Most common 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 problems
Share of the 120 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Suburban 1500 complaints by model year
Best Suburban 1500 years: 1995, 1996, 1997. Years to avoid: 2025, 2023, 2011, 2004, 2007. Compare all years →
What 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 owners say
Brakes all 66 →
Driving down l street in omaha, nebraska approaching 96th street. Brake pedal goes all the way to the floor and vehicle would not stop. I was able to pull to the side of the road just before light at 96th st on a slight hill which assisted vehicle stopping. The brake master cylinder was low. The car was towed to yeck's auto in bellevue, ne. Had I been following other vehicles closely or approached a quick changing yellow light the vehicle would not have stopped. Yeck's auto has since determined the brake lines failed. After internet investigation yields that GM has known about this defect. No warning lights, no indication of a problem. This vehicle needs to be recalled. The vehicle has been serviced at beardmore Chevrolet in bellevue, ne at prescribed intervals since day 1. GM saying this is normal is frankly unacceptable. How many people have not been as lucky as I was on this day.
Driving in close traffic (bumper to bumper) uphill on two lane bridge, brake pedal just went to the floor, and no brakes! Frantically, I worked the emergency brake to the top of the bridge. Going down the bridge I coasted (no area to pull off), once off the bridge and safe to pull over I did so. Nothing appeared wrong, so I tried the brakes a number of times, and decided I could make the .5 mile rest of way home. Once there, I found fluid level down over half way. After searching found hard bake line had holds in it. After searching my brake lines, they appear to all be rusted badly. In all the vehicles I've owned, I've never had brake lines fail like this. In searching the web sites I find that Chevy May have used inferior metals for their brake lines during this time frame. If this is true, why have they not taken care of correcting this issue? Thanks, concerned.
Fuel & propulsion system
On two separate occasions, my family and I were coming home from two different trips. The first trip was to new orleans from south texas. On our way home, while driving on the expressway, our Suburban suddenly turned off. We were driving about 70 MPH. The driver immediately put the vehicle in neutral and started the vehicle again. It turned on. We pulled over to a resting area and opened the hood, but we were unable to determine what caused the malfunction. It happened once more when we got home. This trip was during the week of July 20th, 2015. This past weekend (March 12-14, 2016), we drove up to san antonio from south texas. While we were in san antonio on the expressway, the vehicle turned off again. Again, the driver put the vehicle in neutral and turned on the vehicle again. We were able to safely pull over and check the vehicle. …
While replacing the rusted brake lines on my Suburban (see tracking number 11066863), I noticed the fuel lines going to the fuel filter were also terribly rusted. It appears the rust emanates from the plastic clamp that secures the fuel line to the frame. The tube nut that goes into the filter appears to be frozen with rust. Salt and dirt are trapped in the plastic clamp and nut, which is impossible to wash out. The fuel lines on top of the fuel tank are likely to be rusted, too.
Engine & cooling
On two separate occasions, my family and I were coming home from two different trips. The first trip was to new orleans from south texas. On our way home, while driving on the expressway, our Suburban suddenly turned off. We were driving about 70 MPH. The driver immediately put the vehicle in neutral and started the vehicle again. It turned on. We pulled over to a resting area and opened the hood, but we were unable to determine what caused the malfunction. It happened once more when we got home. This trip was during the week of July 20th, 2015. This past weekend (March 12-14, 2016), we drove up to san antonio from south texas. While we were in san antonio on the expressway, the vehicle turned off again. Again, the driver put the vehicle in neutral and turned on the vehicle again. We were able to safely pull over and check the vehicle. …
Traveling on hwy 35 in dallas texas and message appeared on instrument cluster "reduced power mode". Vehicle speed dropped to 20 MPH (posted speed was 70 MPH). Had to have vehicle towed to dealership and a fix has not been determined. The dealer so far has charged me $900 and it did not fix it.this same problems been posted on GM forums, GM truck forums with these same results. There are hundreds or maybe thousands of complaints for this issue. It is very unsafe.
2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 a good car?
Based on 120 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Suburban 1500 rates use caution: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Suburban 1500 at the same age. It is one of the Suburban 1500 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500?
The brakes — 66 complaints, 55% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (16) and engine & cooling (15).
How many recalls does the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Suburban 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1995, 1996 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2023, 2011, 2004 and 2007. See the full Chevrolet Suburban 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 98,000 miles; 9% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.