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FaultScore report

2002 Chevrolet VAN problems

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet VAN with NHTSA between 2001 and 2011. The largest single group is the tires. Across this model's run it ranks 8 of 10 worst.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Chevrolet VAN All 2002 cars
C

FaultScore 42/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Chevrolet VAN.

How this is worked out

The numbers

12

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

3

Injuries reported

73,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

0%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

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.

Complaint volume 24 vs 50 Severity 100 vs 50 Early failure 0 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 24
Against the median year of the Chevrolet VAN. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
33.3% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 0
0% 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 VAN

Click any bar to open that year's report.

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 VAN

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Tires 3 25.0%
Body & Structure 2 16.7%
Equipment & Accessories 1 8.3%

Median failure at 73,000 miles

Doors, Latches & Locks 1 8.3%
Seat Belts 1 8.3%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 64,000 mi

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 8.3%
Fuel & Propulsion 1 8.3%

Median failure at 44,682 miles

Suspension 1 8.3%

Median failure at 76,000 miles

Brakes 1 8.3%

Median failure at 150,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

25,000 – 49,999 miles 1 20.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 2 40.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 1 20.0%
150,000+ miles 1 20.0%

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.

Oct 2001 peak 3 Mar 2011

NHTSA investigations into the 2002 Chevrolet VAN

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

EA04012 Opened 30 Apr 2004 Closed 28 Feb 2005 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILRES

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 64,000 miles Hartington, NE Crash 5 injured

SEAT BELTS

WE WERE INVOLVED IN A CRASH, A DRUNK DRIVER HIT OUR 2002 CHEVY ASTRO VAN IN THE FRONT LEFT SIDE BY A DODGE DAKOTA. WE WERE TRAVELING 35 MPH, OTHER VEHICLE SPEED UNKNOWN. THERE WERE 5 RESTRAINED PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE, THE 2ND ROW RIGHT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HER DURING THE ENTIRE CRASH. SHE HAD BRUSES ON HER LEFT HIP, RIGHT BREAST, RIGHT SHOULDER AND RIGHT ARM. (THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY). SHE WOULD UP ON THE FLOOR BETWEEN THE BUCKET SEATS WITH HER LEGS UNDERNEATH HER. THE SEAT BELTS ARE BEING REPLACED (4 ARE COMPLETE, 1 THE CHEVY DEALER IS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE RIGHT PART). I HAVE THE OLD PARTS IN MY POSSESSION. WE WERE UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE CRASH SITE, THE DAMAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY $8,000

NHTSA complaint #10124972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waterloo, IA 1 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THE PASSENGER WAS SITTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, IN THE SECOND ROW, SHE WENT TO OPEN THE SIDE DOOR AND HER HAND WAS ON THE HANDLE, THE ELECTRIC DOOR OPENED, LODGING HER ELBOW INTO THE BACK OF THE OPENING OF THE DOOR, SHE BROKE HER WRIST IN THREE PLACES. DEALER FOUND A MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA complaint #566288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waterloo, IA 1 injured

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

THE PASSENGER WAS SITTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, IN THE SECOND ROW, SHE WENT TO OPEN THE SIDE DOOR AND HER HAND WAS ON THE HANDLE, THE ELECTRIC DOOR OPENED, LODGING HER ELBOW INTO THE BACK OF THE OPENING OF THE DOOR, SHE BROKE HER WRIST IN THREE PLACES. DEALER FOUND A MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA complaint #566288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 150,000 miles Port Alberni B.C Canada, 00

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2002 ASTRO VAN BECOMES DIFFICULT TO STOP . FEELS LIKE THE HYDRAULIC BOOSTER FAILS TO ENGAGE, NECESSITATING EXTREME PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS SITUATION TOOK PLACE FAIRLY OFTEN. AFTER REMOVING THE ABS FUSE THE BRAKES ARE WORKING FINE.

NHTSA complaint #10386777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 73,000 miles Troy, IL

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

I OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET VENTURE AWD. RECENTLY, I NOTICED AN OILY SUBSTANCE COMING FROM THE RIGHT, PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VAN. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE OIL WAS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER (A/C ) CONDENSER, DETERMINING THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT WORK. IT WORKED FINE UNTIL THIS TIME. I CALLED REPAIR SHOPS, AND FOUND OUT THAT THE REPLACEMENT A/C CONDENSER WAS DESIGNED A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND/OR THE WAY OF MOUNTING IT HAS BEEN UPGRADED. ALSO, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS WAS COMMON ON THE PONTIAC MONTANA VANS. THE COST TO FIX IT WAS ANYWHERE FROM $975.00 TO $1175.00. NOW, IF THIS WAS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN, AND IT' WAS ILLEGAL TO VENT R-134A FREON INTO THE AIR, WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN ADDRESSED?

NHTSA complaint #10187474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 76,000 miles Medfield, MA

SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

CORROSION IN FRONT HUB BEARINGS LEADING TO PREMATURE AND ERRATIC ABS SENSOR PROBLEMS AND PULLING OF VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. THIS OCCURS AT SLOW SPEED. GM HAS RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEM AND HAS SELCTIVELY RECALLED CERTAIN MAKES OF AUTOMOBILES IN CERTAIN STATES. MY CHEVY ASTRO WAS NOT RECALLED. THE MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE PROBLEM (COST $1081) SAID THERE IS NO QUESTION IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE RECALLED VEHICLES HAVE (INCLUDING HIS!). GM IS STONEWALLING IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SHOWING UP FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND WAS GETTING WORSE.

NHTSA complaint #10173128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 44,682 miles Citrus Heights, CA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2005 I FILLED MY GAS TANK UP FOR THE NEXT WEEK. ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17,2005 I WENT TO GO TO THE STORE AND SMELLED GAS. MY HUSBAND LOOKED UNDER THE VAN AND STATED THAT GAS WAS LEAKING. I CALLED OUR MECHANIC MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19,2005 TOLD THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON. DROPPED THE VAN OFF TO THE MECHANIC TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 20,2005. UPON INSPECTION THEY NOTICED THAT THE FILL A NECK HOSE TO THE TANK AND ATTACHING HOSE IN CRACKED 80% AROUND. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE TO DROP MY ALMOST FULL TANK OF GAS AND REPLACE THE TANK AND ATTACHING PIECES.

NHTSA complaint #10137134 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 64,000 miles Hartington, NE Crash 5 injured

SEAT BELTS

WE WERE INVOLVED IN A CRASH, A DRUNK DRIVER HIT OUR 2002 CHEVY ASTRO VAN IN THE FRONT LEFT SIDE BY A DODGE DAKOTA. WE WERE TRAVELING 35 MPH, OTHER VEHICLE SPEED UNKNOWN. THERE WERE 5 RESTRAINED PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE, THE 2ND ROW RIGHT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HER DURING THE ENTIRE CRASH. SHE HAD BRUSES ON HER LEFT HIP, RIGHT BREAST, RIGHT SHOULDER AND RIGHT ARM. (THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY). SHE WOULD UP ON THE FLOOR BETWEEN THE BUCKET SEATS WITH HER LEGS UNDERNEATH HER. THE SEAT BELTS ARE BEING REPLACED (4 ARE COMPLETE, 1 THE CHEVY DEALER IS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE RIGHT PART). I HAVE THE OLD PARTS IN MY POSSESSION. WE WERE UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE CRASH SITE, THE DAMAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY $8,000

NHTSA complaint #10124972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carson, CA

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

DRIVING CHEVROLET E3500 VAN WHEN LEFT REAR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S SEPARATED AND DAMAGED VAN. BODY DAMAGE TO VAN. RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS CRACK AROUND TREAD LIKE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10023165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boothwyn, PA

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES

CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW THE STATUS OF A VEHICLE OWNER'S QUESTIONNAIRE. *DT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE MIRRORS.

NHTSA complaint #10006553 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fayetteville, NC

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY, VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM WHEEL. FIRESTONE, P215/70R DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK FIRESTONE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #8015770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Longmont, CO

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THE DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR OPENED ALL THE WAY PASS THE GAS TANK OPENING.

NHTSA complaint #8014662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waterloo, IA 1 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THE PASSENGER WAS SITTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, IN THE SECOND ROW, SHE WENT TO OPEN THE SIDE DOOR AND HER HAND WAS ON THE HANDLE, THE ELECTRIC DOOR OPENED, LODGING HER ELBOW INTO THE BACK OF THE OPENING OF THE DOOR, SHE BROKE HER WRIST IN THREE PLACES. DEALER FOUND A MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA complaint #566288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waterloo, IA 1 injured

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

THE PASSENGER WAS SITTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, IN THE SECOND ROW, SHE WENT TO OPEN THE SIDE DOOR AND HER HAND WAS ON THE HANDLE, THE ELECTRIC DOOR OPENED, LODGING HER ELBOW INTO THE BACK OF THE OPENING OF THE DOOR, SHE BROKE HER WRIST IN THREE PLACES. DEALER FOUND A MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA complaint #566288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Middletown, RI

TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

CARS ARE BEING SHIPPED FROM FACTORY WITH 17" TIRES AND ONLY 16"SPARES. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. USING THE SPARE TIRE ( ROTATING AT A FASTER SPEED THAN THE OTHER TIRES ) COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ALL OTHER MANUFACTURERS USE THE SAME SIZE SPARE AS ALL OTHER TIRES ON THE VEHICLE!

NHTSA complaint #753264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.