2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500 engine problems

Filed Mar 9, 2017 · Engine · 35,000 miles · PA

2002 chevy avalanche 2500 with 8.1 engine dies without warning at driving speeds. The battery light comes on, after the vehicle shuts down, but no check engine light and no warning whatsoever. The vehicle just shuts down. When this happens there is no power steering and no brakes for this 7000 pound vehicle. Sometimes, once pulled over and shutting everything off and trying to restart it will restart, sometimes taking up to 10 minutes of trying to crank it intermittently before it will restart. It has done this, off and on, at random intervals over the years I have owned it. I have read on the internet others from who have the same problem and most likely solution seems to be the crankshaft position sensor which some say has been recalled on the 2001 model engine for the silverados, but cannot find anything for the same 2002 engine, which is the same engine. This is dangerous and frightening enough at "back road" speeds, but considerably more so at major highway speeds as the vehicle loses all power when the engine shuts down, leaving the driver unable to steer, brake or immediately restart the vehicle leaving it stalled in the middle of the interstate there is no code in the ECM so the dealers have not been able to diagnose it. Does someone have to die before something is done?

Filed Sep 2, 2014 · Engine · 68,000 miles · CO

The engine shuts off while driving. The vehicle had been idling for several minutes and after pulling out across the highway the engine shut off. After trying for at least 10 minutes it restarted. Thought this was an isolated instance, but has now happened multiple times at various speeds and even when idling at a stop light.

Filed Feb 15, 2013 · Brakes, Engine · 105,242 miles · OH

The first time this happened I was going home from work on the freeway. I was going 65 MPH and my engine died I had no power steering and the brake pedal was very hard to push. I was able to put my truck in neutral and restart it. The second time the engine died I was sitting at a red light and it shut off. The third time it happened I was going home from work, just got off the freeway and stopped at the red light. When the light turned green I made a left and was going to the next light to make a right and the engine died. I tried to put the brakes on, but they were very tight and I had no power steering. I had to fight to turn the wheel and just made the turn without hitting the other traffic.

Filed Aug 23, 2011 · Electrical, Engine · 137,000 miles · MI

Vehicle stalls at high rate of speed, highway driving, truck hesitates and jerks, and comes to the near point of stalling, and low speeds, vehicle does the same, hesitates, and jerks, stalls, all systems fail. Starts back up upon shifting to neutral. Mechanic says it is the crankshaft position sensor on the 8.1 l 8100 series motor, the same motor that is in the 2001 model silverado, sierra, and suburbans that is the subject of a recall. Location is in the back of the motor making it near impossible to change out without major engine repair work, removing intake manifold and other complex things, to repair an apparent $60 part. Dangerous due to the fact that there is absolutely no indication that this is happening and happened on a vehicle that has been cared for completely. Also, dangerous due to the size of the vehicle and the near impossible task of steering it to a safe place with no power brakes or steering, especially at highway speeds. Mechanic says part it almost 100% plastic and can succumb to high and low variations in temperature and break down in composition. Which, it has done in this truck, again without no warning, and no apparent cost effective repair. It would appear that the recall should be extended to the 2002 model year as well as the same 8.1 l motor was installed in the chevrolet avalanche 2500 truck (by the way, the vehicle was built in 2001), which, other that the different body style has the same chassis and motor as the suburban. Very dangerous for a woman, who cannot or does not have the strength to steer a 7,000 pound truck that completely stalled at a high rate of speed.

Filed Dec 14, 2010 · Engine · 133,000 miles · OR

Sometimes my 2002 chevy avalanche 8.1 will not start. I lock car again with remote fob, unlock and usually it starts. Sometimes it takes several attempts at locking, unlocking before it will start. Now vehicle stalls with no warning, no power brakes, steering etc. Does this at random speeds without notice or any apparent consistency. This has happened on the freeway at high speeds and is very dangerous. To restart I must try and get pulled over safely, lock and unlock truck with fob and hope it starts. Sometimes will do after once, sometimes after several attempts. Not really sure the fob resetting of security system is the difference or it just happens to start. When are they going to fix this potentially fatal problem???

Filed Nov 3, 2010 · Engine · 81,000 miles · IL

Truck stalls while driving this is happening more and more.

Filed Oct 26, 2010 · Engine · 70,000 miles · IL

Engine died at 55 MPH, restarted right away, died out again in the middle of an intersection about three miles away. Nearly caused an accident. This time it took about 10 minutes before it would start. I found there is a recall on the 2001 avalanche, why not the 2002?

Filed Sep 15, 2010 · Engine · 85,000 miles · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet avalanche 2500. While the contact was driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine completely stalled without warning. The engine would not restart. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact experienced the identical failure as mentioned in the recall associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number 07v521000 (engine and engine cooling); however, his model year and model was not included in the recall defect. The failure mileage was 85,000.

Filed Aug 2, 2010 · Engine · 59,000 miles · CT

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet avalanche 2500. The contact stated the vehicle would stall without warning. The vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The VIN was not available. The current and failure mileages were approximately 59,000.

Filed Apr 30, 2010 · Engine · 80,140 miles · ID

Driving 2002 chevy avalanche 2500 8.1 l at various times and speeds and engine cuts out. No power steering or brakes. Pulled over and after a minute the engine will restart. Researched online and found that the problem with many other like vehicles have same problem (crankshaft position sensor). Reported previous year same engine had recall for crankshaft position sensor.