Problems · by component

2002 Oldsmobile Bravada power train problems

53 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada cite power train, 22% of all 240 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
53
22% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 4, 2015Power trainODI 10808464
“IT ALL BEGAN WHEN I WENT TO WALMART TO GET SOME TIRES ON MY 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA ALL-WHEEL DRIVE...WELL I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR ALL 4 TIRES,SO I ASKED THEM IF I COULD PUT TIRES ON IT? AND THEY SAID YES..SO THAT IS WHAT WE DID..WELL 1 MONTH AFTER I HAD THOSE 2 TIRES PUT ON THE FRONT,THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK STARTED MAKING NOISE AND WAS HARD TO TURN...I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID WALMART SHOULD HAVE NEVER PUT JUST 2 TIRES ON THE TRUCK..CAUSE ALL 4 TIRES HAVE TO BE THE SAME OR IT WILL MESS THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE UP..WELL IT MESSED THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UP ON MY TRUCK..I TOLD WALMART ABOUT IT AND THEY PAID TO FIX MY TRUCK AND PAID FOR 2 MORE TIRES FOR THE TRUCK MAKING ALL THE TIRES THE SAME...WELL ITS NOT BEEN A YEAR AND ITS STARTING TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN!!!! SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM ON THESE ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES BUT IT HAS BEEN FOR ME!! NOW I SIT HERE WITH A WIFE AND THREE KIDS WITH NO VEHICLE!!!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 15, 2013Power train, Tires, EquipmentODI 10508258
“ON FRIDAY, 01/16/09 AT 7:45 AM I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK. AS I WAS DRIVING THE "SERVICE ALL WHEEL DRIVE" LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM WORK SO FIGURED I WOULD CONTINUE MY DRIVE AND CALL A MECHANIC WHEN I GOT THERE. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS LIKE THE VEHICLE BECAME POSSESSED AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT SPUN ME AROUND 3 TIMES SLAMMED ME HEAD ON INTO A SNOWBACK, THREW ME BACK OUT SPUN ME AROUND AGAIN AND THREW ME BACKWARDS INTO THE SNOWBANK AGAIN BEFORE THROWING ME BACK OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I WAS VERY SHAKEN BUT THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT AND LET ME DRIVE, SO I VERY SLOWLY CONTINUED ON TO WORK. WHEN I GOT TO WORK I CALLED KORONIS MOTORS IN PAYNESVILLE AND EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY CAME AND PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND CHECKED IT OUT. THEY SAID IT WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND THAT THE TRANSFER CASE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT ON THAT PARTICULAR MORNING, FOR SOME REASON THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC, HAD THERE BEEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS. KORONIS MOTORS IS IN THE PROCESS FIXING MY VEHICLE NOW, THE MECHANICAL AS WELL AS THE PHYSICAL DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE. I CAN'T BELIEVE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 21, 2009Power trainCrash reportedODI 10255930
“MY MOTHER'S 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA HAS A BASEBALL SIZE HOLE IN THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, SHE WAS DRIVING AND EVERYTIME SHE WOULD TURN OR JUST TURN SLIGHTLY SHE WOULD HEAR A GRINDING NOISE. SHE TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER WHERE SHE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER TOLD HER WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE TO FIX IT. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN MY GARAGE WHERE WE ARE WAITING FOR THE PARTS TO COME IN. I WENT ONLINE TO FIND OUT IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND COME TO FIND OUT IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND IT HAPPENS ALOT TO THE BRAVADA. DO PEOPLE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS HURT OR INJURED FOR THIS TO BE RECALLED? SO WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE THAN WHY IS IT NOT ON THE RECALL LIST THIS IS NOT JUST HAPPENING TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE IT HAS HAPPENED TO THOUSANDS AND WHY HASN'T ANYTHING BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, JENNIFER HARRIS *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 9, 2008Power trainODI 10244971
“GM HAS A KNOWS ISSUE ON 02,03 AND 04 BRAVADAS, TRAILBLAZERS, ENVOY'S AND RANIERS. THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES HAVE A HARD INTERFERENCE WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ONCE IT WEARS THROUGH A STEADY STREAM OF FLUID LEAK ONTO THE CONVERTER. THIS ISSUE IS DOCUMENTED IN SERVICE BULLETIN PI01573. THEY DO NOT FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE EVEN THOUGH I SEE OTHER VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME THING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2008Power trainODI 10238393

Showing 6 of 53 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Power train: automatic transmission

Free remedy

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A MECHANICAL OVERRIDE THAT COULD ALLOW THE IGNITION KEY TO BE REMOVED WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN A POSITION OTHER THAN PARK. IN ADDITION, THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN OVERRIDE THAT CAN ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK WITH THE IGNITION IN THE OFF POSITION.

Power trainReported Mar 6, 2003NHTSA 03V075000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 30, 2026

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