2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Complaints

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE THROUGH A PARKING LOT, TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO DRIVE UP TO MY BANK'S ATM, WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE APPEARED TO BUCKLE UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE LEFT FRONT OF THE TRUCK FELL TO THE GROUND. THE LEFT FRONT A-ARM AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY BROKE DUE TO PREMATURE METAL FATIGUE.

CABLES THAT HOLD UP THE TAILGATE ON THR 1/2 TON CHEVY AVALANCHE RUSTED AND BROKE WHILE I WAS LEANING ON THE TAILGATE. I FELL TO THE GROUND AND WAS NOT INJURED. MY SISTER-IN-LAW ALSO HAD A CABLE ON HER 2002 1/2 TON CHEVROLET PICKUP BROKE *AK

TIRE SEPARATION. NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH THE GOODYEAR AT'S TIRES THAT CAME AS STANDARD ON MY AVALANCHE. I HAD 6 FLATS IN A 4 WEEK PERIOD AND FINALLY HAD TO REPLACE ALL TIRES AT 36,000 MILES DUE TO BELT SEPARATION. *JB

TOTAL TREAD PLY SEPARATION ON A FIRESTONE LT 265 R75 16 STEELTEX AT LOAD RANGE E TIRE. TIRE CAME AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON MY 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 4X4, WITH A 12,000 LB TOW PACKAGE. WHEN I TOOK DELVIERY OF THIS VEHICLE IN 2001, FIRESTONE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF RECALLING OTHER TIRES THAT WERE FAILING THE SAME WAY, I WAS ASSURED BY BOTH CHEVROLET AND FIRESTONE THAT THIS PRODUCT FAR EXCEEDED THE SPECS FOR THE PURPOSE I SELECTED THIS VEHICLE, AND THESE WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. NOW I SEE THAT THIS TIRE HAS HAD A LIMITED PRODUCTION DATE RECALL. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FILING A CLAIM WITH FIRESTONE TO RE-COUP $1600.00 OF BODY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, BUT I THOUGHT I SHOULD MAKE MY VOICE HEARD TO YOU. AS A SIDE NOTE I WAS TOWING MY TRAVEL TRAILER AT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 55 TO 60 MPH ON AN OVERCAST 60 DEGREE DAY IN FLORIDA, WHEN I FELT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A TRAILER TIRE GOING DOWN. AS I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE RIGHT LANE WITH LIMITED GUARD RAILED EMERGENCY SHOULDER SPACE TO PULL OFF, I IMMEDIATELY BEGAIN TO SLOW EVEN MORE AND PUT ON MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS TO WARN FOLLOWING MOTORISTS OF MY FUTURE INTENTIONS. AS MY SPEED DROPPED TO AROUND 45 MPH IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIND ENOUGH SHOULDER TO STOP ON, THE TREAD GRENADED OFF. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ESPECIALLY AWARE OF PROPER INFATIONS OF TIRES, CHECKING BY GAUGE BOTH THE TOW VEHICLE AND THE TRAILER EACH DAY BEFORE HOOKING UP AND PULLING, AS I DID THIS DAY BEFORE LEAVING THE CAMPSITE. SO UNDER OR OVER INFLATION IS NOT AN ISSUE HERE. THE TRAILER WAS BALANCED SO PERFECTLY THAT BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET OFF THE ROAD, THE TIRE CASING WAS STILL INFLATED AND THE TRAILER WAS HOLDING THE TRUCK UP IN THE REAR. THIS AND THE LACK OF SPEED WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY REASON I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL, BECAUSE I AM SURE THAT UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE CASING WOULD HAVE BLOWN.*AK

VENTILATION SYSTEM LEAKED WATER INTO THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. AS A RESULT, WATER BLEW OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR THE RADIO SPEAKERS. *AK

TAILGATE CABLES FAILED WHILE I WAS UNLOADING BACK OF AVALANCHE. I FELL TO THE GROUND, ALONG WITH COMPUTER EQUIPMENT I WAS CARRYING. BOTH TAILGATE CABLES BROKE AND TAILGATE FELL OFF TRUCK. DAMAGE TO TAILGATE PAINT, MOLDING AND LATCH ASSEMBLY. DEALER QUOTED APPROXIMATELY $900 WORTH OF DAMAGE.*AK

STANDARD TIRES ISSUED WITH VEHICLE WERE OFFROAD WRANGLER HP WHICH HAVE VERY POOR RAIN HANDLING CAPABILITIES. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS OR GIVEN OPTION OF SWITCHING TO HIGHWAY TIRES WITH BETTER RAIN CAPABILITY. AS A RESULT OF THE POOR CONTROL OF VEHICLE IN RAIN, FRONT EDGE WAS DAMAGED WHEN ENTERED PARKING LOT AND WAS TRYING TO TURN ON WET PAVEMENT AND SLID INTO WALL WHEN STEERING WAS NON-RESPONSIVE DUE TO TIRE SLIDING INSTEAD OF TURNING. SPEED WAS LESS THEN 10 MPH. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL ARTICLES ON INTERNET INDICATING SHOULD EITHER REPLACE THOSE TIRES OR HAVE THEM "SIPED" TO ACHIEVE BETTER CONTROL IN RAIN. SINCE MY AVALANCHE IS TWO WHEEL DRIVE I NEVER THOUGHT MUCH IF ANY ABOUT OFFROAD USE OR THAT THE STANDARD TIRES WOULD BE SO GEARED UP FOR OFFROAD USE AS TO MAKE THEM HANDLE POORLY IN RAIN. CAPITOL CHEVROLET SERVICE MANAGER CONFIRMED THIS INFORMATION WITH ME. I HAVE 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE DRIVING IN THE NORTH UNDER ALL CONDITIONS WITH MILITARY AND CIVILIAN VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM BEFORE WITH ANY VEHICLE WITH ANY KIND OF TIRE. MILITARY VEHICLE TIRES ARE VERY OFFROAD ORIENTED BUT NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM IN RAIN. THANKS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE DRIVEWAY, DRIVER PULLED DOWN THE TAILGATE, AND CABLE SNAPPED IN HALF. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO LIFT THE CABLE UP AND PUT IT INSIDE OF THE TRUNK AREA. BOTH CABLES WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF THE TRUCK. CONSUMER NOTIFIED DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK

OVERTIME I KEPT HEARING A WHINING NOISE, SMELL OF OIL, HEAT AND LIGHT VIBRATION FROM THE DRIVELINE. AT THE DEALERSHIP ON A 100, 000 MILE TOTAL OIL, TRANSMISSION AND COOLANT CHANGE (DID THIS AT 97,018 MI. 1/2/04). THE MECHANIC DID NOTICE A BIT OF PLAY IN THE FRONT & REAR DRIVELINE (DRIVE SHAFTS FROM TRANSFER CASE TO THE FRONT WHEEL AXLE CASE AND THE REAR AXLE CASE), SOME OIL LEAKAGE ON THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE, BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR AXLE, THIS WAS NORMAL HE TOLD ME. MECHANIC FOUND BOTH FINE AND SMALL PIECES OF METAL IN THE FRONT 4X4 TRANSMISSION CASE, BUT SAID THIS WAS NOT A BIG PROBLEM. MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE U-JOINTS REPLACED SOMETIME ON THE DRIVE SHAFTS AND THIS WOULD STOP THE NOISE AND VIBRATION. AT COLDWATER, MI. (1/14/04), I HAD TO REPLACE A RIGHT FRONT HUB BEARING; MECHANIC REPORTED TO ME THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT THE REAR AXLE FOR NOISE. MECHANIC FOUND SOME PLAY IN THE DRIVELINE U-JOINTS, RIGHT REAR AXLE AND PINION SHAFT, AND SOME NOISE COMING FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL. ON 1/26/04 I HAD BOTH REAR & FRONT DRIVESHAFT U-JOINTS REPLACED & BALANCED (FLEET PRIDE SAID THERE WAS SOME PLAY IN THEM). THE NOISE AND VIBRATION STOPPED, BUT THE OIL & HOT SMELL STAYED. THEN THE LIGHT VIBRATION AND SOME NOISE (BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 40-75 MPH) STARTED TO RETURN IN JUST 150 MILES. AT 106,606 MILES THE REAR AXLE STARTED TO MAKE A CLUNKING NOISE AND HARD VIBRATION THEN STOPPED TURNING AT 106,607 MILES. I HAD THE REAR AXLE REMOVED AND FOUND THAT THE MAIN BEARING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MECHANICAL LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL (EATON G-80) HAD BROKE APART SENDING METAL THROUGH OUT THE REAR AXLE AND DESTROYED AXLE DRIVE SYSTEM. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE PARTS & DAMAGE TO THE REAR. THE FRONT AXLE IS STARTING THE SAME THING, LEAKING, HOT SMELL AND NOISE. I HAVE FOUND THROUGH YOUR SYSTEM THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS AND WHEN I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS, THEY SAID THEY ARE CHECKING INTO IT. SERVICE BULLETINS 03-04-17-001, 03-07-30-005, 02-04-21-005A. *AK

MY 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE HAS SEVERAL PROBLEMS. FIRST THE REAR WINDOW AND MID TAILGATE LEAKS INTO THE PASSENGER AREA. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES NOW AND IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. THERE IS MOISTURE IN THE DAYTIME DRIVING LIGHTS THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY. THE RT REAR SEAT BELT LATCH IS HARD TO LATCH WITHOUT SOMEONE HELPING THE PASSENGER THAT SITS IN THAT SEAT. I HAVE 17 INCHE TIRES WITH A 16 INCH SPARE HOW SAFE IS THAT??? I HAVE OIL CONSUMPTION AT LEAST 1 QUART PER 1,000 MILES VEHICLE ALSO BLOWS BLACK, BLUE AND WHITE SMOKE. THEY ARE DOING A CONSUMPTION TEST NOW. THE UNIVERSAL JOINT POPS WHEN CHANGING FROM PARK TO REVERSE AND TO NEUTRAL AND BACK. THERE IS CLUNKING SOUND WHEN PULLING IN OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE TURNING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. EMERGENCY BRAKE GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE HAD TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND IT SEEMS NOTHING GETS FIXED.*AK