Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Oldsmobile Bravada problems

Owners filed 240 complaints about the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada with NHTSA between Apr 2001 and Mar 2022. The most-cited component is power train (53).

Complaints
240
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
18
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
14
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train53
  2. Engine and engine cooling48
  3. Electrical system47
  4. Visibility29
  5. Suspension21
  6. Structure15
  7. Seat belts15
  8. Steering15
  9. Air bags12
  10. Seats12
  11. Exterior lighting11
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic10
  13. Tires6
  14. Engine5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200121
200251
200353
200431
200522
20067
20077
200811
20094
20104
20115
20122
20132
20144
20157
20162
20172
20181
20191
20201
20210
20222

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

53 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“AT 60K MILES HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND MOTOR (WITH 2003 CHEVY BLAZER). MIRRORS DON'T RECALL AND MOVE WHEN UNLOCKING CAR. PASSENGER SEAT BELT GETS TIGHT AFTER BRAKING AND HAS TO BE UNDONE, RECOILED, AND PUT BACK ON. BACKUP LIGHTS BLOW EVERY YEAR. THE AWD WAS FIXED TWICE BY DEALER AND MESSED UP AGAIN SO WE HAD IT REMOVED. THE AIR SUSPENSION BLEW & WAS REPLACED WITH SPRINGS. TERRIBLE RACKET IN THE REAR END. DRIVER HEATED SEAT QUIT WORKING 2 YEARS AGO. THIS YEAR, TRANSMISSION HAS QUIT WORKING (WHILE DRIVING) AND I AM OVER THIS CAR! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 2, 2017Suspension, Power train, Visibility, Seat beltsODI 10949015

Engine and engine cooling

48 reports1 crash1 related recall
“THE CAR SHUTS OFF SUDDENLY AND ALL OF THE GAUGES LIGHT UP. THE CAR MUST BE RESTARTED, SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS PRESENTS A DANGER AS THE CAR MAY SUDDENLY LOSE MOBILITY ON A HIGHWAY. IT SEEMS THAT THIS MAY BE RELATED TO MULTIPLE POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET THAT CLAIM THIS SYMPTOM IS CAUSED BY A VOLTAGE SPIKE TO THE COMPUTER GENERATED BY THE AIR SHOCKS. THIS CAR WAS BUILT SEPTEMBER 1,2001 AND WAS SUPPOSEDLY INCLUDED IN A RECALL BUT THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS CAR AND IF IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL, ONCE THE REPAIR IS DONE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND IT ON THE GM COMPUTERS AND THE RECALL WOULD THEN NOT BE IN EFFECT FOR THIS VEHICLE. IF IT WAS REPAIRED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE ROAD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 6, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10423871

Electrical system

47 reports4 fires1 related recall
“PASSENGER SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM SEAT HEATER WHILE CAR WAS OFF AND NO ONE IN IT. THE SEAT HEATER HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR DAYS. MY CAR WAS PARKED AFTER GOING TO THE STORE ABOUT 3PM. FOUND THE NEXT MORNING ABOUT 10;30 AM .GM DENIED MY CLAIM. SAFETY ISSUE,DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURED DEFECT ,THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. WHOLE INSIDE OF THE CAR IS TRASHED . THE FIRE OBVIOUSLY STARTED FROM THE SEAT MUST HAVE BEEN A BLAZE THE HEADLINER AND VISOR ALSO BURNT. MUST HAVE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF DUE TO LACK OF OXYGEN. I CONTACTED GM THEY NEVER SENT ANYONE TO LOOK AT IT. I EMAILED THEM PHOTOS AND THROUGH THAT THEY ARE DENYING THAT IT IS A DEFECT OR A SAFETY ISSUE. THROUGH RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THIS HAS HAPPENED TO AND YET THERE IS STILL NOT A RECALL FOR THIS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 14, 2018Electrical system, Seats, Unknown or otherFire reportedODI 11062702

Visibility

29 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V046000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REPAIRS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD SHUTTER ABNORMALLY AS OPPOSED TO WIPING SMOOTHLY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. IN ADDITION, THE WIPERS WOULD ALSO SPORADICALLY FAIL COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 12, 2011VisibilityODI 10400636

Suspension

21 reports1 crash1 related recall
“Front Control arm broke at the frame. There is a recall for this control arm issue for a 2002 Bravada but, my vin was not included. 01V126000 is the NHTSA. The control arms fractured causing separation from the frame. Bravada is at service shop and they have confirmed the frame separation from control arm. This is very dangerous and has caused it to be unsafe and deadly.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 21, 2022Suspension, StructureODI 11457744

Structure

15 reports
“2002 OLDS BRAVADA (WHICH WE HAVE OWNED SINCE 9/2004) WAS BEING DRIVEN BY MY TEENAGE SON (WITH 3 OTHER KIDS IN THE VEHICLE), AS HE LEFT A STOP SIGN, THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE BROKE LOOSE FROM THE BODY, SEPARATING THE CONTROL ARMS FROM THE FRAME AND DROPPING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. HE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20MPH AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. HE MANAGED TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A DITCH, A SEMI-SAFE DISTANCE FROM TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED 11/10/12AM TO A NEARBY GM DEALERSHIP. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR BEGINS AT NEARLY $7000., WHICH WOULD EXCEED THE VEHICLES VALUE. THE GM DEALERSHIP, TO WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, HAS ADVISED US NOT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AS IT WOULD BE TOO EXTENSIVE. TO FURTHER THAT STATEMENT, THE GM DEALERSHIP HAS DISCOURAGED US TO EVEN OBTAIN A FULL AND ACCURATE QUOTE AS THIS WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TIME FOR A VEHICLE THAT SHOULD NEVER SEE THE ROAD AGAIN, AGREEABLY. TO QUOTE BOTH THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND THE GENERAL SERVICE MANAGER OF THE GM DEALERSHIP; "THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE WITH AN ISSUE SUCH AS THIS." REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO REPORT THIS TO GM HAVE FAILED. IN EFFORTS TO MINIMIZE PERSONAL…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 15, 2012Suspension, StructureODI 10484859
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.