2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Complaints

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500HD 4X4 WITH A 8.1 LITRE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 51,000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST PROBLEM I NOTICED WAS THAT THE ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT IT WOULD NOT START IMMEDIATELY. THE NEXT PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED WAS THAT THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE POSTED 55 MPH LIMIT, AND I HAD TO DODGE TRAFFIC WHILE TRYING TO STEER MY "DEAD" VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE DID RESTART AND I WAS ABLE TO RESUME AS BEFORE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT LEAST 4 TIMES. THUS FAR AFTER 3 TRIPS TO THE DEALER, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPEAT, DIAGNOSE, OR REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. *JB

VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING DURING IDLE, THEN STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH. ENGINE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE CHEVYAVALANCHEFANCLUB.COM WEB SITE - I FOUND INFORMATION THAT OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I ASKED MY MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS EXTREME WATER INTRUSION INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE, PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE SEALS IN THE DOORS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE WITHOUT EVER USING IT, MAKES A ROARING SOUND WHEN YOU ARE DIVING DOWN THE ROAD. DEALER SAID THIS A PROBLEM WITH ALL THE 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHES AND TRUCKS,DESIGN FLAW, BUT THEY WOULD BE GLAD TO FIX IT FOR A PRICE. SAID COULDN'T BELIEVE I HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM BEFORE NOW, GUESS ITS BECAUSE I NEVER USE IT AND IT JUST FINALLY FAILED ON ITS ON. IF THE DEALER KNOWS THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE SHOULDN'T GM BE RESPONSIBLE FIR THIS? *NM

MY VEHICLE (A 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE) WAS INVOLVED IN A TOTAL LOSS COLLISION ON JANUARY 18, 2006. THE COLLISION WAS A FULL FRONTAL CRASH WHICH CAVED IN THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE AVALANCHE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS THROWN OUT OF HIS SEAT BELT DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT. THE DRIVER ENDED UP IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED. THE CRITERIA FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WERE MET. THERE WAS A DECELERATION RATE FROM APPROX. 55 MPH TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS HIT (AS SEEN FROM THE EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE UPON ARRIVAL TO THE BODY SHOP). THE COLLISION WAS IN THE MIDDLE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. GENERAL MOTORS DID AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, I WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THEIR CONCLUSION. THEY SAID THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT MALFUNCTION. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE "ABSORBED" THE IMPACT, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAGS NOT TO DEPLOY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE MANUFACTURER, WHO, IN MY OPINION, WAS BIASED IN HIS REVIEW OF THE INCIDENT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED EVERY TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED THE BRAKES PULSATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. UPON INSPECTION THE FRONT AND REAR ROTORS WERE CORRODED. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE ROTORS HOWEVER; DUE TO THE CORROSION THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO SO, THEREFORE THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED. IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT, WHILE USING THE AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER FAN, SMOKE CAME FROM THE VENTS. THE FAN WAS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE COMPRESSOR, FAN AND RELAY WAS REPLACED.

THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. 1]THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS GONE BAD TWICE IN 61,000 MILES, DEALER REFUSES TO FIX. THIS COULD CAUSE THE U-JOINT IN THE STEERING SHAFT TO FRACTURE ON ROUGH ROADS. 2] THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM HAS INTERMITTENT FAILURE PROBLEMS, THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF BRAKES AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *NM

BRAKES ON 2002 AVALANCHE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM RAY HUTSON, LACROSSE WI. USING CHEVROLET MAINTENANCE PLAN. 27,821 MILES - PERFORMED 6K MAINTENANCE WHICH INCLUDES; LUBE PARKING BRAKE, ROTATE TIRES, INSPECT BRAKES. OK WITH WORK. 30,533 MILES - PERFORMED DETAIL RECONDITION OF VEHICLE. POOR WORK. 30,583 MILES - REPAIRED TAILGATE, COMPLAINED OF DETAIL WORK. PICKED UP VEHICLE WITH NO NOTICEABLE MILEAGE BUT USED APPROX 6 GALS OF GAS. GUESSING THEY RAN THE ENGINE ALL DAY TO DRY OUT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. 30,916 MILES - COMPLETED TAILGATE REPAIR. OK 34,244 MILES - OIL CHANGE 38,085 MILES - OIL CHANGE AND GOODWRENCH PRE02004 MAINTENANCE CHECK LIST COMPLETED. OK 41,926 MILES - 6K MAINTENANCE SERVICE. FOUND BRAKES AND ROTORS BAD, HAD THEM REPLACED, TOTAL COST WAS $1,321.00. AT TIME OF PICKUP, REQUESTED REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING. WAS IT MY FAULT OR THE GOOD WRENCH PLAN, WHY WERE THE BRAKES NOT FOUND TO BE GOING BAD BEFORE THEY RUINED THE ROTORS? THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW. 2 WEEKS LATER- I CALLED THEM, SAID THEY WOULD CHECK WITH GMC. 4 WEEKS LATER -I CALLED THEM, SAID THEY WOULD CHECK WITH GMC. 3 MONTHS LATER, RECEIVED NOTICE FOR OIL CHANGE. WENT TO RAY HUTSON, ASKED ABOUT BRAKE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THEY HAD HEARD BACK FROM GMC THE FIRST WEEK, THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT AS PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO LOOK AT. AT THAT TIME, I FELT THAT I WAS NOT A CUSTOMER WORTH A PHONE CALL FROM THEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OVER 20MPH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. AS THE SPEED INCREASES OR WHILE DRIVING OVER POTHOLES THE NOISE INCREASES. THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE NOISE CAME FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION AND THE DRIVESHAFT. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR BACKING PLATES ARE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE IS LOCATED IN A SALT BELT STATE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ALERTED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.