2002 Chevrolet S Utility: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2002 Chevrolet S Utility
Only 3 defect reports have been filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Chevrolet S Utility, which is too few to compute mileage percentiles or a risk score. The reports reported complete transmission failure.
When each failure gets reported
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 34k | — | — | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 33k | — | — | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | $700–$2,600 | High |
No fleet-size estimate is available for this year, so only raw counts are shown. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Complete transmission failure
2002 tahoe. Purchased 9/04. 1 week later engine light and traction light came on took back to dealership had 34000 miles and they said it was a sensor and claim to have fixed the problem. Since that time have noticed that transmission misses at 40 MPH and slow acceleration from a stop or not full power when trying to get onto interstate etc that a v8 engine should have. 9/05 tried to drive to work and got to stop light and engine would on rev and no power. Had towed to dealership they advised need new transmission or rebuild existing one. 50,000 miles on vehicle now, never used it to tow anything etc only driven 16000 miles since purchase. This could not be anything we have done to cause the problem has to be manufacturing defect or existing problem when purchased and no help from dealership at this point. They want 2400.00 to rebuild the transmission. Never buy another one again. *nm
Parking brake failure
I own a 2002 chevrolet tahoe, and the parking/emergency brake failed to hold the vehicle in place on any type of incline. This problem got persistently worse over the past few years that I have owned the vehicle, although I rarely used the brake.*ak
Every year of the Chevrolet S Utility
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
What the reports on file say
The complaints recorded against the 2002 Chevrolet S Utility are complete transmission failure (1 report, around 34k miles), parking brake failure (1 report, around 33k miles) and steering rack, gear or tie rod failure (1 report). With a sample this size these are anecdotes rather than a pattern, and they are shown because somebody looking at this exact car would rather see them than nothing.
Why this page is short
A model year needs about 8 reports before percentiles mean anything, and this one does not have them. Complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road, so a thin page usually means a rare car, a new car, or a car whose owners do not file.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed