2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Complaints

MEXICAN ASSEMBLY FACTORY FAILURE. THERE WAS A MAJOR FAILURE OF THE REAR AXLES AND PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. *BF THE REAR AXLES HAD GROOVES WORN IN THEM AND THE REAR BEARING FAILED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE PARKING BRAKE REMAINED INOPERATIVE. WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE WAS RELEASED, THE ACCELERATION WOULD HANG UP AND A POP WOULD BE HEARD IN THE REAR, THERE WAS A RATTLE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE AXLE SEALS LEAKED. *SC *JB

TAILGATE WAS DOWN BECAUSE BOTH OF THE TAILGATE SUPPORT STRAPS SNAPPED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE LOADING A RIDING LAWN, THE CABLE BROKE IN HALF. REFER TO RECALL CAMPAIGN. *SC THE CONSUMER HAD THE CABLE REPLACED AT A LOCAL DEALER WITH THE SAME TYPE OF CABLE THAT BROKE, UNTIL THE STAINLESS CABLE ARRIVED, HE THEN CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL. *JB

VEHICLE HAS PROBLEM WITH FUEL SYSTEM. EITHER THE FUEL GAUGE GOES OUT INDICATING THAT YOU HAVE MORE GAS THAN YOU REALLY DO. THE FUEL PUMP GOES OUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS DRIVING UP A WINDING HILL WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY TRUCK STOPPED WITH NO WARNING ON A BLIND CURVE. THIS CREATED A SAFETY ISSUE AS THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED A TRAFFIC COLLISION. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN TO RALLY CHEVROLET FOR THIS PROBLEM 4 TIMES IN LESS THAN 12 MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME WAS FEBRUARY 2003. THE SECOND TIME WAS APRIL 2003. THE THIRD TIME WAS JUNE 2003 AND THE FOURTH TIME WAS JANUARY 21, 2005. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLES FUEL SYSTEM. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM. EVERY SINCE MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, WE HAVE BEEN SMELLING COOLANT AFTER EITHER SHORT TRIPS OR LONG DRIVING TRIPS. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF TIMES WHERE ONCE THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AND THEN A FREEZE PLUG WAS REPLACED. TO THIS DAY, WE STILL SMELL COOLANT AND THE DEALER CAN NOT FIND A LEAK. I DON'T THINK THIS IS NORMAL. *JB

ON 9/5/01, I PURCHASED A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE PARKING BRAKE HAS FAILED 3 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. I HAVE HAD THE DEALER REPAIR IT ON 7/12/02, 8/14/02, AND AGAIN ON 12/20/04. THE LATEST FAILURE IS TODAY, 1/20/05. THE BRAKE EITHER WILL NOT HOLD THE PARKED VEHICLE OR IT WILL STICK AND NOT RELEASE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE IMMOVABLE. THE LAST REPAIR ALSO INCLUDED REPLACING BOTH REAR AXLES AND REAR AXLE BEARINGS. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM AND I HAVE HEARD OTHER AVALANCHE OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. *JB

COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AND COMPLETE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE. HAD TO DOWNSHIFT INTO D1 TO SLOW DOWN. *NM

MAIN IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT ALWAYS SUPPLY POWER TO ALL ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT. WHEN FAILURE OCCURS THE LIGHTS AND ALARMS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DO NOT FUNCTION AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO SHIFT CORRECTLY. SWITCH HAS TO BE REPLACED. *JB

WATER LEAK DISCOVERED AGAIN FOR THE FIFTH TIME. DEALER HAS REPLACED CARPET AND PAD ON PREVIOUS REPAIRS AND NEW SEALS WERE INSTALLED. WAS DRY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. CARPET UNDER BACK SEAT IS SOAKING WET AGAIN. I AM EXTREMELY TIRED OF THIS MALFUNCTION IN DESIGN, CAUSING SUCH ISSUES. THE BED STAYS MOSTLY DRY, AND HONESTLY I NEVER EXPECTED THE BED TO BE DRY 100% OF THE TIME. HOWEVER THE INTERIOR OF THE TRUCK SHOULD NOT BE WET UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. DEALER HAS EXPLAINED HOW THE KEEP THE DRAIN CHANNELS CLEAR AND IT DOES NOT HELP AT ALL.*AK

THE FRAME ON THE REAR WINDOW OF MY 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE HAS BEGUN TO CRACK AND BREAK OFF. ALTHOUGH STILL IN PLACE AT THIS TIME THERE IS A 1/2" CRACK THAT IS WIDENING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE UPPER CORNER AND CRACKS IN THE LOWER CORNER THAT LOOK LIKE THE PLASTIC IS TEARING ITSELF APART. IT IS SUBJECT TO LEAKS SINCE IT NO LONGER FORMS A TIGHT SEAL AND IF THE FRAME BREAKS OFF COMPLETELY THE WINDOW WILL NO LONG BE HELD TIGHTLY IN PLACE AND COULD FALL FROM THE FRAME ONTO PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE CRACKS ACTUALLY BEGAN BUT ONLY NOTICED THEM RECENTLY. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWER AND ONLY DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. CHEVROLET WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM UNDER SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER 1-292479540. THEIR ANSWER WAS THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY AS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I ONLY RECEIVED THEIR DECISION TODAY SO I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO LOCATE A REPLACEMENT PART AS YET.*AK

I OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, THAT DID NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE PARKING BRAKE NO HOLDING. THIS OCCURRED WITH OUT WARNING SINCE MY LAST INSPECTION. I VISTED THE DEALER AND THEY ASKED FOR MILEAGE AND STATED IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE IS NO WARRNING SYSTEM FOR THIS PROBLEM. AND THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLOW FOUND ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS WILL COST ME CLOSE TO $800 FOR BRAKE SHOES DRUM / ROTOR ASSEMBLY AND BRAKE PADS I BELIEVE THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED . *AK