RoadVitals

2001 Chevrolet C Series

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.
2
Latest Jul 4, 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.
2
Latest Sep 1, 2001
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.
3
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Chevrolet C Series, most frequently naming the brakes and fuel system categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 57 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

  • Brakes150.0%
  • Fuel system150.0%

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

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

Sep 1, 2001
The defect: THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 2001 CHEVROLET AND GMC C-SERIES MEDIUM DUTY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN IMPCO LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG) CONVERSION KIT. THE ENGINE COULD BACKFIRE CAUSING THE INLET ELBOW TO SEPARATE FROM ITS THROTTLE BODY.
The risk: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE INLET ELBOW WOULD BE RETAINED BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP RUNNING DUE TO INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY.
The remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A NEW ALUMINUM INLET ELBOW AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.View on NHTSA.gov

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

May 17, 2001
9,196 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP AND UTILITY TRUCKS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN INTERNAL COMPONENT IN THE OUTBOARD SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD ROW OF SEATS THAT COULD BE CRACKED. WITH REPEATED ACTUATION OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM, THE CRACK COULD SPREAD TO THE POINT SUCH THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NO LONGER LOCK.
The risk: IN A CRASH, INCREASED OCCUPANT INJURY COULD RESULT FROM THE NO-LOCK CONDITION.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS FOR SPECIFIC LOT NUMBERS AND REPLACE THE BELTS IF NECESSARY. GM IS ENCLOSING AN INSPECTION PROCEDURE FOR THE OWNERS TO USE OR THEY CAN HAVE THEIR DEALERS DO THE INSPECTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 2, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.Manufacturer number 01043View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

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

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

Fuel system
Filed Jul 4, 2015

MY 2001 CHEVY CAVALIER, HAS AN IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE, MALFUNCTIONED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHILE I WAS DRIVING. MY CAR CUT OF IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, ME AND MY GRAND CHILDREN WERE INJURED. I WAS REFERRED TO CONTACT THIS THIRD PARTY COMPANY NAMED: ESIS/GM CENTRAL CLAIMS UNIT LOCATED AT P.O. BOX 300 MAIL CODE 482 C19 B61 DETROIT, MI 48265-3000, 800.888.0164. I WAS INFORMED BY THIS COMPANY NO CLAIMS WILL BE PROCESSED, THAT'S WHY GM CONTRACTED TO STOP ALL CLAIMS FROM PROCESSING IN THE SYSTEM, ON THE ISSUE OF "IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE WITH CHEVY CAVALIER 2001. REQUEST IMMEDIATE COMPENSATION WITH THIS ISSUE. MY CAR WAS TOTALED OUT. COMPLETE LOST AND PHYSICAL INJURIES. GM #[XXX] GM # [XXX] I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT GM SEVERAL TIMES NO REPLY. SEEKING TO BE COMPENSATED FOR MY LOST AND PHYSICAL INJURIES. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10731951
Incident
Mar 8, 2012
Mileage
188,288 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 1, 2004

PARKING BRAKE IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE IT GOES TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. *AK VEHICLE PARKING BRAKE FAILS TO HOLD THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS REIMBURSE FOR THE SERVICE CHARGE. *TC

NHTSA ID
10094411
Incident
Aug 5, 2004
Mileage
35,430 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

PIC5953A

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have an issue when using Bluetooth voice recognition with an iPhone. Technician should work with the customer to insure the phone contacts to not have any Emojis loaded to any contact.

09-09-40-001C

SEAT BELTS; SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

This informational bulletin provides information to advise dealers about seat belt buckles not operating and/or seat belt warning light illumination, as well as difficulty latching and unlatching the buckle or the buckle release button sticking.

05-06-04-035E

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

This informational bulletin provides dealership personnel with information on flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) and the usage of E85 fuel in GM vehicles.

PIT5399

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about connectivity concerns when connecting an Apple device via USB cord. Technician should insure the customer is using an original equipment manufacturer Apple USB cable.

PIC4310L

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicle that may have an OnStar system that has progression tones when pressing the blue or red button. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center with the scan tool data from the OnStar system.

PIT5264C

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that are travelling from Canada to the United States. While in the United States they are unable to receive Turn-by-Turn directions. Due to the existing cellular provider not having roaming agreements in areas outside of Canada to support transmitting of the packet data required for Turn-By-Turn feature to operate. The customer has 3 options while traveling through the United Sates. First if the vehicle is equipped with a navigation radio they can request a "Destination Download" to the vehicle. Second if the customer uses the OnStar RemoteLink app they can send the directions to the vehicle. The third option would be to have the vehicle loaded with a "500 phone number" The customer will no longer be able to use their Hands Free Calling minutes when the new 500 phone number is loaded. If a customer chooses to restore Hands Free Calling in the future a new phone number will be assigned to the vehicle; previous phone numbers are not available.

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 Series by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2009000
2008100
2007200
2006000
2005000
2004000
2003000
2002303
2001Viewing223
2000003
1999302
1998170032.8
1997220031.6
1996110042.0
1995100034.0
1994200
1993700
1992100
1991100
1990100
1989112
1988002
1987001
1986001
1985001
1984001
1983000
1982100
1979010
1978020
1977010
1976010
1975010
1974010
1973010
1970010
1969010
1968110
1967010
1966010
1965010

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.