2002 Chevrolet Tahoe: stuck in gear or won't shift

5 of the 448 complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe describe stuck in gear or won't shift.

owner complaints: 5
of this car's complaints: 1%
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 40 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Stuck in gear or won't shift by model year

2025
2
2024
3
2023
11
2022
12
2021
18
2020
1
2018
2
2017
4
2016
2
2015
1
2013
2
2011
1
2009
2
2008
1
2007
4
2005
1
2003
1
2002
5
2001
1
1999
1
1998
2
1997
3
1996
2
1993
1
1991
1

What owners say

Filed Jan 18, 2014 · Transmission · 115,789 miles · CA

I was driving home & while accelerating I noticed my truck begin to rev & no longer accelerate,my check engine light came on. I took my foot off the accelerator & put it back on it, I was in an 50 MPH area, & my truck just continued to rev. I started to lose speed. I repeated to put my foot on the accelerator then I picked up speed but on to about 35 MPH. My truck wouldn't shift to 3rd gear. I made it home. The next day I had it towed to the repair shop. I order a new transmission off ebay, had it installed & got my truck back in about 3wks. In june 2012 the exact same thing happened, my truck wouldn't shift into 3rd gear & my check engine light came on. I had the transmission replaced with another new transmission & in july 2013 the exact same thing happened again. This time I did not go get another new transmission. I started asking around & found that others have been having the same problem with their tahoe transmissions. I then tried putting lucas stop slip & that did nothing to help the problem. My truck has been sitting for months because I have put too much money into new factory built transmissions & the transmission does not seem to be the problem.

Filed Jun 27, 2005 · Transmission · FL

Transmission will not shift into reverse, had vehicle towed to chevy dealer, where they repaired. Said it was caused by defective sun gear sheild / reaction shield. Drove fine for approximately 11 months, then same exact problem once again.

Filed Dec 12, 2004 · Transmission · 40,000 miles · KY

Approximately 10k miles on 2002 tahoe, vehicle would not go into reverse, and transmission, failed, was told by dealer that only part of transmission needed fixed. Now at 40k miles roughly 2 years later and out of warranty, same problem happened, what will gm do for me???

Filed Apr 27, 2004 · Transmission · TX

While traveling 65 MPH, vehicle experienced complete lost of transmission. *ph the vehicle experienced a complete lost of transmission. The engine had run fine, but the transmission would not engage. (the RPM went up and the transmission would not shift) the consumer noticed a puddle of transmission fluid under the vehicle. The service department determined that a lost of fluid was a result of a poorly attached transmission cooler with faulty connections and hose assemblies. New cooler lines and hose were installed. *sc

Filed Apr 6, 2004 · Transmission · 3,432 miles · CA

Vehicle service record-VIN #[xxx]purchased '02 tahoe oct. 2001 & in dec. '01-problems began 12/5/1 mi. 968 vehicle to connell chev. Hard to move shift lever thru positions; very stiff. Rt. Rear of vehicle sits higher than left. Rear. 2/28/2-mi. 3,432 vehicle in for various problems. Told service writer transmission would shift into second gear while sitting at stop light. You press on throttle to accelerate, vehicle would pull away very sluggish, suddenly shift back down into 1st gear & take off in an uncontrollable manner. Would have to remove foot from accelerator to compensate. Problem when shifting from gear to gear in accelerating. Will not shift up until you take your foot off throttle. Shifts hard when shifting thru gears. P/up vehicle. Explained they could not find anything wrong with transmission. 7/17/2-mi. 6,668 same problems with transmission. Next day, said they couldn't find anything wrong w/transmission. 4/14/3-mi. 12,434 transmission is not operating properly. Will shift into 2nd gear when sitting at a stop, & will not shift up thru gears unless you remove your foot from throttle. 2/6/4-mi. 23,776 back for prior problems & new ones. Transmission will shift into 2nd gear at a stop, drops back into 1st gear upon acceleration & when reaches shift point for gears makes load squealing sound,like metal-to-metal. Vehicle has suspension noises, like something is hitting against part of suspension when braking and/or turning. 2/10/4-mi. 23,800 transmission is malfunctioning & developing new noises. Sometimes there is a clunk when put in reverse. 2/11/4-mi.-23,800 returned to p/u tahoe. Explained to us that a data recorder had been put in to monitor operation of transmission, explained operation of recorder. 3/8/4-mi. 25,031 returned to have recorder removed. Service writer said that as soon as they do a print out from recorder they will contact me & let me know outcome. Never been contacted about it. *la *js information redacted pursua