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2002 GMC Sierra Denali

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 12 of 13 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

13 reports
55,000 miles · Jun 23, 2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA DENALI. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ABS WHEEL HUB WAS PULSATING, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE ABS HUB SENSORS HAD ENGAGED AT LOW SPEEDS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT HE LOST ALL SENSE OF BRAKING CONTROL. HE DROVE HOME AND CALLED THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE ABS SENS…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA DENALI. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ABS WHEEL HUB WAS PULSATING, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE ABS HUB SENSORS HAD ENGAGED AT LOW SPEEDS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT HE LOST ALL SENSE OF BRAKING CONTROL. HE DROVE HOME AND CALLED THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE ABS SENSORS WERE DIRTY AND NEEDED TO BE CLEANED OR REPLACED. NO REPAIRS HAVE YET BEEN MADE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK) WAS RELATED TO HIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,000. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/11/08 *JB

NHTSA ODI #10232013

36,000 miles · Apr 24, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING UNDER 10 MPH, AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL PULSATED AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED. THE DEALER STATED THAT FAILURE WAS IDENTICAL TO RECALL #05V379000. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE FAIL…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING UNDER 10 MPH, AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL PULSATED AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED. THE DEALER STATED THAT FAILURE WAS IDENTICAL TO RECALL #05V379000. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36000. *AK UPDATED 06/06/07 *TR

NHTSA ODI #10188732

32,000 miles · Jun 19, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE HAD SEVERE SYMPTOMS OF NEEDING BRAKE REPLACEMENT AT 32,000 MILES (REARS) AND AGAIN AT 42,000 MILES (FRONTS). A BURNING SMELL COUPLED WITH VERY HOT BRAKE COMPONENTS AND SEVERE PEDAL PULSATION WAS NOTICED. WHEN REPAIRS WERE DONE THE BRAKES WERE FOUND TO BE PREMATURELY WORN OUT AND ALL PARTS SHOWED UNUSUALLY SEVERE RUST DAM…

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VEHICLE HAD SEVERE SYMPTOMS OF NEEDING BRAKE REPLACEMENT AT 32,000 MILES (REARS) AND AGAIN AT 42,000 MILES (FRONTS). A BURNING SMELL COUPLED WITH VERY HOT BRAKE COMPONENTS AND SEVERE PEDAL PULSATION WAS NOTICED. WHEN REPAIRS WERE DONE THE BRAKES WERE FOUND TO BE PREMATURELY WORN OUT AND ALL PARTS SHOWED UNUSUALLY SEVERE RUST DAMAGE. THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE DELAMINATED AND FALLING APART. THE REAR BACKING PLATES, WHICH USUALLY LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, HAD HOLES RUSTED THROUGH THEM. THE VALVES WERE SO RUSTED THAT THEY NO LONGER CAN BE USED TO BLEED THE OLD FLUID OUT AND WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE AN INTERNAL RUST CONDITION THAT CAN CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, ON A VEHICLE THAT HAD INADEQUATE BRAKES TO BEGIN WITH, A LARGE PORTION OF THE ROTOR SURFACES WAS NOT EVEN BEING CONTACTED BY THE BRAKE PAD. THIS CAUSED AN UNSAFE CONDITION WHICH DRASTICALLY INCREASED THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THIS VEHICLE. NEW PARTS WERE INSTALLED AND THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10160176

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.