have the old gear.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated the engine model 4.8 is defective and as a result will constantly lose coolant due to the cracked motor head. The contact took the vehicle to a independent mechanic where they repaired the head gasket of the vehicle. The manufacture was made aware of the failure but unwilling to repair the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. The vehicle was not repaired.
Engine complaints in other Silverado 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 4% of the model year's 509 complaints. The component named most often is engine (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. 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 Silverado 1500 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 8 injuries to engine & cooling 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.