2002 Chevrolet Suburban Powertrain & Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

SAT. 2/16/13 I STARTED MY 02 SUBURBAN UP BY TURNING THE KEY THROUGH AN OPEN DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD ABOUT 6 INCHES. THIS HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY FOR YEARS, BUT REALLY NOTICED IT THIS TIME BECAUSE MY ARM GET HIT BY STEERING WHEEL SINCE I WAS OUTSIDE VEHICLE. NORMALLY WHEN IT HAPPENS I AM SEATED IN CAR AND NOTICE IT SEEMS TO JUMP FORWARD. IT HAPPENS PROBABLY ONCE EVERY 100-150 STARTS. ANY IDEA WHY AND WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT. AFRAID SOMEONE MAY BE IN FRONT OF CAR SOMEDAY AND MIGHT GET HURT IF IT LURCHED. ALSO COULD HAVE DONE DAMAGE TO MY GARAGE DOOR IF IT HAD BEEN DOWN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A TODDLER WAS ABLE TO INSERT AND TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO THE ACCESSORY POSITION. THE CHILD WAS ALSO ABLE TO SHIFT THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WITHOUT ENGAGING THE BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL AWAY. THE VEHICLE JUMPED A RETAINING WALL AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE SHIFTED WITHOUT ENGAGING THE BRAKES FOR TOWING PURPOSES. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED NOT TO LEAVE THE KEYS NEAR CHILDREN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 128,000.

2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 4WD TRANSFER CASE FAILURE *GR THE CONSUMER NOTICEABLE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE VEHICLE. HE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED OIL DRIPPING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSFER CASE HOUSING HAD A HOLE IN IT. THE CONSUMER DID SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED IT WAS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSFER CASE OIL PUMP RETAINING METHOD, CAUSING THE PUMP TO MOVE AROUND IN THE HOUSING, EVENTUALLY WEARING A HOLE IN THE REAR TRANSFER CASE HOUSING. *JB

I HAVE A 2002 SUBURBAN THAT SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2002 I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING RIGHT. EVERY TIME I BROUGHT IT IN IT WOULD BE IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR LESS THAN A DAY AND I WOULD BE TOLD THAT EVERYTHING IS OKAY. NOW MY WARRANTY IS UP AND MY TRANSMISSION IS BROKE. I HAVE NO REVERSE, AND IT DOES NOT WANT TO DOWN SHIFT ON ANY FORWARD GEAR. I CALLED A TRANS SHOP IN MY AREA AND THEY STATED THAT WITH CHEVY SUBURBANS OF MY YEAR (GIVE AND TAKE 3YEARS BOTH WAYS) THERE IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SEAL IN THE TRANS THAT IT WEARS TOO SOON AND TRANS OIL LEAKS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD - THE OWNER DOES NOT EVEN NOTICE IT - BECAUSE IT GETS BLOWN AWAY WHILE DRIVING. THIS TO ME SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FACT THAT WHEN I CALLED THE TRANS SHOP (ATOMIC TRANSMISSIONS) THEY NEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT HAPPENED. *TR

MY 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN EXPERIENCED PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TOTAL COST FOR THE REPAIR IS $3000.00. THE TRUCK HAS NEVER TOWED A THING, THE CAR IS ONLY USED TO DRIVE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ETC. IT HAS 64,000 MILES AND JUST STOPPED ON A TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. *JB

MY 2002 SUBURBAN HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 46091 MILES THAT REQUIRED ME TO PURCHASE A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3200.00. WE WERE ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE STOPPED SHIFTING WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND BARELY MADE IT SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRANSMISSION APPEARED FINE ALTHOUGH IT WAS BEYOND REPAIR. THE FLUID LEVEL WAS GOOD AND IT WAS NOT BURNED. CHEVROLET SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AS THE WARRANTY IS FOR 3 YEARS AND 36000 MILES. *NM

JANUARY 1, 2006 JUST AFTER LEAVING MY HOME, I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I ACCELERATED FROM A STOP A LOUD CLUNK AND THEN A CONSTANT WHINNING SOUND. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME THE ONE MILE FROM THE STOP SIGN IN FIRST GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT TO SECOND, AFTER RETURNING HOME THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE EITHER. TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 104,000 MILES. REPAIR SHOP SAYS THE TRANSMISSION SHELL AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS CRACKED. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP STATES THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. THEY WOULD CONSIDER THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION, A BAD DESIGN ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR SHOP. *NM

AFTER NUMEROUS OTHER REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE, IT STARTED WHINING THROUGH THE FIRST FEW GEAR CHANGES. THE GM SHOP SAID THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT OUT AND THEY HAD TO OVERHAUL THE TRANSMISSION. IT IS STILL IN THE SHOP BECAUSE AFTER THEY PUT EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER, THE WHINING NOISE IS STILL THERE. AFTER 11 DAYS AND THREE TEAR DOWNS AND REBUILDS, THE MECHANIC IS AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT IS WRONG. *JB

AFTER HAVING OTHER REAR-END WORK DONE EARLIER, WE HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACE TWO U-JOINTS. *JB

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY IN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS

WE HAD TO HAVE PINION & SIDE BEARINGS REPLACED AND THEY RECONDITIONED DIFFERENTIALS. THIS IS A FAMILY VEHICLE THAT DOES NOT PULL HORSE TRAILERS OR A BOAT! *JB

SUDDEN, WITHOUT WARNING, TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NO EXPLANATION GIVEN BY DEALER OTHER THAN INTERNAL FAILURE WITH RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. ONLY 45,000 MILES AND WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE. *AK

NOTICED NOISE AND VIBRATION WHEN IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. CHEVY DEALER INSPECTED AND DETERMINED THAT A PLASTIC PLUG ON FRONT DIFFERENTIAL HAD FAILED AND DRAINED ALL OF THE OIL FROM DIFFERENTIAL RESULTING IN FAILURE. CHEVY HAS RE-DESIGNED THE FAULTY PART (OBVIOUSLY AS A RESULT OF MANY FAILURES). FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. CAR WAS REPEATEDLY RETURNED FOR SERVICE BECAUSE OF NO 4X4 FUNCTION. EVENTUALLY, TRANSFER CASE WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT CLUTCHES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED FROM DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE. TRANSFER CASE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. SUBURBAN HAD 40,000 MILES UPON INITIAL FAILURE (4,000 OUT OF WARRANTY). CHEVY SENT OWNER A CHECK FOR $600. RECCOMEND THAT ALL SUBURBAN 4X4 OWNERS IMMEDIATELY REPLACE THE PLASTIC PLUG WITH NEW DESIGN (APPROX $23 PART) OR EXPECT FAILURE. CHEVY WILL NOT ACCEPT REPONSIBILITY. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.

AT 16000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED WHILE DRIVING 50/55 MPH. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SUN GEAR AND PLANETARY GEAR FAILED. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. *NM *NM

AT 24,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR 2002 SUBURBAN FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. *JB

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO A DEALER FOR THE 2ND TIME NOW TO REBUILD THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AND IT HAS ONLY 22000 MILES ON IT.

THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE AND A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE WHEN SLOWING DOWN. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER WILL REPLACE THE DIFFERENTRAL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLY HIS GEAR SHIFT TO PARK TO DRIVE. THERE IS A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH AND THE VEHICLE WILLNOT MOVE. WHEN GEAR SHIFT IS PLACE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE.