2001 Chevrolet Suburban 2500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban 2500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine1132.4%
- Brakes926.5%
- Fuel system823.5%
- Electrical38.8%
- Airbags12.9%
- Body & structure12.9%
- Visibility12.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS, WHERE THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. UPDATED 11/17/11 *BF UPDATED 11/23/11. *JB
PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID#07V521000, THE 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 IS SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL BY GM. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DESCRIBED PROBLEM OF VEHICLE ENGINE STALLING AND NOT OPERATIVE WHILE TRAVELING ON THE ROAD. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH GM AND GM'S LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP IN CONCORD, CALIFORNIA. BOTH REFUSED TO HONOR THIS RECALL. PLEASE HELP BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THANK YOU. *TR
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING APPROX 50 MPH ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY. WHEN SLOWING FOR RED LIGHT AHEAD, NOTICED BRAKE PEDAL GOING CLOSER TO FLOOR THAN NORMAL. VEHICLE WAS NOT SLOWING AS NORMAL, AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS STAYING CLOSE TO THE FLOOR. GOT STOPPED AND PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. CHECK OF MASTER CYLINDER REVEALED BRAKE FLUID LEVEL TO BE APPROX. HALF FULL. UPON CHECKING UNDER VEHICLE, I SAW BRAKE FLUID POURING OUT FROM THE GAS TANK SHIELD. *TR
COMING TO A STOP LIGHT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. ONLY WAY I COULD STOP WAS BY USING THE ELECTRIC BRAKES ON MY TRAILER TO STOP THE COMBINED VEHICLE. EXAMINATION REVEALED A RUSTED BRAKE LINE COMING FROM THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS MODULE AT THE ABS MODULE UNDER THE VEHICLE. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE 4 BRAKE LINES FROM THE ABS MODULE TO THE WHEELS WERE ALL RUSTED/PITTED AND ABOUT READY TO RUST THROUGH. *TR
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE OWNED MY 2001 CHEVY SUBURBAN SINCE JANUARY OF 2008. I HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP 3 TIMES AND TODAY WILL BE MY 4TH. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THE SAME PART OVER AND OVER. THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPLACED MY MECHANIC ADVISED US TO KEEP AT LEAST 1/4 TANK OF GAS IN THE TANK WHICH I HAVE TRIED TO DO. BUT EVEN DOING THIS THE FUEL PUMP SEEMS TO GO ABOUT EVERY 15 MONTHS, JUST OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY. ITS RIDICULOUS, THERE IS NO WAY I SHOULD BE REPLACING FUEL PUMPS AT THIS RATE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. FOR SEVERAL DAYS, HE SMELLED FUEL AND AFTER HE ADDED FUEL TO TANK HE WAS RECEIVING AND INACCURATE FUEL LEVEL READING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 88,000.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN OUR SUBURBAN AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. SHE HAD TO COAST OVER 5 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND GET INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. TRUCK STARTED AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS AND WORKED FINE FOR 2 MORE DAYS. IT THEN DIED 2 MORE TIMES IN ONE DAY WITHOUT WARNING. IT AGAIN STARTED FINE AFTER 4 TO 5 ATTEMPTS. THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE AND THERE WAS A RECALL OF OTHER 2001 MODELS WITH THE 8.1L BUT IT DID NOT INCLUDE MY SEQUENCE. THIS PART IS FAULTY AND PUT MY WIFE'S LIFE IN DANGER. THEY SHOULD RECALL ALL 8.1L CRANKSHAFT SENSORS. THIS IS A ISSUE AND THERE ARE TONS OF THREADS ON MESSAGE BOARDS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR
WIPER MOTOR FAIL. 2001 SUBURBAN 6.0L V8. WIPER MOTOR FAIL. THE WIPER MOTOR IN MY TRUCK ALWAYS FAILS. THE LAST TIME IT FAILED WAS SEPTEMBER 27TH 2010 DURING A HEAVY RAIN STORM. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT I ALMOST RAN OVER A PEDESTRIAN, AND ENDED UP ON THE SIDEWALK. (TECHNICALLY THAT IS A CRASH) THE WIPER MOTOR JUST STOPPED WHILE IT WAS RAINING. LAST YEAR DURING HEAVY SNOW THE MOTOR FAILED AGAIN. I HAD TO PULL OVER FOR AN HOUR UNTIL THE STORM WAS OVER. NOT TO MENTION NUMEROUS OTHER TIMES AS WELL. THIS MOTOR FAILS A LOT I LOST COUNT. THE EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILED WIPER MOTOR ARE RAIN , SNOW, SLEET, SOMETIME THE MOTOR FAILS DURING A SUNNY DAY AND NO MOISTURE IN THE AIR OR FAILED JUST TO CLEAN YOUR WINDOW. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE WIPER MOTOR FAILURE BECAUSE IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME; GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD FIX THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GET KILLED. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2001 SUBURBAN AT 45 MPH. A CAR RAN THE RED LIGHT AND CLIPPED THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF MY SUBURBAN CAUSING MY TRUCK TO FLIP, SKID A 1/2 MILE ON IT'S SIDE DOWN THE STREET AND THEN HIT A ELECTRIC POLE BEFORE IT CAME TO REST. NONE OF MY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED!!! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND THE TRAILER HITCH BEGAN TO DRAG ON THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED. THE FRAME WAS CRACKED AND BENT SIGNIFICANTLY WHERE THE TRAILER HITCH WAS ATTACHED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESUME OPERATION WITH CAUTION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 121,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WIPER MOTOR FAIL. 2001 SUBURBAN 6.0L V8. WIPER MOTOR FAIL. THE WIPER MOTOR IN MY TRUCK ALWAYS FAILS. THE LAST TIME IT FAILED WAS SEPTEMBER 27TH 2010 DURING A HEAVY RAIN STORM. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT I ALMOST RAN OVER A PEDESTRIAN, AND ENDED UP ON THE SIDEWALK. (TECHNICALLY THAT IS A CRASH) THE WIPER MOTOR JUST STOPPED WHILE IT WAS RAINING. LAST YEAR DURING HEAVY SNOW THE MOTOR FAILED AGAIN. I HAD TO PULL OVER FOR AN HOUR UNTIL THE STORM WAS OVER. NOT TO MENTION NUMEROUS OTHER TIMES AS WELL. THIS MOTOR FAILS A LOT I LOST COUNT. THE EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILED WIPER MOTOR ARE RAIN , SNOW, SLEET, SOMETIME THE MOTOR FAILS DURING A SUNNY DAY AND NO MOISTURE IN THE AIR OR FAILED JUST TO CLEAN YOUR WINDOW. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE WIPER MOTOR FAILURE BECAUSE IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME; GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD FIX THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GET KILLED. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .