Owners have filed 10 complaints
about the 2002 Chevrolet Express 1500 with NHTSA between 2007 and 2015.
The largest single group is the engine & cooling.
Across this model's run it ranks 5 of 7 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 38
Against the median year of the Chevrolet Express 1500. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 73
43% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2002 compares with every other Chevrolet Express 1500
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2002 Chevrolet Express 1500
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Tires
220.0%
Median failure at 105,000 miles
Engine & Cooling
220.0%
Median failure at 39,000 miles
Doors, Latches & Locks
110.0%
Median failure at 37,000 miles
Seats
110.0%
Median failure at 26,000 miles
Seat Belts
110.0%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
110.0%
Median failure at 10,000 miles
Brakes
110.0%
Median failure at 105,235 miles
Transmission & Drivetrain
110.0%
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
10,000 – 24,999 miles
114.3%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
342.9%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
114.3%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
228.6%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Feb 2007peak 2Aug 2015
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Caro, MI
SEAT BELTS
REAR SEAT BELTS FAIL TO LOCK MY VEHICLE IS A CONVERSION VAN BUILT BY DEBUT IN SAGINAW MICHIGAN. RECENTLY MY GRANDCHILDREN NOTICED THAT THE REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LOCK. THOSE BELTS ARE ON THE SEAT/BED UNIT. THE SEAT BELTS HAVE THE NAME ATWOOD MOBILE PRODUCTS ON THEM. I INSPECTED THE SEAT BELTS AND DETERMINED THAT THE PLASTIC COATING ON THE MALE END OF THE BELT PREVENTED THE MECHANISM FROM PROPERLY LOCKING IN PLACE. I CUT ENOUGH OF THE PLASTIC COATING OFF TO ALLOW THE ENDS TO PROPERLY LOCK IN PLACE. THEY WORK FINE NOW. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE MAY BE MANY MORE VANS WITH SEAT BELTS THAT DO NOT PROPERLY LOCK IN PLACE.
NHTSA complaint #10749683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 105,000 milesTopeka, KS
TIRES
TIRES HAD MORE THAN 50% TREAD LEFT. RIGHT FRONT TIRE SUDDENLY STARTED SHAKING THE VEHICLE. DETERMINED BELT HAD BROKE. TIRE DEALER ALSO SAID OTHER FRONT TIRE WAS GOING BAD. A FEW MILES LATER ON A BUSY HIGHWAY READ TIRE SPLIT OPEN . PERFORMANCE TIRE OF TOPEKA AND COOPER TIRE COMPANY WOULD NOT MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT FOR AN OBVIOUS DEFECT. (3 OUT OF 4 TIRES BREAKING WITHIN A WEEK).
NHTSA complaint #10605649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 105,235 milesWest Yarmouth, MA
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES FAILED WITH NO WARNING. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BRAKE LINES BURST DUE TO RUSTING.
NHTSA complaint #10544234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 milesColumbus, OH
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY BOTH AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A PLASTIC INTAKE GASKET LEAK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.
NHTSA complaint #10324469 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Myers, FL
TIRES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER COBRA RADIAL TIRES, SIZE P255\70R15 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WITHOUT WARNING ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE TIRE WAS CHANGED AND THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO HIS DESTINATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT TIRE COMPANY REPLACED THE TIRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS CONTINUOUSLY LOW. THE FAILURE MILEAGE, VIN, AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10244090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 37,000 milesWinter Springs, FL
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
SIDE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE WELL UNLESS DOOR IS SLAMMED. THIS IS BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE DOOR HAS MADE THE DOOR LEAN DOWNWARD.
NHTSA complaint #10227625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,000 milesWinter Springs, FL
VISIBILITY
DRIVERS SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH IT BUT I'VE HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE LATE 2002, WHEN THE CAR WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD.
NHTSA complaint #10227623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 26,000 milesSouth Youcolate, OH
SEATS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500. THE SEAT BRACKETS THAT HOLD THE SEAT TO THE TRACK CONSTANTLY BREAK, WHICH CAUSES THE SEAT TO BECOME OFF TRACK. THE SEAT HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,474. UPDATED 02-19-08
NHTSA complaint #10215614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 28,000 milesYoungstown, OH
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500. IN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LEAK IN THE BACK OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. AS A RESULT, HE HAS TO CONSTANTLY ADD ANTIFREEZE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.
NHTSA complaint #10207625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Twin Lakes, WI
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TWO WEEKS AGO OUR 4 YEAR OLD 1500 EXPRESS VAN, A CONVERSION VAN, DEVELOPED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE STICKER PRICE WAS OVER $55,000. THE MILEAGE IS 42,000 MILES. WHEN THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE OVER $3,000, IT PROMPTED ME TO CALL GM CUSTOMER SERVICE. THE RESULT WAS APPROXIMATELY $500 OFF OF THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR, OR A $1,000 BUY OUT TO BE APPLIED TO A PURCHASE OF A NEW GM VEHICLE. THE REASON WE DECIDED TO PURCHASE OUR SECOND CHEVY VAN WAS BECAUSE WE HAD VERY GOOD LUCK WITH OUR 1998 VAN. I USE THE WORD LUCKY INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT EITHER YOU ARE LUCKY TO HAVE A GM PRODUCT WORK SATISFACTORILY, OR YOU END UP WITH AN UNREASONABLE PROBLEM/COST. OUR CURRENT VAN HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM HAVING DIED ON COUNTRY ROADS AT 39,000 MILES. THE COST OF THAT REPAIR WAS OVER $600. TODAY, AS I MENTIONED, WE WERE LOOKING A REPAIR COST OF OVER $3,000. ALL PROBLEMS INCURRED WITH NORMAL USAGE (NO TOWING, ONLY LONG TRIPS, AND REGULAR 3000 MILE OIL CHANGES).
NHTSA complaint #10182905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.