RoadVitals

2001 Chevrolet C/K Pickups

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
24
Latest Jan 2, 2015
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
5
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 24 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Chevrolet C/K Pickups, most frequently naming the brakes, steering and suspension categories. 5 NHTSA investigations name it; and 8 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes1038.5%
  • Steering415.4%
  • Suspension27.7%
  • Body & structure27.7%
  • Interior & seats27.7%
  • Seat belts27.7%
  • Visibility13.8%
  • Electrical13.8%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

DP05009ClosedDefect Petition

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE

Opened Dec 20, 2005
Closed May 31, 2006

ODI'S REVIEW OF COMPLAINT DATA RECEIVED SINCE THE CLOSE OF EA04-011 REVEALED NO INDICATION THAT THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE RE-OPENED.MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE ENCLOSED IN THE DP05-009 PUBLIC FILE.ODI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION IN THE FUTURE SHOULD CONDITIONS WARRANT.

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
EA04012ClosedEngineering Analysis

HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILRES

Opened Apr 30, 2004
Closed Feb 28, 2005

GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL ON ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILD BETWEEN MAY 1999 AND OCTOBER 14, 1999.SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION IN EARLY OCTOBER 1999, AND VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT DATE HAVE LOWER WARRANTY FAILURE RATES.THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CHANGES. GM MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES IN NOVEMBER 1999, FEBRUARY 2000, MAY 2001, AND FEBRUARY 2004.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION, IF WARRANTED, IN THE FUTURE.FOR FURTHER TECHNICAL DETAILS SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS REPORT.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSISTLed to recall 05V005000
EA04011ClosedEngineering Analysis

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE

Opened Apr 9, 2004
Closed May 10, 2005

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONALLed to recall 05V161000
PE03057ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE

Opened Dec 8, 2003
Closed Apr 9, 2004

ODI OPENED PE03-057 TO ASSESS PARKING BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKES THAT INCORPORATE A SINGLE-SHOE DRUM-IN-HAT PARKING BRAKE INDEPENDENT OF THE SERVICE BRAKES.COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA INDICATE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE LININGS TEND TO WEAR OUT EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (AT AN AVERAGE OF 24 MONTHS IN SERVICE), REDUCING THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM'S TORQUE BELOW THAT NEEDED TO IMMOBILIZE THE VEHICLE.GM HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS ACCELERATED WEAR TO FOREIGN MATERIAL INTRUSION AND A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SHOE TO PROPERLY SELF-CENTER WITHIN ITS BRAKE DRUM.EFFECTIVE WITH THE START OF MY 2003 PRODUCTION, A NEWER REDUCED FORCE HOLD-DOWN CLIP WAS INTRODUCED TO FACILITATE BRAKE SHOE DISENGAGEMENT FROM THE DRUM SURFACE.THIS PART IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE SERVICE LEVEL FOR THE MY 1999-2002 VEHICLES.GM HAS INDICATED THAT THE PAKING BRAKE IS INTENDED TO OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION TO IMMOBILZE PARKED VEHICLES, AND THAT IN MANY CASES, ACCELERATED PARKING BRAKE LINING WEAR IS CAUSED BY ROUGH USE, VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AND DRIVING WITH THE PARKING ENGAGED. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING PARKING BRAKE USAGE FACTORS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SEVENTEEN REPORTED VEHICLE CRASHES.

PARKING BRAKE

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Jan 2, 2015

WAS LOOKING TO PARK IN A SUPER MARKET AND WHEN I SLOWED TO TURN IN AND PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL IT VIBRATED AND ACTUALLY ATTEMPTED TO SPEED UP SLIGHTLY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE STAINLESS STEEL ROTORS HAD RUST ON THEM AND THE SENSOR WASN'T WORKING RIGHT. POLISHED THEM AND IT WAS GOOD FOR A YEAR OR SO. THE NEXT THING ABOUT A YEAR LATER I GOT A RECALL FOR THE SAME THING FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THEY HAD TO DO THE SAME PROCESS. THEY DID REIMBURSE ME FROM THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10669733
Incident
Mar 18, 2008
Mileage
75,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 29, 2010

I OWN A 2001 CHEVY SILVERADO EXTENDED CAB 4X4, THERE WAS A RECALL AROUND 2005 FOR THE ABS ENGAGING AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETED IN 2006. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, THE ABS STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. THE DEALER SAID THEY ALREADY DID THE RECALL SERVICE SO I NEED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS THIS TIME. I BELIEVE THAT IF THE ORIGINAL RECALL SERVICE DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, THAT IT SHOULD BE FIXED AGAIN. TRUCK HAS AROUND 104,000 MILES ON IT. THE ABS STARTED WORKING IMPROPERLY AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD NO CRASHES YET BECAUSE OF THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10328160
Incident
Oct 15, 2009
Mileage
100,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 30, 2010
Crash reported

MY DAUGHTER MISSED A CURVE IN HEAVY FOG AND HIT A TREE HEAD ON AT ABOUT 40-45 MPH. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE IMPACT WAS A FEW INCHES LEFT OF CENTER AND WAS SUCH THAT IT MOVED THE ENGINE BLOCK BACK INTO THE CAB OF THE PICKUP. IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ID
10322897
Incident
Feb 13, 2010
Mileage
167,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jan 4, 2007

INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT - CONSTANT CLUNKING NOISE. HAD SERVICED AT 21K MILES AND NOW BAD AGAIN AT 43K MILES. SUPPOSEDLY SAFE PER DEALER, JUST AN ANNOYANCE. BUT IT COULD DUPLICATE/MASK A SIMILAR CLUNKING NOISE WHICH COULD BE SUSPENSION RELATED AND UNSAFE. A DRIVER WOULD ASSUME IT WAS THE STEERING ISSUE BUT IN REALITY IT MAY NOT BE, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10177788
Incident
Jan 3, 2007
Mileage
21,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 31, 2006

2001 CHEVY P/U. PREVIOUS RECALL REGARDING ANTILOCK BREAKING SYSTEM ENGAGING ON DRY PAYMENT IS RE-OCCURING AFTER INITIAL VEHICLE REPAIR. IN MY OPINNION THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER PROBABLY DID MINIMAL REPAIR (TEMPORARY FIX) WHICH DID NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10167133
Incident
Aug 31, 2006
Mileage
104,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 14, 2006

I AM AN AUTOMATIC CAR WASH OWNER. I HAVE TRIED TO ENGAGE THE AREA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FROM CHEVROLET TO MEET WITH ME, BUT THIS PERSON HAS YET TO AGREE TO PERSONALLY DISCUSS THEIR (IN MY OPINION) ENGINEERING DEFECT WITH ME. 2000 THROUGH 2004 SUV'S WITH MANUALLY FOLDING MIRRORS COME APART BY MERELY FOLDING THEM IN PREPARATION FOR GOING THROUGH MY WASH. I HAVE FOUND THAT A PIVOT SHAFT RETAINING FASTENER UNLOADS ITSELF OF THE SPRING PRESSURE DURING THE FOLDING-IN PROCESS CAUSING THE VEHICLE OWNER A SAFETY ISSUE OF A NON-VIEWABLE SIDE MIRROR DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE MIRROR IS ENGINEERED TO BE FOLDED IN AND OUT TO GO THROUGH CAR WASHES. *NM

NHTSA ID
10152731
Incident
Feb 15, 2006
Brakes
Filed Sep 20, 2005

THE BRAKES ON MY 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO WENT INTO ANIT-LOCK BRAKE MODE AS I WAS MAKING A STOP ON DRY PAVEMENT COMING JUST SHORT OF SMASHING INTO A GARBAGE TRUCK. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND WAS TOLD NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE SINCE IT IS NOT LOCATED IN CANADA OR SOME STATES LISTED IN THE US. THEY HAVE SAID IT IS A RECALL ON FAILING ANTI-LOCK SENSORS THAT HAVE RUST FROM SALT, BUT MINNESOTA IS NOT ONE OF THE STATES. WE DON'T USE SALT ON ROADS UP HERE DURING THE WINTER? WHAT A JOKE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10137136
Incident
Aug 24, 2005
Brakes
Filed Jul 13, 2005

ABS BRAKES CONSTANTLY COME ON AT LOW SPEEDS. TODAY WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER ABS CAME ON AS I WAS SLOWING , THEN BRAKE PEDAL STIFFENED AND WOULD NOT STOP THE TRUCK. I PULLED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP.

NHTSA ID
10128591
Incident
Jul 13, 2005
Mileage
59,050 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SB-10-08-50-003B

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

GENERAL MOTORS: INFORMATION PROVIDED BY BULLETIN FOR ALL 2012 AND PRIOR GENERAL MOTOR TRUCKS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES REGARDING THE ADJUSTABLE COMFORT AND CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY OF THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER HEAD RESTRAINT. *PE

010601022

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

SUBJECT ON INFORMATION ON ENGINE KNOCK ON COLD START FOR PICKUP AND UTILITY MODELS. *ET

010856004

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE SECURITY LAMP ILLUMINATES WHILE DRIVING; THE ENGINE CRANKS BUT WILL NOT START; AND / OR THE ENGINE STARTS THEN STALLS AND THE SECURITY LAMP IS FLASHING. *TT

01050

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP

SOME VEHICLES HAVE A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT MAY NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE FLUID IS LOW, WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT MEET THE PARTIAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENT OF REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY. *SLC

01043

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

SOME VEHICLES HAVE AN INTERNAL COMPONENT IN THE 2ND AND 3RD ROW OUTBOARD SEAT BELT RETRACTOR THAT MAY BE CRACKED, WITH REPEATED ACTUATION OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM, THE CRACK COULD PROPAGATE TO THE POINT WHERE THE SEAT BELT WOULD NO LONGER LOCK. *SLC

010730007

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

THIS BULLETIN IS TO INFORM DEALERS OF THE RELEASE OF A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER BOLT FOR CERTAIN TRANSMISSIONS. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet C/K Pickups by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2002140448.9
2001Viewing240548.8
2000341653.7
1999371253.3
1998781246.2
1997721244.1
1996221243.6
1995231249.7
1994521143.1
1993120029.4
1992700
1991600
1990100

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.