There are 50 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Silveradoin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ABS kicks in constantly at low speeds in dry conditions. This causes longer stopping distances. The ABS grinds or vibrates interfering with normal braking situations. Many near miss collisions at low speeds. The manufacturer should be responsible and replace all the ABS sensors. I purchased this truck brand new in 2002.
USING THE KEY THE IGNITION TURNS ON AND TRUCK STARTS AS IT SHOULD, ANYTIME THE KEY THEN COULD BE TAKEN OUT OF THE IGNITION AT ANYTIME. IGNITION CAN BE CLICKED BACK TO ACCESSORY AND THE KEY CAN FALL OUT WHEN DRIVING. NOTE CHANGING FROM RUN TO ACCESSORY IT EASILY DONE.
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGES AT SLOW SPEEDS CAUSING INABILITY TO STOP. THE ROAD SURFACE DOES NOT MATTER, WET, DRY, DIRT OR PAVED, IT IS A FAILING SYSTEM. THIS WAS A RANDOM PROBLEM, NOW IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. THE SYSTEM WILL MAKE A RATCHETING SOUND THEN A GRINDING BEFORE AS YOU COME TO A STOP. YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO LET OFF THE BRAKE AND REAPPLY PRESSURE HOPING IT WORKS. I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH SMALL CHILDREN RUNNING AROUND EVERYWHERE. I WOULD HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THESE BRAKES FAILED ME WHEN I REALLY NEEDED THEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS LOOSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, SHE RAN OFF THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BURNS AND INJURIES TO HER RIBS, STERNUM, AND PELVIC. THE INJURIES WERE FATAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *TR *BF*JB*DT MEDICAL RECORD XXXXXXXXXXXX CERTIFICATION OF TITLE NO XXXXXXXXXXXX ('PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
LIGHTING FOR GEAR AND MILEAGE INDICATOR HAS BEEN GOING OUT INTERMITTENTLY.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE TRUCK, FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, SHUT DOWN CAUSING ME TO LOOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKE CAPABILITY. I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN THE KEY OFF AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN TO RE-START THE TRUCK. IT HAS NOW HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND I HAVE DONE THE SAME THING EACH TIME TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED ONCE IN 2002 THEN CONSTANTLY 4-5 TIMES A YEAR AND AGAIN TODAY. GM HAS TOLD ME IN THE PAST THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD CAUSE THAT ISSUE. I COULD NOT GET MY LOCAL CHEVROLET SHOP MANAGER TO GIVE ME A STRAIGHT YES OR NO ANSWER REGARDING WHETHER MY PROBLEM IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ISSUES BEING EXPERIENCED BY EFFECTED GM MODELS WITH IGNITION PROBLEMS. I BELIEVE IT MAY BE DUE TO THE RECALLED IGNITION SWITCHES AS I HAVE HAD THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LOOKED AT AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND AN ISSUE THAT WOULD CAUSE THE TRUCK TO SHUT OFF RANDOMLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THEN TURN RIGHT BACK OVER AFTER SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL!! I BELIEVE THAT THE CURRENT RECALL DOES NOT COVER ALL OF THE VEHICLES THAT ARE TRULY AFFECTED. I HAVE HAD MY FAMILY IN THE TRUCK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED AND HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT TO THIS POINT.
I PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY AND PUT CAR IN PARK, LEFT ENGINE RUNNING. WENT TO DOOR OF RESIDENCE TO GET MY KIDS. KIDS WENT OUT TO THE CAR AND WERE YELLING FIRE! I SEEN THE INSIDE UP IN SMOKE. I REACHED INSIDE TO TURN ENGINE OFF. WE THEN STARTED POURING BUCKETS OF WATER INTO SEAT AND ON FLOOR AROUND THE SEAT TO TRY TO PREVENT SPREAD OF THE FIRE. I LUCKILY PUT THE FIRE OUT. FIRE DEPT UNHOOKED BATTERY AND REMOVED MELTED PLASTIC AROUND SEAT. IT SEEMS A WIRE SOMEHOW SHORTED OUT BENEATH SEAT AND CAUGHT THE SEAT AND FLOOR ON FIRE.
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. *TR
WHEN TO USE THE HORN IN A TRAFFIC SITUATION AND NOTHING. NO POWER AT FUSE BOX FOR HORN STATED BY MY MECHANIC. *TR
STARTED TO HEAR ENGINE EXHAUST GETTING LOUD, STARTED TO LOOK FOR EXHAUST LEAK AND FOUND THAT # 8 AND #7 PISTON LEAKING AT EXHAUST MANIFOLD DUE TO BROKEN BOLTS AND THEN ENGINE ERROR CODE O2 SENSOR BANK 1 WILL NOT TURN OFF, CAN NOT GET TRUCK TO PASS INSPECTION HAVE FOUND OUT OTHERS TRUCK OWNERS HAVE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
IGNITION SWITCH WON'T START ENGINE. REPLACED SWITCH AND HAD NO IMPROVEMENT. TURNING KEY SEVERAL TIMES MAY RESULT IN STARTING OR NOT. THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY IN IGNITION WHEN IT DOES START. AN ON-LINE REVIEW SHOWS I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS WHEN I OR MY WIFE USES VEHICLE TO SHOP AND RISKS BEING SUBJECT TO PREDATORS IN PARKING LOTS WHEN TRUCK WON'T START. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD SUDDENLY RETRACT AND PREVENT THE CONTACT FROM MOVING. ALSO, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY BECAME LODGED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED. IN ADDITION, THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS PUMP MOTOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT COMPLETELY DEAD. *TR
2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH, FROM THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. THE SWITCH DID NOT MALFUNCTION ALL THE TIME, AND THE LAST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF BRIEFLY AND THEN COME BACK ON. THERE WERE TIMES, WHEN HE TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD TURN OVER, BUT IT WOULDN'T START.
ON DECEMBER 19TH 2013 WAS AT A CLASS FOR WORK ABOUT 65 MILES FROM HOME, WHEN CAME OUT OF CLASS AND TRUCK WOULD NOT START KEEP GETTING SECURITY LIGHT FLASHING IN THE INFORMATION WINDOW. LATER FOUND OUT THIS CUT THE GAS OF FROM SOMEONE STEALING THE VEHICLE, BUT I HAD THE ORIGINAL KEY TO THE TRUCK. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO MY HOME 65 MILES AWAY. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE TRUCK FOR ME AND SAID HE BELIEVED HE HAD FIXED IT BY REPLACING THE IGNITION WIRING HARNESS. TRUCK WORKED GREAT UNTIL RECENT I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH AND THE KEY TO THE VEHICLE FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION ONTO THE FLOOR, LUCKY FOR ME THE VEHICLE STAYED RUNNING. I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN LOOKING AT THE IGNITION AND HAVE FOUND THAT ANY POSITION THAT THE KEY IS IN RATHER IT BE RUNNING OR AUXILIARY THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. ALSO THE TRUCK IS BACK TO SHOWING THE SECURITY LIGHT FLASHING IN THE INFORMATION CENTER AND TRUCK WILL NOT START. I HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION AND WAIT 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE TRUCK WILL START. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH CHEVY!!!!!!! *TR
WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE THE GAS GAUGE WENT TO FULL THEN BACK TO 0. LATER WHEN I WENT TO USE THE TOW/HAUL IT WOULD NOT WORK, IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE THE ODOMETER AND SHIFT INDICATOR STOPPED WORKING. *TR
ENGINE STALLS OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING, AND PUT ME IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. FORTUNATELY I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN HAS LITTLE FREEWAYS. ALSO THE DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT IS STUCK AND I CAN NOT PULL IT OUT. *TR
THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH SECURITY SYSTEM OR PASS LOCK.I SOMETIMES HAVE TO WAIT UP TO 2 HOURS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL START. *TR
I HAVE A 02'CHEVY IMPALA WHEN I TURN IT ON ALL ELECTRIC COMES ON AND THE ENGINE RUNS FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND DIES THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT AND SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM COMES ON I GOT THE FUEL PUMP AND SENSOR REPLACED STILL THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT FOR A FEW MILES AFTER READING THE MANUAL AND PUSHING THE GAS TO THE FLOOR WHILE HOLDING THE KEYS ON FOR THREE SECONDS BUT EVENTUALLY IT DIED AGAIN. PLEASE HELP!!!!! *TR
BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING LAST YEAR. I HAD A NEW BLOWER MOTOR INSTALLED AND THE REPLACEMENT STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I BROUGHT MY TRUCK TO BE REPAIRED FOR THE SECOND TIME, I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING/RESISTOR WHICH SUPPLIES POWER TO THE BLOWER MOTOR. APPARENTLY, THE MOTOR PULLS MORE POWER THAN THE WIRING IS RATED FOR WHICH CAUSES IT TO HEAT UP AND BURN THE INSULATION OFF OF THE WIRING UNDER THE DASHBOARD. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY THAT MY TRUCK DID NOT CATCH FIRE LIKE ANOTHER CUSTOMER'S TRUCK HE HAD RECENTLY REPAIRED FOR THE SAME REASON AS MINE HAD. I FEEL THAT I HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS TWICE DUE TO DEFECTIVE GM PARTS. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026