Chevrolet›Tahoe 2WD›2002›Overview/chevrolet/tahoe-2wd/2002/base/

2002 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Tahoe 2WD.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and requiring 6 quarts of 5W-30 oil, delivers EPA-rated fuel economy of 15 city, 20 highway, and 17 combined mpg. With 463 total owner complaints and 6 recalls—the most common issue being the service brakes—this model year falls below the peak complaint year of 2007 (1,176 complaints) but above the lowest year of 1991 (3 complaints), placing it in a moderate position within the model's long-term reliability history.

Model year2007 2002 1999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque140 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy15/20/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731172. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeK15, 4-DR P265-70R16; P265-70R17OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7.5-J, 7-J, 7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731172
Engine air filter	22845992 alt 15908916
Fuel filter	25164003 discontinued · alt 25171792
Spark plug	12621258
Front wiper blades	15214346
Serpentine belt	12576447 alt 12637204
Thermostat	12561155 alt 12571261
Cabin air filter	19257782

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	198.8 in
Overall width	78.7 in
Overall height	74.8 in
Wheelbase	116.1 in
Curb weight	4874 lb
Track (front / rear)	65 / 66.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	52/48

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 20 / 17 mpg
Drivetrain	Rear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, SAE 75W · Synthetic in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 140 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	SAE 75W · Synthetic
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	3.83 qt
Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	6 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	6 qt

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket	110.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle	70.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket	70.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts	140 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Oil Group	PAG
Optional BCI Group Number	78
Optional BCI Cranking Performance	690 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	62.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	55-62

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	122 ft-lbs / 80 ft-lbs / 148 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in / 0.0001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.005 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.142 in / 1.181 in / 1.496 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.142 in / 1.181 in / 1.496 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.102 in / 1.142 in / 1.457 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	1.083 in / 1.122 in / 1.437 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

1	22 lb ft
2	M11 Bolts	90 degrees
3	M11 Bolts in Sequence-Excluding the Medium Length Bolts at the Front and Rear of Each Cylinder Head	90 degrees
4	50

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 mi	Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	PCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD top in one area — the service brakes, 79 of 463 reports (17%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 6 recall campaigns target the service brakes, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 44 of the reports describe a crash and 8 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

463

Owner complaints

44 involved a crash · 8 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01’02’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 463 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes79

Service Brakes, Hydraulic52

Tires31

Steering30

Power Train29

Air Bags25

Parking Brake21

Electrical System20

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E026000Exterior LightingReported 23/03/2006

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL… Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Tahoe 2WD. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 78 battery Vehicles taking 6 qt Engine oil filter 12731172 Engine air filter 22845992 Fuel filter 25164003 Spark plug 12621258

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 Tahoe 2WD take?

6 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 Tahoe 2WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Tahoe 2WD get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 20 highway / 17 combined mpg.