There are 27 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2002 GMC Sierrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I PURCHASE THIS TRUCK 2/03/17 AND HAVE USED IT UNTIL 2 WEEKS AGE WHEN THE BRAKE LINES BROKE IN MY DRIVEWAY, I AM HAVING THE LINES REPLACED WITH STAINLESS LINES AT A COST OF ABOUT $1200 ( I AM NOT SURE OF THE TOTAL COST BECAUSE IT ALSO NEEDS A ANTILOCK BRAKING PUMP WHICH WAS BADLY CORRODED) THE FUEL LINGS ARE ALSO RUSTED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AND ALSO THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO BE DETERMINED LATER. I HAVE A 1953 CHEVY PICKUP THAT STILL HAS GOOD BRAKE LINES AND THE FRAME IS IN BETTER SHAPE THAN THE NEWER ONES, IF GM LOOKED TO THE PAST AT THE MATERIALS & METHODS THEY MIGHT BUILD A BETTER PRODUCT RATHER THAN THE GARBAGE THEY PRODUCE NOW! I AM GLAD I DIDN'T PAY $30-$60,000 FOR THIS TRUCK.
THE TRANSMISSION CAME OUT OF REVERSE, AND WOULD NOT RETURN. NO REVERSE OR DRIVE AT ALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE GEAR COULD NOT BE MOVED INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUN GEAR AND PLANETARY GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
FIRST THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES RUSTED OUT COSTING OVER 400.00 TO REPAIR. TODAY THE BRAKE LINES FAILED BECAUSE OF RUST. THIS WILL BE A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ABLE TO AVOID CRASHING THE TRUCK WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED HE NOTICED AN UNUSUAL FLUID ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE COOLER METAL CLIP WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THE CORROSION PENETRATED THE TRANSMISSION LINE AND CAUSED THE FLUID LEAK. THE DEALER ADVISED HAVING THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,000.
WENT OUT TO THE TRUCK TO GO TO WORK AND THE TRUCK WOULDN'T MOVE. TRANSMISSION LINE LEAKING OUT ALL FLUID. CORRODED AND HAD TO BE REPLACE JUST LIKE THE BRAKE LINES. *TR
LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL ON ICY ROADS. I RECENTLY LOST CONTROL OF MY TRUCK WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45MPH ON AN ICY HIGHWAY IN BOULDER, CO. BECAUSE THE LOSS WAS SO INSTANTANEOUS RESULTING IN THE TRUCK SPINNING 90 DEGREES TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, I QUESTION IF THE LIMITED SLIP FUNCTION WOULD CAUSE POWER TO TRANSFER TO A WHEEL IF IT SUDDENLY HIT DRY PAVEMENT, WHILE THE OTHER WHEEL WAS SPINNING ON ICE, RESULTING IN A SPIN OUT. THIS IS ONLY MY THEORY BUT WITH 57 YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND THE FACT THAT I HAVE HAD WEIRD EXPERIENCES WITH LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIALS IN THE PAST I THOUGHT MY THEORY MAY HAVE SOME VALIDITY. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE MILLIONS VEHICLES WITH LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIALS ON THE ROAD AND IF MY THEORY IS VALID, PERHAPS MANY ACCIDENTS ARE BEING CAUSED BY THIS OPTION (WHICH CAME AS PART OF A PACKAGE WHEN I PURCHASED MY TRUCK). *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID ON THE GROUND AND NOTICED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE TRANSFER CASE HAD A HOLE. HE SEALED THE HOLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE TRANSFER GAUGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,000. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THERE IS NO RECALL OR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131.550 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 131,523. UPDATED 09/16/08 *BF UPDATED 09/19/08. *JB
GM TECHNICAL BULLETIN 00-07-30-022C (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) FAILURE OF REACTION SUN GEAR WITH ONLY 36,XXX MILES (2002 GMC SIERRA 1500 4.8L). THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR AT LEAST A DECADE WITH CONTINUAL FAILURES UNTIL GM UPGRADED THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS IN 2003. REPAIR ESTIMATES COULD BE OVER $2,000. CASH AVAILABLE = $200. GM SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR KNOWN DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR
AT 68,994 MILES MY TRUCK LOST 2ND GEAR, DRIVE, OVERDRIVE AND REVERSE. A NEW REACTION SHELL WAS INSTALLED. AT 90,027 MILES AND 360 DAYS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND A BEAST HEAVY DUTY REACTION SHELL WAS AVAILABLE AND INSTALLED. *JB
GMC 2002 1/2 TON PICKUP,TRANSMISSION REVERSE WENT OUT AT 44,000 MILES (FIRST TIME IT WENT OUT AT 28,000 MILES). REPAIRED FOR SECOND TIME PARTS. REACTION SHELL GEAR STRIPPED. PARTS SHELL, GEAR, FLTR KIT, SEAL, SEAL OIL, GASKET. R&R TRANS REPLACE REACTION SHELL AND GEAR.*JB
I HAVE A 2002 GMC TRUCK. AT 38,000 MILES THE CLUTCH WENT OUT COMPLETELY. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE CLUTCH PLATE WAS OK BUT THE 2 HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
DT: CALLER COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN HEARD A NOISE AND COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO MOVE. FINALLY, GOT IT OFF THE ROAD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. CALLER SAID THE ORIGINAL OWNER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER WANTED DEALER TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM AND CALL THEM BACK, AND FOR THE CALLER TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. . DEALER HAD NOT COME SEEN THE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE HAS A STRONG JERK WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND SOMETIMES HAS A SLIPPING / DELAYED JERK WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. VALVE BODY WAS REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES. DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE TAKEN BACK. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ADDED ADDITIVES. VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A POPPING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING AT 30,100 MILES. DEALER ADVISED THIS WAS NORMAL. VEHICLE WOULD NOT PULL IN REVERSE SOMETIMES AND WOULD ONLY SHIFT AT HIGH RPM AND NO OVERDRIVE AT 34,000 MILES. DEALER REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED BROKEN SUN SHELL GEAR. VEHICLE STILL JERKING HARD / TRANSMISSION SLIPPING FROM 1ST TO 2ND. DEALER NOTIFIED. VEHICLE STILL UNDER WARRENTY. DEALER ADVISED THEY WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT GM FOR REPAIR SUGGUESTIONS. 3 MONTHS HAVE WENT BY AND DEALER WILL NOT SCHEDULE REPAIR OF TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION NOW HAS POPPING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING ALL GEARS AND MAKES VIBRATION AT 55MPH TO 65 MPH. TRANSMISSION STILL POPPING, JERKING, AND SLIPPING FROM 1ST TO 2ND.
I OWN A 2002 GMC SIERRA 4 X 4 CREW CAB DURAMAX DIESEL PICK-UP TRUCK. FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS I'VE HAD A CONDITION THAT FELT LIKE A TIRE WAS OUT OF BALANCE. THIS WAS JUST AFTER I REPLACED ALL TIRES. THIS YEAR I REPLACED ALL THE TIRES AGAIN AND THE CONDITION STILL EXISTS. WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION, CHANGING A WHEEL THAT WAS A LITTLE OUT OF ROUND, RE-BALANCING AND ROTATING THE NEW TIRES 4 DIFFERENT TIMES AND COULDN'T ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. I THEN PUT THE VEHICLE UP ON A HOIST AND PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN GEAR TO CHECK FOR DRIVE LINE VIBRATIONS AND FOUND THAT THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT WAS BENT. AFTER TAKING THE TRUCK BACK TO MY DEALERSHIP AND CONFIRMING THE PROBLEM WITH THEM, A SEARCH WAS RUN OF ALL THE SALVAGE FACILITIES FOR A USED SHAFT AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE NONE AVAILABLE. FURTHERMORE, EVERY SALVAGE YARD THAT WAS CONTACTED CLAIMED THAT THIS DRIVE SHAFT, GM PART #15109384 WAS IN HIGH DEMAND AND AS SOON AS ONE CAME IN ON A WRECK, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY SOLD. THIS SHAFT IS INSTALLED ON 2000 TO 2007 MODELS. MY DEALERSHIP ALSO ADMITTED THAT MINE WAS NOT THE FIRST BENT DRIVE SHAFT THAT HAS COME INTO THEIR FACILITY. TO PURCHASE A NEW SHAFT IS ALMOST $900. A USED ONE IS MUCH LESS, IF YOU CAN FIND ONE. I WORKED WITH GM TRUCK IN QUALITY CONTROL FOR 31 YEARS AND IT IS MY EXPERIENCE THAT WHEN A USED PART CAN NOT BE PURCHASED THROUGH A SALVAGE YARD DUE TO HIGH REPLACEMENT DEMAND, THERE IS USUALLY A COVER UP GOING ON. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. BY THE WAY, MY SHAFT HAD NO VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE ANYPLACE. I BELIEVE THAT THE SHAFT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE TORQUE OF THE ENGINE AND WILL, IN TIME, BEND. MY TRUCK HAS 99,000 MILES ON IT NOW, BUT THE PROBLEM STARTED SOMETIME AROUND 60,000. *NM
THE ALLISON 1000 WITH THE DURAMAX DIESEL,DURING THE COLD WEATHER THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. THIS WILL ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS COLD. I SPOKE TO MY TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY SAID THE SOLUTION TO THIS IS TO FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION AND REFILL WITH A PURE SYNTHETIC TRANSMISSION FLUID FOR A COST OF ABOUT $ 400.00. SHOULD THERE BE A RECALL ABOUT THIS OR A SERVICE BULLITEN. *AK
ON DEC 8, 2003 I WAS DRIVING AT APPROX. 45 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY TRANSMISSION SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR AND THEN AFTER A FEW SECOUNDS IT SHIFTED INTO LOW GEAR, ALL ON ITS OWN. THERE WAS A CAR TRAVELING BEHIND THAT ALMOST HIT ME FROM BEHIND. I PULLED OVER AND PUT MY TRUCK IN PARK. I LOOKED UNDER MY TRUCK TO SEE IF ANY THING HAD COME APART. I DID NOT SEE ANY FLUID LEAK OR ANY LOOSE PARTS. I DROVE MY TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP IN LOW GEAR. THEY TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR REPAIRS (38,127 MILES). I WAS 2,127 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED AND IT COST $1,057.19. TODAY 3/30/05 ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK THE TRANSMISSION DOES THE SAME THING. I ONLY HAVE LOW GEAR AND NO REVERSE. THIS TIME I WAS LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME WHEN IT HAPPENED. *AK
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS WITH JERK FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR WITH A CLUNK NOISE. ALL OTHER SHIFTING APPEAR TO BE SMOOTH WITHOUT THE JERK OR CLUNK. *LA
PROBLEM WITH GEARS/TRANSMISSION SINCE PURCHASED
AT 40,000 MILES UNIVERSAL JOINTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 27 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026