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2002 Gmc Sierra Recalls & Complaints

7

open safety recalls on record

Serious

291 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.29 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious09E025000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Serious07E066000

Equipment:Electrical

IF THE TRAILER LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, A VEHICLE CRASH CAN OCCUR.

Remedy & full details

ALL OF THE DEFECTIVE TOW PACKAGES ARE STILL AT THE DISTRIBUTOR LEVEL AND HAVE NOT BEEN SOLD TO ANY CONSUMERS.

CERTAIN CEQUENT 90 DEGREE 7-WAY RIGHT ANGLE ADAPTORS SOLD BY DISTRIBUTORS IN TOW PACKAGES FOR AFTERMARKET SALES TO TOW 5TH WHEEL RV TRAVEL TRAILERS. DUE TO INCORRECT WIRING OF THE HARNESS, THE TRAILER LIGHTS MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY.

Serious05V161000

Parking Brake

IF THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD, UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD OCCUR, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 29, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND BUILT WITH EITHER PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEMS OR TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEMS, THE PARKING BRAKE FRICTION LININGS MAY WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.

Serious05V379000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

THIS CAN CAUSE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKE APPLICATIONS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS ARE TO REMOVE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND THOROUGHLY CLEAN THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MOUNTING SURFACE ON THE BEARING, APPLY RUST INHIBITOR TO THE CLEANED SURFACE, GREASE THE MOUNTING SURFACE, REINSTALL THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR, AND CHECK THE PEAK-TO-PEAK OUTPUT VOLTAGE TO ENSURE THE WHEEL SPEED SIGNAL IS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE UNWANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATION. THIS CONDITION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ENVIRONMENTALLY CORROSIVE AREAS. THIS RECALL WILL BE LAUNCHED IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ONLY.

Serious04V129000

Structure:Body:Tailgate:Hinge And Attachments

ANYONE SITTING OR STANDING ON THE HORIZONTAL SURFACE OF THE TAILGATE WHEN BOTH CABLES FRACTURED COULD BE INJURED BY FALLING FROM THE TAILGATE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CABLES. INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 7, 20004. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2004, WHEN REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE, AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OCTOBER 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, OR VISIT WWW.MYGMLINK.COM, AND ENTER YOUR VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE GALVANIZED STEEL TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES THAT RETAIN THE TAILGATE IN THE FULL OPEN (HORIZONTAL) POSITION MAY CORRODE, WEAKEN, AND EVENTUALLY FRACTURE. IF BOTH CABLES FRACTURED, THE TAILGATE WOULD SUDDENLY DROP AND STRIKE THE TOP SURFACE OF THE REAR BUMPER.

Serious03V435000

Fuel System, Other:Delivery

STRONG ODOR OF NATURAL GAS MAY BE DETECTED FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY ACCOMPANIED BY A HISSING NOISE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL SECURE THE THROTTLE CABLE TO ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTACT WITH THE CNG FUEL LINE. THE CNG FUEL LINE, THROTTLE CABLE, AND CRUISE CONTROL CABLE ARE ALSO TO BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

SOME 2WD AND 4WD PICKUP TRUCKS, CONVERTED TO EITHER DEDICATED OR BI-FUEL COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) FUEL USAGE, WERE ASSEMBLED WITH A THROTTLE CABLE THAT CAN CONTACT AND RUB THROUGH THE FLEXIBLE PRESSURIZED FUEL LINE CREATING A PINHOLE LEAK OF NATURAL GAS TO THE ATMOSPHERE.

Moderate04E022000

Equipment

THE BEDLINER CAN BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PICKUP WHILE IT IS MOTION, POSSIBLY ENDANGERING FOLLOWING MOTORISTS OR PEDESTRIANS.

Remedy & full details

DURAKON WILL ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE IN ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS THAT COULD HAVE PURCHASED THE DEFECTIVE BEDLINER. IF YOU PURCHASED EITHER A DURAKON ALLSTAR OF PATRIOT OVERRAIL BEDLINER SINCE AUGUST 1, 2003, FOR 1999 TO 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO OR GMC SIERRA TRUCKS, OR PURCHASED ONE OF THESE PICKUP TRUCKS WITH EITHER BRAND BEDLINER ALREADY INSTALLED, YOU SHOULD RETURN TO AN AUTHORIZED DURAKON DEALER SO THAT THE BEDLINER CAN BE INSPECTED AND, IF NECESSARY, REPAIRED WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED TOGGLE WING FASTENING SYSTEM, OR IF REQUIRED, REPLACED WITH A NEW BEDLINER FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE CALL THE DURAKON HOTLINE AT 1-800-933-4200 TO FIND THE NEAREST AUTHORIZED DURAKON DEALER.

AFTERMARKET PICKUP TRUCK OVER-THE-RAIL BEDLINERS MANUFACTURED FOR INSTALLATION ON 1999-2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO AND GMC SIERRA PICKUP TRUCKS. THE TOGGLE WING ASSEMBLY USED TO ATTACH THE BEDLINER TO THE TRUCK BED IS NOT ENGAGING FULLY IN THE STAKE POCKET OF THE PICKUP TRUCK.

Complaint volume

291 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

26Crashes
3Fires
6Injuries
0Deaths

Across 291 complaints. Severity Index 0.29.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic…45 · 15%Service Brakes31 · 11%Service Brakes, Hydraulic26 · 9%Parking Brake17 · 6%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…16 · 5%Engine And Engine Cooling…9 · 3%Power Train · Automatic T…8 · 3%Structure · Body · Tailga…7
  1. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 45 reports
  2. Service Brakes — 31 reports
  3. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 26 reports
  4. Parking Brake — 17 reports
  5. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor — 16 reports
  6. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 9 reports
  7. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 8 reports
  8. Structure:Body:Tailgate:Hinge And Attachments — 7 reports
  9. Tires — 6 reports
  10. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 6 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (6) · 1996 (2) · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 (9) · 2000 (12) · 2001 (7) · 2002 · 2003 (9) · 2004 (10) · 2005 (11) · 2006 (6) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (2) · 2009 (1) · 2010 (1) · 2011 (2) · 2012 (2) · 2013 (3) · 2014 (12) · 2015 (6) · 2016 (2) · 2017

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.