5.6

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
15,876 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 GMC Envoy engine problems

engine problem

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2002 GMC Envoy Owner Comments

problem #20

Nov 292008

Envoy

  • 70,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2002 GMC Envoy slt. Engine stalls at highway speeds. Loss of power brakes and steering. Engine will not restart for anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. This is the 5th time that this has happened to me in the past 4 years. 4 times on the freeway and once on a surface road. This time I was with my wife and 11 month old daughter. I was not able to pull the car over to a safe location. I ended up in the left shoulder in next to the fast lane with only about a foot of space to my right where the cars were whizzing by. I cannot tell you the terror that I felt, as my daughter was in her child car seat on that side as the cars passed honking. This vehicle is very unsafe. I have read many internet postings and it appears that this problem occurs often with this make and model, yet whenever I take the vehicle to the dealership all I get is: No codes are displayed, we can't duplicate the problem, or they start throwing parts at it. So far I have replaced a fuel pump and a crank angle sensor, had the fuel injectors cleaned. The problem persists. I want to make sure that my description is clear. The engine temperature is normal, voltage is normal, outside temperature can be hot, warm or cold, it can be day or night. It has happened in all of these conditions. What is worse is that I cannot restart the engine for around 20-30 minutes, presumably there is some sort of reset on the computer ECM/PCM that occurs that grants me the right to now drive my vehicle again? this is unacceptable. My daughter, my wife or I could have been injured or even killed. I have never complained about this before except to the dealer but now that I have a baby, I am livid. I am a very experienced driver and have always been able to pull the vehicle to safety even without the power assisted brakes or steering. I very much worry about less experienced drivers such as my wife who is from a foreign country and has only been driving for two years. If she had been driving we would have.

- Lake Elsinore, CA, USA

problem #19

Feb 012006

Envoy 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Severe loss of engine power, loud noises from engine and poor shifting and very poor acceleration.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #18

Mar 062006

Envoy 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 71,398 miles
: the contact stated while driving 20 mph a noise was heard from the engine and the clutch fan was sticking. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop for inspection. The mechanic determined the clutch fan needed to be replaced. The clutch fan was replaced and the manufacturer was alerted.

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #17

Dec 032004

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving on road and heard loud clattering noise and then engine died. Lost all power! brought to dealer by flatbed and found camshaft broke off due to loss of oil. Dealer is supposedly fixing problem. 35,000 miles on it. Just bought in March of 04. We think it is engine defect.

- W. Warwick, RI, USA

problem #16

Aug 192004

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Driving on the interstate at 70 miles per hour, without warning the engine stalled. No crank and the car would not restart. Panel lights operational, ABS and emergency brake warning lights illuminated. Car is currently at dealership awaiting repairs.

- Adair, OK, USA

problem #15

Oct 162003

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 31,700 miles
I have a 2002 GMC Envoy. It suddenly dies at highway speeds. No engine, no brakes, no steering. And won't restart for 30 or 40 minutes. This has happened 6 times, the last 2 on I-99 and the Washington beltway, where I was nearly killed by the truck behind me. While searching the net, I discovered about 12 other owners of the same vehicle who experienced the same problems. The dealer can find no problem and GM refuses to help. After a month in the shop, my Envoy was returned to me without a fix. The dealer says GM will offer no consideration. I called GM customer relations, talked to a monica cox, no help. Subsequent calls to her were not returned. This is a very dangerous vehicle as I have experienced more than once. I don't know how long my luck will hold out. The date of the event that I will indicate below will be for the last episode and is approximate. The vehicle was used but had less than 1000 miles on it when I purchased it. 953 to be exact.

- Indiana, PA, USA

problem #14

Jun 092000

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Re ODI#10026102: Vehicle with stalling problem brought to dealer who detected no defect. Dealer unable to rectify problem. I hope stalling problem does not occur at highway speeds as it has with other vehicles, same make and model.dealer stated wandering driverside mirror fixed. We'll see.

- Bayonne, NJ, USA

problem #13

Jun 092003

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,000 miles
While waiting to proceed in traffic with foot on brake and car in drive, engine suddenly stalled out and was unable to be restarted. Also, driverside mirror keeps resetting when unlocking the automatic doors. Wipers don't function properly when in intermittent mode. Car is at dealer now, hopefully they can resolve this. Vehicle is equipped with rainsense automatic rain sensing wipers. Rainsense works only when in intermittent mode. Settings adjust sensitivity of wipers but not frequency. Wiper fails to make a complete smooth pass across windshield. They stop several times during their sweep and stutter. After a few second pause they resume their sweep. Wipers work fine when set to standard high or low wiper settings.

- Bayonne, NJ, USA

problem #12

May 292002

Envoy 6-cyl

  • miles
Vehicle's air bag light keep flashing/ vehicle running on high RPM's. air bag sensor replaced and calibrations had to be updated. Additional problems included faded window moldings, loss of power and steering. Ignition switch and fuse block was replaced. Inoperative power mirrors. Parts had to be ordered. Consumer was upset with the number of problems experienced with vehicle and the number of recalls on this new SUV.

- Augusta, GA, USA

problem #11

Feb 112002

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,667 miles
02/11/02 4,667 miles everything shut off. Engine stopped while driving. Restarted at 2000 RPM with lots of noise. 05/29/02 7,463 miles vehicle died and would not restart until after 15-20 minutes 06/05/02 7,664 miles vehicle died while driving and would not restart until after 15-20 minutes 11/13/02 11,528 miles backing out of driveway engine died. Would not restart. Towed in. 06/10/03 17,865 miles died while driving. Dealer did not even look into this. 06/14 to 06/18/03 18,000 to 18,214 miles car off road for 5 days due to engine died while driving. I referenced ECAS and PCM problem NHTSA defect summary EA03007. Dealer tells us no-one else has had this problem. Suggests driving round dealership until problem occurs, and then calling them. Don't try to start until they come out (never mind we're in the middle of a busy road and in the evening time when they are closed). We are lucky we were not rear-ended this last time. GMC refuse to replace ECAS wiring bundle and PCM solution per EA03007. Help!!! help!!! please help!!!

- Omaha, NE, USA

problem #10

Feb 012003

Envoy 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

February 2003 engine failed at only 8,000 miles. Driving at 45 miles an hour, without warning engine stop and car shut down. Dealership had to replace engine. I have had several problems since and nothing corrected. Dash board lights/computer does not work at times. Very loud wind noise while driving. Now loud noise coming from engine and dealership cannot fix 100%. this is the first time I have ever felt this unsafe in any vehicle. Manufacturer gave and extension on the replaced engine but that does not make me feel safer. I have contacted manufacturer on several occasions. When they do not do anything about all the problems, you cannot complain or go any further than clerk working on your case. Even if you mail in a complaint about the clerk, your complaint will only go as far as that clerk assigned to your case.

- Sarasota, FL, USA

problem #9

Jul 012002

Envoy

  • miles
Vehicle stalls intermittently while driving. Dealer has serviced 4 times, but has not been able to duplicate or diagnose cause.

- Corona, NY, USA

problem #8

Jan 152003

Envoy

  • miles
The vehicle stalled without warning.

- Champaign, IL, USA

problem #7

Mar 012003

Envoy 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,250 miles
I am concern about safety defect that exist in my GMC Envoy 2002. I own this vehicle since March 2002 (1 year) and it stalled 5 times already when driving. It happend 3 times when I stopped my vihicle at red traffic light and 2 times when breaking to slow down, driving downhill before a curve. This 2 times have scared me so much that I am affraid to use this car again. I drive cars for 28 years and nothing like that has happend to me in my life. Engine stops working, all lights go out and there is no control over the car whatsoever. I am happy no one got hurt in those incidents. This car has only 16K miles on it and has been in service numerous times already, including power steering leak - 2 times repaired. I do not think driving this car is safe and for that reason I cannot use it anymore.

- Duluth, GA, USA

problem #6

Feb 082003

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,000 miles
The engine failed in the middle of a busy road. The low engine power light came on, followed by service engine soon light and then the vehicle lost all power. Towed to the dealer. Problem was cylinder sleeve flew out and damaged the engine. Required a new engine. Vehicle had 15000 miles on. GM offered to do whatever it takes to keep me happy and loyal. I request from them to credit all the payments I made on this vehicle to the purchase of 2003 escalade. They counter offered an extended warranty for 60,000 miles. I said no. I am buying a land cruiser this weekend. No more GM cars. The worst. Including the high end Cadillac. Just review the complaints on this site and you will see for your self.

- Ashland, KY, USA

problem #5

Dec 192002

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,500 miles
We experienced, like a lot of people who posted complaints with NHTSA about engine failure in Envoy that are not even year old or over 10,000 miles. We had an experience with our 2002 Envoy where on thurs. 12/19 my husband was accelerating off of a take off ramp onto the beltway and all of a sudden he heard a loud clattering noise. He pulled over to the shoulder and could not go any further. We had it towed to the GMC dealer and they determined that there was a drive train failure with pieces found down to the six cyclinder head. They are replacing the engine with an "updated" engine, which means to me that there was a problem with the first run engines. According to complaints posted to your website this has happened to lots of people. When is the recall coming" stopping abruptly in the middle of the highway is very dangerous. Does it take someone to get killed before a recall can be done" we are in negotiations with GMC at this time. I would like a response to my E-mail.

- White Plains, MD, USA

problem #4

Nov 022002

Envoy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,000 miles
Engine died at high speed on highway, fortunately no accident. Engine had to be replaced by GM due to defective manufacture, piston ring slipped and damaged drive shaft. Extremely frustrating experience dealing with GM.

- Dillon, CO, USA

problem #3

Jan 132002

Envoy 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles
2002 GMC Envoy engine stalls while stopped at traffic light. Sometimes a near-stall condition occurs whereby the engine idle dips really low, engine shudders, then idle recovers. This usually happens just before or after the air compressor for the rear suspension inflates. So far the PCM, throttle body, and ignition switch have been replaced. Dealer is currently making 4th attempt to fix problem. Problem has been occurring since 8/2002.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #2

May 022002

Envoy 4WD

  • miles
Engine failure due to manufacturers factory defect to one or two pistons in the engine. Engine was replaced by leith GMC service center on 05/10/02 with a new engine.

- Cary, NC, USA

problem #1

Jan 192002

Envoy

  • miles
Upon being inspected at the nearest local dealership, the #6 piston was found to have "splintered" a half moon piece off the top of the piston head. This in turn "popped" the cylinder sleeve retaining ring from the top of the cylinder when the piston came up. With the ring removed, the cylinder sleeve also rose outside of the cylinder wall and was caught by the piston on the downward travel. The complete engine was replaced. Vehicle was in the shop for 20 days. The dealer's shop foreman checked the records and found that 150 other engines will be directly affected with a possible 180 probably affected.

- Deridder, LA, USA

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