Chevrolet has had great success with several lines of full-sized trucks. These vehicles have earned a reputation for durability and longevity and inspired a great deal of customer loyalty to the Chevrolet brand. Despite the success and reputation of these trucks, it is impossible for the automaker to produce a truck that will be completely trouble free for every owner. With the 2002 Silverado, there are several common issues that need to be addressed.
Some Silverado's in northern states where salt is used to help clear roadways in the winter exhibit problems with their brake systems according to the Chevrolet service bulletin listing number 05V375000 on the Motor Trend website. The salt used on the road causes corrosion of brake system parts and interferes with the operation of the antilock brake system. This corrosion has the effect of causing the antilock system to engage the brakes unexpectedly and-or cause stopping distances to increase.
2002 Silverado's with manual transmissions may experience severe wear of the parking brake pads. This can cause the parking brake to lose its effectiveness and not hold the vehicle when it the parking brake is engaged, according to the website repairpal. Adjustment will not repair the problem and replacement is necessary.
The tailgate cables on Silverado's can snap unexpectedly according to the Chevrolet recall notice number 04V129000 on the Motor Trend website. These cables are made out of galvanized steel and corrode when water gets inside them. The corrosion eats at the steel cable, creating weak spots that cause the cables to snap when weight is placed upon the tailgate. Damage to the tailgate or injuries to persons can result falling from the tailgate when these able break. Several Chevrolet years and models are affected by this problem as well as 2002 Silverados.
On the 2002 Silverado instrument gauges may work erratically or become inoperative. Gauges may give inaccurate readings, not move at all or more entirely out of their proper ranges. Speedometers and fuel gauges are the most commonly noted examples, according to the website repairpal. The factory issued a warranty extension for this problem, covering replacement of the instrument cluster under certain conditions.
