FaultScore

2002 GMC Sierra 2500 engine problems

13 of the 164 complaints about the 2002 GMC Sierra 2500 are about the engine — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 52,000 miles.

A

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine AND Engine Cooling 7 53.8%
Engine 4 30.8%
Engine 2 15.4%

Engine & Cooling across every GMC Sierra 2500 year

2001 30 29.4%
2002 13 12.7%
2003 11 10.8%
2004 18 17.6%
2005 18 17.6%
2020 12 11.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Salem, OR

ENGINE

THREE BROKEN MANIFOLD BOLTS. FROM WHAT I HEAR THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. THE BROKEN ONE CLOSE TO FIREWALL, WILL HAVE TO PULL ENGINE TO FIX. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE MANIFOLD BOLTS.

NHTSA complaint #10572622 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 190 miles Salem, WI

ENGINE

THE TRUCK HAS SEVERAL BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS THAT ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT CAUSING FAILURE OF CORRECT EMISSION CONTROLS THROUGH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND OUT OF THE HEADERS INSTEAD. THIS IS ENVIRONMENTALLY UNFRIENDLY, AND IS REALLY ANNOYING AS THE EXHAUST LEAKS FROM UNDER THE HOOD DUE TO LACK OF BOLTS ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

NHTSA complaint #10516171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Valparaiso, IN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2002 GMC SIERRA 2500HD. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE ENGINE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, LOOSING ALL POWER TO THE STEERING AND BRAKES, AND COULD NOT BE STARTED AGAIN, UNTIL THE TRUCK WAS PUT IN PARK AND THE KEY REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THERE WERE ALSO TIMES, WHEN THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START AT ALL. THE DEALER KEPT THE TRUCK FOR THREE WEEKS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONSUMER PICKED THE TRUCK UP AND DROVE 10 MILES, IT SHUT DOWN AGAIN. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS FUEL RELATED.

NHTSA complaint #10429908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 123,500 miles Sparks, NV

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I HAVE A GMC 2500HD 4X4 WITH THE 8.1 LITER ENGINE IN THE PAST YEAR IT HAS STALLED AND THEN RESTARTED ITSELF 5 OR 6 TIMES ONE TIME I HAD TO SIT FOR ABOUT 6 MINUTES BEFORE IT WOULD RESTART.

NHTSA complaint #10376422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 90,000 miles Morgan Hill, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I HAVE A 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500HD WITH THE 8.1L ENGINE THAT IS EXHIBITING THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS THAT LED TO THE RECALL OF THE 2001 MODEL. (NHTSA # 07V521000). ONE MINUTE I'LL BE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND THE NEXT MINUTE THE ENGINE WILL STOP RUNNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. SOMETIMES IT'LL RESTART BEFORE IT COMES TO A STOP. SOMETIMES IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER IT'S COME TO A STOP. I'VE RESEARCHED IT ON-LINE, AND IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RESTRICTED TO THE 2001 MODELS. THE DATE I'VE LISTED IS WHEN I FIRST REMEMBER IT HAPPENING. IT'S VERY INTERMITTENT. IT'S GETTING WORSE.

NHTSA complaint #10280204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 74,000 miles Winchester, IN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2002 GMC SIERRA 2500HD 6.0L 4X4. THE 6.0L ENGINE IS KNOCKING CONSTANTLY, AND FROM DOING SOME RESEARCH. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. DEALER SAID IT IS NORMAL! SINCE WHEN IS AN ENGINE KNOCKING, NORMAL?

NHTSA complaint #10278312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 20,000 miles Torrance, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TRUCK WAS STALLING MAYBE THREE TIMES A YEAR APPROX. 3 YEARS AGO. DOESN'T REGISTER ANY CODES. APPROX. 1 MONTH AGO STARTED STALLING DAILY.

NHTSA complaint #10263600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 52,000 miles Indianapolis, IN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I HAVE A 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500HD PICKUP WITH THE VORTEC 8.1 ENGINE. I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE AS EXPERIENCED IN THE 2001 MODEL YEAR RECALL (SAFETY RECALL # 06083). I AM NOT ALONE, AS MANY MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES IN THEIR 2002-2004 PICKUP TRUCKS. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA SHOULD EXTEND SAFETY RECALL # 06083 TO INCLUDE MODEL YEARS 2002 TO 2004, AS SOME MODELS MANUFACTURED IN CANADA FREQUENTLY USE PARTS FROM PREVIOUS US MODEL YEARS. MY VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE ON THE HIGHWAYS AS A RESULT. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA complaint #10232980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 43,000 miles Sparks, NV

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON IN MESSAGE CENTER AND ENGINE CUT OFF, DISABLING STEERING AND BRAKES. NEARLY AVOIDED ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY AS VEHICLE HAD TO CUT OVER TO LANES INTO DIRT SHOULDER TO STOP. VE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND A NEW DIAGNOSTIC CODE ENTERED IN THE VEHICLE. FOUND 3 OTHER ODI'S WITH EXACT SAME PROBLEM, 10159068,10174007, AND 10164369.

NHTSA complaint #10190418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,000 miles Henderson, NV

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN GEAR ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THIS WAS A DEFECT.*AK THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 12/15/06.

NHTSA complaint #10174007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Dearborn Heights, MI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN GEAR OR IN THE IDLE POSITION. THIS WAS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM FOR OVER ONE AND A HALF YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER IN APRIL AS WELL, AND THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #10169358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 57,778 miles Pittsburgh, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THREE OCCASIONS. ALL INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING 25 TO 35 MPH. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENTS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO PROBLEMS RESTARTING. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 11/16/2006 - THERE WERE SUBSEQUENT PROBLEM RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, AND AS MANY AS 3 TO 5 STALLING EPISODES PER WEEK. NOT ALL INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING. SOME INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHILE AT IDLE, AND AT A STOP. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. RECENTLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION SELECTOR POSITION SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. THE ABS ACTIVATED WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE DEALER FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSORS.

NHTSA complaint #10164369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 55,000 miles West Valley, UT

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2002 GMC SIERRA STALLS WHILE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND NORMAL DRIVING. 2 NEAR ACCIDENTS, SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WILL CRANK WITH A NO START CONDITION. KILLED ONE OF MY AC DELCO BATTERIES. HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY AND CRANK POSITION SENSOR.

NHTSA complaint #10159068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2002 GMC Sierra 2500 problems

← Full 2002 GMC Sierra 2500 report