2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Service Brakes Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Dec 3, 2025 · 184 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 184 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 36% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 115,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake lines” (41% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Brake lines: mentioned in 76 of 184 complaints (41%)
  • Went floor: mentioned in 42 of 184 complaints (23%)
  • Rusted through: mentioned in 16 of 184 complaints (9%)
  • Applied brakes: mentioned in 13 of 184 complaints (7%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at $1,500, and half of them between $1,200 and $2,200.

Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2017), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?

Based on 174 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles1 · 1%
10k–25k miles1 · 1%
25k–50k miles8 · 5%
50k–75k miles19 · 11%
75k–100k miles37 · 21%
100k–150k miles72 · 41%
150k+ miles36 · 21%

How serious are the reports?

Of 184 complaints, 15 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 service brakes complaints by model year

Peak: 2015, with 351 complaints
1996: 119961997: 51998: 101999: 12619992000: 1622001: 1332002: 18420022003: 2732004: 2292005: 8220052006: 1182007: 362008: 1320082009: 112010: 52011: 1320112012: 72013: 52014: 26920142015: 3513512016: 2562017: 17520172018: 852019: 1752020: 10220202021: 402022: 542023: 1720232024: 92025: 52026: 82026

n = 2,959 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearService Brakes complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2026 Silverado 150087%37,857
2025 Silverado 150055%—
2024 Silverado 150093%—
2023 Silverado 1500174%12,000
2022 Silverado 1500548%1,750
2021 Silverado 1500405%62,755
2020 Silverado 150010214%2,000
2019 Silverado 150017516%5,212
2018 Silverado 15008516%43,078
2017 Silverado 150017525%40,000
2016 Silverado 150025632%50,000
2015 Silverado 150035132%56,000
2014 Silverado 150026919%70,000
2013 Silverado 150052%76,500
2012 Silverado 150073%87,000
2011 Silverado 1500132%74,000
2010 Silverado 150051%70,600
2009 Silverado 1500112%67,500
2008 Silverado 1500131%95,000
2007 Silverado 1500364%75,000
2006 Silverado 150011833%89,411
2005 Silverado 15008216%84,500
2004 Silverado 150022929%87,678
2003 Silverado 150027334%101,000
2002 Silverado 150018436%115,500
2001 Silverado 150013328%116,500
2000 Silverado 150016226%125,000
1999 Silverado 150012621%137,236
1998 Silverado 1500103%157,000
1997 Silverado 150051%120,000
1996 Silverado 1500114%98,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2014, with 46 complaints
2012: 262012262013: 382013382014: 462014462015: 282015282016: 192016192017: 102017102018: 9201892019: 4201942020: 1202012021: 1202112024: 1202412025: 120251

n = 184 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists service brakes for the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

The emergency brake does not work properly. It automatically comes on while I am driving almost causing me to have a accident. Please, fix!!!!

Received Dec 3, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11702855

ABS kicks in constantly at low speeds in dry conditions. This causes longer stopping distances. The ABS grinds or vibrates interfering with normal braking situations. Many near miss collisions at low speeds. The manufacturer should be responsible and replace all the ABS sensors. I purchased this…

Received Oct 21, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11620987

THE THROTTLE CABLE MAKES CONTACT AND RUB THROUGH THE FLEXIBLE PRESSURIZED FUEL LINE CREATING A PINHOLE LEAK OF NATURAL GAS. I SMELL GAS INSiDE CAB. CAUSES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON

Received Dec 23, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11444783

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500s have service brakes problems?

No. NHTSA has 184 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (36% of the 509 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 service brakes?

No recall currently lists service brakes for this vehicle.

At what mileage do service brakes problems start?

The median reported mileage is 115,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?

Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $1,200 and $2,200), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?

The most frequent phrase is “brake lines”, in 76 of 184 complaints, followed by “went floor” (42).

Other 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems

See all 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems or service brakes problems across all Silverado 1500 years.