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 Oldsmobile Bravada owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On Friday, 01/16/09 at 7:45 am I was on my way to work. As I was driving the "service all wheel drive" light came on. I was only a couple of blocks from work so figured I would continue my drive and call a mechanic when I got there. All of a sudden it was like the vehicle became possessed and I had no control of the vehicle. It spun me around 3 times slammed me head on into a snowback, threw me back out spun me around again and threw me backwards into the snowbank again before throwing me back out onto the highway. I was very shaken but the vehicle seemed to straighten out and let me drive, so I very slowly continued on to work. When I got to work I called koronis motors in paynesville and explained to them what had happened. They came and picked up the vehicle and checked it out. They said it was a malfunction of the all wheel drive and that the transfer case would need to be replaced. …
At 60K miles had to replace transmission and motor (with 2003 Chevy blazer). Mirrors don't recall and move when unlocking car. Passenger seat belt gets tight after braking and has to be undone, recoiled, and put back on. Backup lights blow every year. The AWD was fixed twice by dealer and messed up again so we had it removed. The air suspension blew & was replaced with springs. Terrible racket in the rear end. Driver heated seat quit working 2 years ago. This year, transmission has quit working (while driving) and I am over this car!
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was diagnosed that the PCM failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Consumer has had multiple, reoccuring problems with new vehicle since first purchased in October 2001. Car has been returned to dealer more than 12 times in 18 months and has placed significant burden on the owner. Vehicle now has new major mechanical problems with both the engine and transmission. Although the vehicle is still under warranty, the large number of persistent problems classifies this vehicle as unreliable and, more importantly, unsafe. Owner has contacted dealer regarding a replacement vehicle (lemon law), however the dealership has directed the owner to the maker company (GM/Oldsmobile). The maker has responded by insisting that the warranty was designed for such problems and they have referred the owner back to the dealer for continual repairs. In other words, neither the maker nor their representative dealer is willing to assist the owner in resolving the situation. …
The 2002 Bravada AWD system has serious safety problems.prior to the incident I was commenting to my wife that the vehicle was not handling well in snowy conditions. The all wheel drive engages only after a significant amount of rear tire spin followed by a lurch as the front tires kick in. The AWD lurches (engaging and dis-engaging many times as I tired to get under way at a stop light). The vehicle would easily fish tail without any erratic or provoked actions by the driver. When the accident happened I was turning right onto a 4 lane divided main street that was icy/snow packed I was tip toeing around the corner when back tires spun which engaged the AWD with a lurch. This caused the vehicle to fish tail to the left, to the right and back to the left as the driver tried to save the vehicle from disaster. I reached a top speed of 17 MPH (barely above idle). …
The 4wd stopped operating during inclement weather and caused the vehicle to fish-tail. The vehicle was taken to the dealer five times for this problem. The mechanic informed the consumer that there was no remedy for this problem. The vehicle had the tendency to spin wheels/fishtail and would slide uncontrollably. The dealer informed the consumer that there was a problem with the all wheel drive and that when the fix is found, there May still be a posiibility that the problem will return. The service dealer was unable to duplicate the problem with the all wheel drive light. …
My 2002 Bravada has completely shut down while driving at over 60 MPH twice. The first time was at 4500 miles, the 2nd at 24,000 miles. Besides the inconvenience (we were 400 miles from home, had to be towed 150 miles to a dealership, rent a car, drive home, then return to pick up the car. Second time we were heading out of town on a vacation- had to borrow a car), I was lucky to be able to maneuver the car off the highway when it happened. However, the problem has not been fixed, so this could happen again at any time. The PCM module was replaced both times. The second time the diagnosis said that the speed sensor caused the failure; however it was not replaced. Neither GM nor the dealership will do anything further. This is an unsafe condition that no one seems to care about. I found 28 complaints in your log of this exact problem. …
It all began when I went to walmart to get some tires on my 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada all-wheel drive...well I didn't have enough money for all 4 tires,so I asked them if I could put tires on it? And they said yes..so that is what we did..well 1 month after I had those 2 tires put on the front,the front end of the truck started making noise and was hard to turn...I took it to my mechanic and he said walmart should have never put just 2 tires on the truck..cause all 4 tires have to be the same or it will mess the 4 wheel drive up..well it messed the front differential up on my truck..I told walmart about it and they paid to fix my truck and paid for 2 more tires for the truck making all the tires the same...well its not been a year and its starting to do the same thing again!!!! So I don't know if this is a big problem on these all wheel drive vehicles but it has been for me!! …
When making sharp turns (parking space or driveway) front tires bind/catch. Excessive acceleration is needed to continue moving the vehicle forward or back. Vehicle comes to dead stop when moving slowly and turning. Took the vehicle to the dealership and they recommended flushing the transfer case, were going to charge too much, so had it done elsewhere. The problem just continued and seemed to get worse after that was done. Also makes a loud moaning sound when turning. Gas mileage has greatly diminished. Getting under 250 miles/tank now. Very unsafe and dealership service department seem dumb to what's happening. If unable to determine problem, could cause rapid wearing of tires. Have taken it to several places now 4 times since taking to original dealer service center. I'm not even convinced this is a problem with the AWD system. Maybe differential? Or cv joints? …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada. While making a left turn at approximately 5 MPH under normal conditions, the vehicle switched from two wheel drive to four wheel drive. The vehicle came to a complete stop. This type of failure is called a crow hop. The contact had to accelerate in order for the vehicle to drive again. While making another turn, the four wheel drive locked. Each time the failure occurred, the vehicle would not move. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they changed the differential fluid, but that did not correct the failure. Through a service bulletin issued by the manufacturer, the contact discovered that the encoder sensor from the transfer case needed to be replaced and the TCM sensor needed to be reprogrammed. The current and failure mileages were 40,000.
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection." these vehicles are equipped with a mechanical override that could allow the ignition key to be removed with the shift lever in a position other than park.
Remedy: Dealers will eliminate these conditions by disabling the overrides. Owner notification began on May 29, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Transmission complaints in other Bravada years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada?
NHTSA has 53 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada, 22% of the model year's 238 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-075 (automatic transmission, Mar 6, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles, and 36% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries 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.