2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Parking Brake Problems

PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. PARKING BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED BUT STILL DOES NOT WORK. *TR

2002 CHEVY SUBURBAN PARKING BRAKE FAILED DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW THAT AFFECTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS 1999 THROUGH 2003 GM VEHICLES. MOST OWNERS ARE PROBABLY UNAWARE THEIR VEHICLE HAS THIS DEFECT, SINCE THE TRANSMISSION PREVENTS VEHICLE MOVEMENT WHEN IN PARK. THE PARKING BRAKE ON THESE GM VEHICLES IS A DRUM BRAKE ON THE REAR WHEELS. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DRUM, AND DISC BRAKE ROTOR IS COMBINED INTO A SINGLE UNIT ON THESE VEHICLES. PARKING BRAKE PADS ARE MOUNTED ON A CIRCULAR METAL RING, WHICH HAS ABOUT A 2 INCH GAP AT THE TOP. THE RING EXPANDS WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED. UNLIKE TYPICAL DRUM BRAKE PADS, THE CIRCULAR RING IS NOT WELL SECURED TO PREVENT UNDESIRABLE MOVEMENT WITHIN THE DRUM. USUALLY, DRUM BRAKE PADS ARE SECURED BY HEAVY SPRINGS TO KEEP THEM CENTERED WITHIN THE DRUM. ON THESE GM VEHICLES, HOWEVER, THERE IS JUST A SLIDE-IN CLIP AT THE BOTTOM...

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE ON MY 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON MY SON-IN-LAW'S 2002 CHEV. SUBURBAN. NEITHER OF US KNEW THIS UNTIL WE TOOK OUR VEHICLES IN FOR A STATE INSPECTION STICKER & IT FAILED INSPECTION. WAS TOLD THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM BUT GMC DID NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. WE BOTH, HAD THE REPAIR DONE AT OUR EXPENSE.

FAILURE OF PARKING BRAKE DISCOVERED BY STATE INSPECTION. PARKING BRAKE WAS IN TOTAL FAILURE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED BEFORE VEHICLE COULD BE PASSED. PARKING BRAKE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION CAUSING BRAKE ROTORS TO EXCESSIVELY WEAR. REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF PARKING BRAKE WAS REQUIRED ALONG WITH NEW BRAKE ROTORS. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NEVER ENGAGED FROM TIME OF PURCHASE AT NEW DEALERSHIP TO TIME OF FAILURE AT INSPECTION STATION. *JB

PURCHASED NEW'2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN PARKING BRAKE FAILED @20K MILES ADJUSTED UNDER WARRANTY-ADVISED AT SERVICE THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD INHERENT PROBLEM AND ADJUSTMENT WOULD NOT LAST. LASTED MAYBE 8K MILES-WILL NOT HOLD VEHICLE ON INCLINE-POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS IF VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAME OUT OF PARK-NOW NO FURTHER ADJUSTMENT CAN BE MADE-CERTAINLY A DEFECT IN MY OPINION-SINCE THE INITIAL WARRANTY SERVICE ADJUSTMENT TWO ADDITIONAL AUTO TECHNICIANS HAVE TOLD ME SUBJECT BRAKE CANNOT BE FURTHER ADJUSTED AND IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE-WHAT CAN I DO-WHAT MAY YOU DO TO RESOLVE THIS SAFETY RELATED PROBLEM?-THANK YOU. *NM

FAILED TEXAS INSPECTION DUE TO PARKING BRAKE NOT HOLDING VEHICLE ON 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN; TOLD BY INSPECTOR 99% OF CHEVY'S FAIL FOR THIS REASON; WIDESPREAD PROBLEM; I AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE FIXED THIS WEEKEND SO I CAN PASS INSPECTION. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ON AN INCLINE, THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT HOLD. THIS PARKING BRAKE HAS ONLY BEEN USED TWICE SINCE PURCHASE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE PARKING BRAKE LINING WAS WORN OUT AND THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE WEAR OCCURRED BECAUSE THE BRAKE SHOES DO NOT FULLY RELEASE AFTER USE. *NM

COMPLAINT REGARDING SAFETY RECALL WARNING OF CORROSION DEFECT IN 2002 SUBURBAN. THIS COULD CAUSE FRONT HUB/BEARING ASSEMBLY AND WHEEL SPEED SENSOR TO FAIL. *TS RECALL CAMPAIGN#05V379000. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED EXACTLY WHAT THE RECALL DESCRIBED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE REAR BRAKE BACKING PLATES WOULD NOT HOLD. THE REAR BRAKE BACKING PLATES WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED ALONG WITH THE REAR EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THEY NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *SC UPDATED 02/13/06. *JB

HAVE A 2002 CHEVY SUBURBAN 1500 LS. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION, BUT FAILED DUE TO EMERGENCY OR PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT HOLD IN DRIVE. IT DOES HOLD IN REVERSE. I CONTACTED MY DEALER AND THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, THEY SAY IT CAN NOT BE ADJUSTED, BUT MUST REPLACE BRAKES, MAYBE ROTORS, ETC AT A COST OF ~$800. I SEARCHED WEB, THERE IS NOT A RECALL, BUT LOTS OF COMPLAINTS. THERE IS ALSO A CLASS ACTION SUIT OUT OF TX? WHAT SHOULD I DO? *NM

2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, FULL SIZE, 1500 HALF TON, 4X4, LT THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKES DO NOT HOLD EVEN ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. THE FIRST EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE FAILURE WAS NOTED ON 8/29/2003 AT 25,930 MILES. THE REPAIR TICKET NOTED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES WERE IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED, AND GM REPAIRED THE PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE FAILURE WAS NOTED AROUND 11/1/2005 AT APPX 40,050 MILES. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS THE FIRST FAILURE. THIS TIME THE GM DEALER SAID THAT THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE SHOES WERE WORN OUT AND CHARGED US $273.18 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE REPAIRS FOR THE SECOND FAILURE CONSISTED OF TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE SHOES. WE HAVE KEPT THE REPLACED FAILED BRAKE SHOES. NOTE: IN NORMAL USAGE OF THIS VEHICLE, THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKES ARE RARELY ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE IS...

WE HAD TO HAVE THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES REPLACED ON OUR 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN EVEN THOUGH WE NEVER USED THE PARKING BRAKE. IT HAD 33,981 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. *JB

DT: 2002 CHEVY SUBUBRAN 1500LS. THE PARKING BRAKE IS INEFFECTIVE AND HAS BEEN SINCE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. BOUGHT THIS USED, BUT ABOUT A WEEK LATER AFTER PURCHASE. DID TAKE TO A DEALER FROM WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER THOUGHT THAT THE BRAKE WAS EXAMINED, AND THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS OKAY, AND SHOULD HOLD A VEHICLE ON A SLOPE. OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE DECIDED THE PARKING BRAKE WAS A PROBLEM. THERE WAS A SLOPE IN DRIVEWAY, TESTED, AND FOUND THAT IT DID NOT WORK. DID NOT TAKE BACK TO DEALER, BUT OWNER FELT IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT. *AK

I OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WITH A LITTLE MORE THAN 50,000 MILES. I HAVE JUST HAD MY THIRD SET OF PARKING BRAKE SHOES INSTALLED ON MY CAR. THE FIRST PAIR WERE REPLACED WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY! THIS CAR HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE PARKING BRAKE PADS AND ROTOR. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OF THIS SYSTEM, I HAVE NEVER HAD ANOTHER CAR THAT REQUIRED THE REAR BRAKE PADS TO BE REPLACEDTHIS FREQUENTLY! IF I WAS EVERY ENOVLVED IN AN INCIDENT WHERE I WOULD HAVE NEEDED THE EMERCENCY BRAKE(PARKING), I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE CAPABLE OF STOPPING THIS VEHICLE. Y RECOMMONDATION IS THAT YOU ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE INHERRENT DEFECTS IN THE SUBURBANS PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM.

PARK BRAKE FAILURE ON MY 2002 SUBURBAN. I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE MY VEHICLE INSPECTED AND IT FAILED DUE TO THE INABILITY OF PARKING BRAKE TO HOLD THE VEHICLE. INVESTIGATION ON THE WEB SHOWS THAT THIS IS A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM ON MANY SUBURBANS. ALTHOUGH ALL OF THE DEALERSHIPS I SPOKE WITH CONSTANTLY SEE AND REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, GM APPARENTLY DOESN'T CONSIDER IT A SAFETY ISSUE. NEITHER WARRANTY NOR RECALLS WILL COVER THIS DEFECT.*AK

PARK BRAKE FAILURE ON MY 2002 SUBURBAN. HAVE NEVER USED THE BRAKE WENT TO ENGAGE IT AND THE TRUCK ROLLED AWAY. INVESTIGATION ON THE WEB SHOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM ON A COUPLE YEARS OF SUBURBAN'S AND GM DEALERS DO NOT RECOGNIZE IT. *JB

FAILED INSPECTION. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGING. DEALERSHIP SAID THE BACK OF THE REAR ROTORS HAD RUSTED OUT, CAUSING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO RUST ALSO. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH ROTORS AND BOTH E-BRAKES. ONLY HAVE 27,000 MILES ON THE CAR. HAD JUST BEEN IN FOR A CHECK-UP BEFORE COMING OFF WARRANTY. ROTORS AND E-BRAKES SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACE WITH LOW MILAGE. HAVE SPOKEN TO FOUR OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

DEFECTIVE PARKING BRAKES ON 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. *MR THE ENGINEERS HAD NOT FOUND A WAY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM PROPERLY. THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD REFUSE TO RELEASE AT THE WHEELS. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *SC *JB

THIS CANNOT BE DESCRIBED AS A SINGULAR EVENT OR FAILURE. IT OCCURS EVERY TIME I PARK THE VEHICLE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES ON MY 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WORE OUT PREMATURELY. VIRGINIA STATE POLICE SAFETY INSPECTION REQUIRES AN OPERABLE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE. I BEGAN NOTICING THIS PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT IT IS A PROBLEM SHARED BY OTHER 2002 SUBURBAN OWNERS, AND SOME CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH GM REPLACING UNDER WARRANTY. MY LOCAL DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE DESIGN IS FLAWED ALLOWING THE BRAKE SHOE TO CONSTANTLY CONTACT THE HAT ROTOR SURFACE AND WEAR PREMATURELY. BECAUSE IT IS CONSIDERED A WEAR ITEM, HOWEVER, GM WILL NOT REPLACE THE SHOES AND CLIPS. A NEW CLIP EXISTS THAT IS SUPPOSED TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. I AM USING JULY AS THE INCIDENT DATE AS THAT IS WHEN...

THE PARKING BRAKE ON MY 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN SEEMS TO HAVE A DESIGN FLAW. WHEN THE BRAKE IS SET THE VEHICLE WILL STILL ROLL FORWARD IN GEAR. THE SERVICE ADVISOR I SPOKE TO AT TEAM CHEVROLET IN ALPHARETTA, GA SAID THAT HE SEES THE SAME PROBLEM EVERY DAY. THE WAY HE EXPLAINED IT IS THAT THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES CAN RUB SLIGHTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNDERWAY, AND THIS EVENTUALLY WEARS OFF ALL THE FRICTION MATERIAL FROM THE SHOE AND THE BRAKE WILL NO LONGER WORK. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS NEW, AND THE DEALER SAID BRAKE PARTS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK