Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Chevrolet Silverado owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Vehicle rolled back while in park. Truck was found against the house with the doors locked and still in park. Emergency brake is typically engaged because it is parked on a slope drive but it was found disengaged. While being towed it also rolled while loading onto the tow truck. Again, it was in park with the emergency brake engaged. Vehicle was looked at by two separate service departments with no cause found. Damage was done to the truck and the home but since GM could not duplicate the problem we are responsible for all damages. Will most likely get rid of the vehicle (trading it in at same dealer who sold and serviced it) because we do not feel safe leaving the vehicle unattended. Ts
Our daughter was driving along us highway 83 approximately 3.5 miles north of junction, texas when the 2002 z71 Chevrolet pickup traveling south, unexpectedly and with great force without the driver's control, made a right turn off the roadway causing severe damage to the vehicle and injury. Either defective steering and/or the front passenger side cv joint locked up causing the vehicle to be totalled. Vehicle had all current and suggested mainentence by the owner's manual but must have had some type of defect.
I bought a 2002 Chevy Silverado in oct 2001. I have been the only owner and driver of this vehicle. My complaint is that since I have had this vehicle I have had the left rear differental axles seals and brake pads replaced 4 times and the right rear seal and brake pads once. The problem started when the vehicle had 15,682 miles , second time at 26,252, third time at 32,727 and the fourth time at 65,624. When I took the vehicle back for the third time I was told that the seals were fine and that I probably needed the pvc value, fuel and air filters changed. They changed everything and charged me for the work. Within 3 weeks I went to another Chevy dealer who stated that the axles did need replacing. They did the work that should have been done 3 weeks earlier. When I went to the first dealer about being reimbursed for work that should not have been done I got blown off. …
On feb 21st 2013 my transmission broke and it lost 2nd, 4th, and reverse, but was still drivable. I took it to a local independent transmission shop and they said it was a well-known problem. After doing extensive research I found that GM has known about this weak sun gear shell since at least 1998. The problem is that GM didn't remove the faulty parts from their inventory, although they updated the part sometime in2000 GM mixed the new parts in with the old so that their statistics would show that not all 4l60e transmissions failed. Transmission rebuilders say you can only tell the faulty shell from the updated version by the serial number inside the faulty sun gear shell. Many engineering accomplishments in transmissions have been made in the past two decades with materials and lubricants. There is absolutely no reason for such a massive GM transmission failure. …
On the way to my doctor's appt, I noticed that my truck did not shift to 2nd very well, but I parked, and when I was attempting to back out of parking space, the truck would not go into reverse. On the way to dealership (rick hendrix Chevrolet), I noticed that it would not shift into 4th (overdrive). When I had the guys check my truck, they told me that the 2nd, 4th and reverse gears had gone out on my truck: a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4dr extended cab ls 4wd 5.3ltr engine. Which I have had for 1 year and 6 months. The dealership would not repair it unless I pay $1800! There is currently no recall on this problem, but there is a kit available for the dealership to fix it! There are many complaints I have found on the internet about this specific problem... …
2002 Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4 5.3l transmission.sun gear..at 75000 miles the gear failed in a parking garage when I parked my truck I had appox.2 feet between my truck and the wall.when I returned to my vehicle the trucks front bumper was touching the wall.thankfully it wasn't parked so it would have rolled down the ramp. After starting my vehicle it did not have reverse and after getting it out of the ramp it would not shift into 2nd gear.I spoke with the dealer that I had purchased the truck from and he said that it was a common problem.also I talked to other people that have the same transmission and they have had the same problems. I thenk there should be a recall on this because if I had something in tow or the parking brake were to fail it could posibly injure or kill some one if it were to roll away. …
The rear-end in my 2002 Chevrolet Silverado has failed three times since I bought it. The truck now has almost sixty thousand miles on it but the problem first occured around 36,000. The first two repairs were made at cranberry motors in machias maine. The first was made without incident, but the second repair was not so easily delt with. After much debate, it was paid for by GM. Now some nearly twenty thousand miles later, the rear-end went again. GM refused to pay for this repair and after another run-around I took my truck elsewhere. (to a mechanic that I knew was reliable and would charge me a fair price.) the rear-end has now been replaced for a third time but I believe that the stock rear-end components are over-priced and unreliable and would like compensation for the most recent repairs, but I know that it will be a fight all the way.
Dt: contact owned a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado. While driving consumer's vehicle began to pass another vehicle. When the vehicle went into passing gear consumer heard a loud noise. Consumer let off the gas and the vehicle shifted into another gear. While taking the vehicle to the garage consumer realized there was no reverse and it was shifting oddly. The service dealer stated the transmission will have to be repaired, but did not know the cause of the transmission failure. There had been no previous problems regarding the transmission and the vehicle has minimal usage. The warranty of the vehicle was for 3 years/36,000 miles, the vehicle has approximately 38,000 miles when this incident occurred.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated while braking from speeds of 5 MPH the antilock brakes engaged, increasing stopping distance by approximately seven feet. The dealer advised him that the rotors, brakes and speed sensor would need to be replaced. The contact was able to locate a recall for the failure but was advised that his VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 05V379000 (service brakes, hydraulic: antilock). The contact stated he had experienced the failure before and repairs were made by the dealer. The failure mileage was 72,000 and the current mileage is 153,847 updated 08/17/10. The cv boot was leaking. Updated 09/28/10
My 2002 Chevrolet Silverado ext cab 4x4 transmission failed at a repair cost of $1400.00. It had 42,800 miles on it. Final warranty work(36000 miles) was done about 2 months ago. General motors says they won't help me cover repair costs because I traded the vehicle for a new GMC (I no longer had confidence to keep this vehicle since the transmission should have been trouble free for sure for 100,000 miles and I was afraid it could happen again 40,000 miles later. I tried taking good care of this vehicle). Whether I kept the vehicle or not is beside the point. I owned the vehicle at the time of the repairs and expected some financial help from GM.
Transmission complaints in other Silverado years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado?
NHTSA has 70 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado, 10% of the model year's 710 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (43 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Chevrolet Silverado transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado, though it has 4 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 Silverado transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 46,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain 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.