2002 Chevrolet Tahoe Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

24Steering complaints

5.3%Of all 449 complaints

#5Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES90 · 20%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC32 · 7.1%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP29 · 6.5%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION27 · 6%

STEERING24 · 5.3%

Share of the 449 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe overview page.

What owners report

“POPPING NOISE IN STEERING COLUMN. RETURNED TO DEALER AS IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY CONCLUDED THAT IT WOULD BE A ONE TIME REPAIR TO…”NHTSA complaint 10096158 — filed 10/21/2004

“TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HARD,ONLY 26,000 MILES. TTOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD SECOND AND THIRD GEAR WAS GONE. THEY REBUILT THOSE GEARS. PICK TAHOE UP AND…”NHTSA complaint 10056445 — filed 02/03/2004

“POPPING NOISE HEARD IN STEERING SINCE THREE WEEKS OF PURCHASE. DEALER ORIGINALLY ADVISED IT WAS NORMAL ON NEW VEHICLES AND NEEDED TO "WORK OUT THE…”NHTSA complaint 10010832 — filed 03/21/2003

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe have steering problems?

Steering is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe: 24 of 449 complaints on file (5.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe have in total?

449 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 42 involved a crash, 8 involved a fire, 45 reported injuries, and 4 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.