2002 Chevrolet Avalanche Safety Rating — NHTSA Crash Tests
The 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche was rated under NHTSA's program before model year 2011, which gave no overall score: 3 stars for the driver, 4 for the front passenger in the frontal test, 2 for rollover resistance. Check a specific Avalanche’s crash and title history below.
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2002 Chevrolet Avalanche— By the Numbers
- Frontal crash — driver
- 3★
- Rollover resistance
- 2★
- Recall campaigns on NHTSA's file
- 5
- Owner complaints
- 673
Frontal crash — driver
Rollover resistance
Recall campaigns on NHTSA's file
Owner complaints
Quick Answer
- What is the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche safety rating?
- The 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche was rated under NHTSA's program before model year 2011, which gave no overall score: 3 stars for the driver, 4 for the front passenger in the frontal test, 2 for rollover resistance. These are results for the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 4-DR. w/SAB, from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program.
- Did NHTSA test every part of the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche?
- No. NHTSA published no result for the side barrier test, the side pole test on this version. "Not rated" means the test was not run or not published — not that the vehicle failed it.
- Does the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche have recalls or complaints on file?
- NHTSA's record for this version lists 5 recall campaigns, 673 owner complaints and 10 investigations. Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is answered by its VIN, not the model year.
What NHTSA did — and did not — test
A star rating is only as complete as the tests behind it. This is which of NHTSA's four crash tests the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche actually went through.
No. NHTSA published no result for the side barrier test, the side pole test on this version. "Not rated" means the test was not run or not published — not that the vehicle failed it.
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche crash-test ratings
Rated before NHTSA's current program, this truck has frontal and rollover results but no side-impact rating, and rollover is the weakest of what was measured.
The 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche was rated under NHTSA's program before model year 2011, which gave no overall score: 3 stars for the driver, 4 for the front passenger in the frontal test, 2 for rollover resistance.
Nothing in this record covers a side impact, and the lowest result it does hold is rollover, on a truck NHTSA lists without stability control. The file also carries more defect investigations than recall campaigns, so read the owner complaint history before leaning on the stars.
Recalls, complaints and investigations
NHTSA keeps these alongside the crash-test results for the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 4-DR. w/SAB. They answer a different question: not how the vehicle was built to perform in a crash, but what owners and the agency have reported since.
A recall campaign covers a range of vehicles; whether the repair was done on a particular car is a per-VIN question. Check open recalls by VIN.
The rating is for the AvalancheNHTSA crashed. Check the one you’re buying.
Salvage and rebuilt brands, reported accidents and odometer records follow the VIN.
Inspecting a used 2002 Avalanche
The ratings describe the Avalanche as it left the factory. A car that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt, or had its airbags replaced is no longer the car NHTSA tested.
Rollover is the weakest result, so inspect the parts that kind of crash marks: roof pillars and roof skin for ripples or filler, a headliner that sags or has been refitted, and a windshield seal that doesn't match the rest of the glass. Then check shocks, ride height and that the tyres are a matched set.
The tested truck is listed with side airbags, and there is no side rating to fall back on. Confirm this truck has them too: look for airbag labels on the front seats or door trim, and watch the airbag lamp light and then clear at start-up.
The driver's frontal result is lower than the passenger's, so look at the front frame horns and bumper brackets for straightening marks, fresh welds or mismatched fasteners.
Why these stars come from different tests than a newer model's
NHTSA announced new NCAP crash tests and rating criteria in July 2008, including a new overall rating that combines the frontal, side and rollover results. It then postponed the change by a year: the new criteria apply to vehicles tested beginning with model year 2011, not 2010 as first announced.
One limit applies to every vehicle here. NHTSA notes that the frontal crash rating “depends on vehicle mass, and cannot be compared across vehicle weight classes” — a full-size truck's frontal stars and a compact car's are not the same measure.
- Federal Register, 73 FR 79206 (Dec. 24, 2008) — new NCAP criteria begin with model year 2011
- Federal Register, 73 FR 40016 (July 11, 2008) — NCAP testing and rating changes, including the overall rating
- Federal Register, 68 FR 59250 (Oct. 14, 2003) — NCAP rollover resistance ratings
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Compare and keep going
Ratings from before model year 2011 compare only with each other.
Rated before the current program
5 stars overall
4 stars overall
5 stars overall
Whether a recall was repaired on one specific car.
Reported crashes and damage after the car left the factory.
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2002 Chevrolet Avalanche Safety FAQ
What NHTSA’s record shows for this model year, and what it cannot tell you about one car.
What is the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche safety rating?+
The 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche was rated under NHTSA's program before model year 2011, which gave no overall score: 3 stars for the driver, 4 for the front passenger in the frontal test, 2 for rollover resistance. These are results for the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 4-DR. w/SAB, from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program.
Did NHTSA test every part of the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche?+
No. NHTSA published no result for the side barrier test, the side pole test on this version. "Not rated" means the test was not run or not published — not that the vehicle failed it.
Does the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche have recalls or complaints on file?+
NHTSA's record for this version lists 5 recall campaigns, 673 owner complaints and 10 investigations. Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is answered by its VIN, not the model year.
Can I compare the 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche's stars with a newer model?+
Not like for like. NHTSA changed its crash tests and rating criteria starting with model year 2011 and added an overall score, so a star from before then was earned under different tests. Compare it with vehicles rated under the same program.
Does a good safety rating mean a used Avalanche is safe to buy?+
A rating describes the vehicle as it left the factory. A used Avalanche that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt from salvage, or had an airbag replaced is no longer the vehicle NHTSA tested. A VIN check reads its title brands, salvage and accident records from NMVTIS.
Five stars at the factory. What about since?
A crash rating can’t see a salvage title, a rebuilt frame or a replaced airbag. The VIN record can.
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