2001 Chevrolet Suburban

On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The subject vehicles represent the first five MY's of GM's GMT800 platform production, of which approximately 2,038,504 vehicles were sold in salt states (the subject vehicles).The GMT800 platform includes the following vehicles:1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 series pick-up trucks; 2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles; and 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Avalanche sport-utility vehicles.General Motors produced a total of approximately 10,427,062 GMT800 vehicles for sales in the United States, including almost 5 million that were sold in salt states.Although there are over 60 different brake pipe routing configuration used in GMT800 vehicles, with the exception of the rear crossover pipes in MY 200x-2007 vehicles that changed from rear disc to drum brakes, all of the vehicles use brake pipes from the same supplier with a common double-wall, brazed steel pipe design with a combination of hot dip Zinc-Aluminum corrosion protection coating and Aluminum paint outer layer known in the industry as AlGal (ASTM-B750). ODI analysis of field data regarding GMT800 vehicles identified a total of 3,645 complaints of brake pipe corrosion failures, including 107 alleging crashes, and 40 injuries.Though only 20% of total GMT800 production, due to age and region the subject vehicles account for a disproportionate share of the failure experience; with 2,702 of the complaints (75%), 88 of the crashes (82%) and 20 of the injuries (50%) reported in those vehicles.Analysis of the complaints showed strong correlations to vehicle age and region.For vehicles with less than 8 years of service, the complaint rates were minimal for all regions.In the salt states the failure rates begin to climb as the vehicles advance in age, particularly in the Northeast corner of the United States.The complaint rates in the salt states go from less than 0.1 incident per thousand vehicles (IPTV) at 7 years in service to over 1.0 IPTV after the 12th year of service for the subject pickup trucks and utility vehicles.Most of the failures reported to ODI occurred in vehicles with more than 10 years in service.ODI?s investigation did not identify any specific defect conditions that were causing or contributing to the brake pipe failures.Nor did the analysis isolate the problem to any subject vehicle sub-populations when analyzed by vehicle type or production range.The investigation found that vehicles experiencing brake pipe corrosion failures were likely to have general patterns of excessive corrosion on the majority of the brake pipe assembly and appear to be occurring due to expected wear out for the brake pipe coating material used in the subject vehicles and the environmental conditions in severe corrosion states.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor t

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received Defect Petition DP10-003 on March 2, 2010, requesting the investigation of model year (MY) 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD pickup trucks for corrosion failures of the vehicle brake lines.DP10-003 was granted and on March 30, 2010, Preliminary Evaluation PE10-010 was opened on more than six million model year 1999 through 2003 light trucks and sport utility vehicles manufactured and sold by General Motors Corporation (GM).On July 2, 2010, ODI received GM's response to an information request, which included GM's assessment of the frequency and safety consequences of the alleged defect. GM stated that:(1) the brake system of the subject vehicles is split front/rear and should a brake pipe suddenly fail for any reason, the affected vehicle would be capable of stopping with the pressure supplied by the remaining circuit; (2) the subject vehicles were designed to meet the hydraulic circuit partial failure requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 105 and 135, Light Vehicle Brake Systems; and (3) should a brake fluid leak occur for any reason, the brake system malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) would illuminate and warn the driver before the brake fluid level was low enough to cause a loss of line pressure.ODI's and GM's analysis indicates that 85 percent of the complaints occurred on vehicles used primarily in States that use salt on the roads during Winter months (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin).Overall the complaint rates per 100,000 vehicles for Salt Belt States is 43.0 and Non-Salt Belt is 3.0.In approximately 25 percent of the complaints the brake pipe failure occurred suddenly, with no warning (i.e., no MIL, Brake Fluid Loss Warning), and resulted in extended stopping distances.In 30 of these the increase in stopping distance that resulted was a factor in the crash and in 10 others the vehicle was intentionally steered off the road or into another lane of travel in order to avoid a crash.This investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA11-001) for subject vehicles sold or currently registered in Salt Belt States to further assess the scope, frequency and safety risks associated with sudden failures of corroded brake pipes that can result in decreased brake effectiveness. ODI will continue to gather information on subject vehicles outside the Salt Belt as well.

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE06-016) ON MAY 4, 2006 BASED ON ELEVEN VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRES (VOQS) AND EARLY WARNING (EWR) DATA ALLEGING SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING AS A RESULT OF CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURES IN MY 2001-2002 GENERAL MOTORS C/K PLATFORM VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 8.1L ENGINES.IN RESPONSE TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER SENT BY ODI, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) PROVIDED OWNER COMPLAINT INFORMATION, FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA BASED ON A POPULATION OF 108,338 VEHICLES. THE DATA WAS CATEGORIZED BY ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE STALLS WITH AN UNKNOWN DRIVING CONDITION, NO START CONDITIONS AND CLAIMS WHERE IT WAS INDETERMINATE IF AN ENGINE STALL OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING.GENERAL MOTOR'S RESPONSE INCLUDED 1,213 OWNER COMPLAINTS AND FIELD REPORTS OF WHICH 289 WERE CATEGORIZED AS ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING ALLEGEDLY CAUSED BY CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURES. GENERAL MOTORS ALSO SUBMITTED WARRANTY CLAIMS FROM ITS REGULAR WARRANTY (5 YEARS/50,000 MILES) AND FROM ITS EXTENDED WARRANTY DATABASE. FROM THE REGULAR WARRANTY DATABASE THERE WERE 3,140 CLAIMS OF CRANK POSITION SENSOR REPLACEMENT OF WHICH 147 CLAIMS WERE FROM CONSUMERS ALLEGING ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING.GM STATED THAT 2,841 OF THE CLAIMS WERE INDETERMINATE IF AN ENGINE STALL OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING.FROM ITS EXTENDED WARRANTY DATABASE, GM SUBMITTED 1,561 CLAIMS OF CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE THAT IT ALSO STATED WERE INDETERMINATE AS TO WHETHER AN ENGINE STALL OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING.IN TOTAL, GM REPORTS 4,701 CLAIMS OF CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE COMBINING REGULAR WARRANTY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY.SIMILAR TO GM'S STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, ODI'S ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE FAILURE RATE FOR WARRANTY CLAIMS OF ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING AT THREE YEARS IN SERVICE IS LOW (LESS THAN 1%).HOWEVER, FURTHER ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT THE MY 2001 VEHICLE BUILD PERIOD FROM MAY 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 2000 HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER (MORE THAN FOUR TIMES) CRANK POSITION FAILURE RATES IN BOTH CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA THAN IN THE BUILD PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 2000 THROUGH JULY 2001.ADDING THE CLAIMS OF KNOWN ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING AND CLAIMS WHERE ENGINE STALL WAS INDETERMINATE, THE FAILURE RATE AT THREE YEARS IN SERVICE FOR THIS POPULATION IS OVER 6%.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA06-016) HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FREQUENCY AND POTENTIAL SAFETY CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN VEHICLES BUILT FROM MAY 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 2000.

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.

The ABS and Brake lights illuminate as per GM recall 05v379000. This occurs each time the vehicle is driven. I purchased this vehicle on 12/6/2023 from Kyle's Kars which is a used car dealership in Slatington, PA. A warranty was not offered due to the age, however I did purchase a warranty from Car Shield. This repair would not fall under the warranty guidelines.

NHTSA ID

11562968

Incident

Dec 6, 2023

this vehicle has a non-functioning parking brake. There was a recall in 2004 for 880,000 trucks and suv's. I have taken it to my garage twice but they cannot fix this problem because it is not fixable

NHTSA ID

11528704

Incident

Jun 25, 2023

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING BEHIND HIS FATHER'S VEHICLE, THEY HAD APPROACHED A STOP AND ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. AS HIS FOOT WAS ON THE PEDAL, THE CONTACT COULD HEAR THE ABS MAKING AN ABNORMAL NOISE AS THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO OPERATE AS NEEDED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HIT THE BACK OF HIS FATHER'S VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. DUE TO THE LOW IMPACT OF THE CRASH, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V379000(SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11387043

Incident

Oct 27, 2020

Mileage

159,000 mi

FUEL PUMP MAY FALTER OR FAIL; FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL, REPLACED IT; OTHER FUSES PASSED TESTING WITH METER; VEHICLE STARTED, WOULD NOT RUN MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES. NEW FUEL FILTER. GUY AT SERVICE STATION BANGED ON GAS TANK, AND IT WOULD START THEN RUN GREAT FOR A MINUTE, THEN WILL NOT RESTART. ORDERING A REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP. BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN 2005 ABOUT THE TIME OF GM RECALL 05027. IN DOING ONLINE TROUBLE-SHOOTING TODAY, I DISCOVERED THE 2001 GM RECALL 05027. HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES. FUEL FILTER WAS LAST CHANGED IN JULY 2009. COMPLETE FAILURE WHEN IN MOTION, BACKING OUT OF SERVICE STATION ONTO MAIN STREET (US 64 BUS), JUST INCHES FROM LANE OF TRAVEL (6.14.19).WHAT COULD BE WORSE THAN FUEL PUMP FAILURE AT A BUSY INTERSECTION DURING LUNCH HOUR? GRATEFUL IT DIDN'T CATCH FIRE, OR GET HIT. AS THE SERVICE ATTENDANT TRIED TO RESTART IT, OVER AND OVER, THE RELAY IN THE ECU MAY HAVE FAILED AT THAT TIME. IN THE INTERIM, MY HUSBAND DIED. I REPLACED RELAY/FUSES TODAY 9/14/19, AND VEHICLE STARTED, BUT WOULD NOT STAY RUNNING. ANOTHER MECHANIC BANGED ON FUEL TANK, IT RAN FOR A WHILE, SO HE ADVISED REPLACING PUMP, WHICH IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE AFTER VIEWING YOUTUBE HOW-TO VIDEOS. WITH THE PUMP FAILING SPORADICALLY, AND RESPONDING TO THE VIBRATION OF BEING BANGED, IT SEEMS LIKE FAULTY WIRING OR CONNECTION PROBLEM, OR THAT SOMETHING IS LOOSE OR NOT FULLY SEATED ANYMORE. LOTS OF FOLKS SAY THE CHEVY 1500 IS WIDELY KNOWN FOR FUEL SUPPLY PROBLEMS. GAS GAUGE HAS NOT BEEN ACCURATE EVER. WHEN FULL, IT MAY SHOW EMPTY WHEN TURNING OR HITTING A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD. (TRACK BY COMPUTING MPG AND MILEAGE, TO DETERMINE RANGE). IN SHORT DISTANCES, IT SWINGS FULL-> EMPTY->FULL. WIRING DIAGRAM SHOWS TINY FUSE LABELED PRIME, NONE THERE. ABS INDICATOR LIGHTS UP BECAUSE SENSOR CABLE AT RIGHT FRONT TIRE MAY FAIL ON LEFT TURN, OR HARD RIGHT TURN, YET BRAKES ARE FINE.

NHTSA ID

11255689

Incident

Jun 14, 2019

Mileage

209,357 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COMMONWEALTH CHEVROLET (155 MARSTON ST, LAWRENCE, MA 01841, (978) 687-3000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

NHTSA ID

11154591

Incident

Nov 14, 2018

Mileage

210,000 mi

THE PASSENGER SIDE SECOND SEAT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT.

NHTSA ID

11121731

Incident

May 13, 2018

Mileage

248,325 mi

EXHAUST AND MANIFOLD COVER BOLTS ARE TOO WEAK AND THE HEADS BREAK OFF. I HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THEM WITH RACING BOLTS. MUCH BETTER NOW.

NHTSA ID

10990836

Incident

Aug 20, 2014

Mileage

109,000 mi

ON MARCH 16, 2017, I WAS TRAVELLING ON A MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IN MY 2001 SUBURBAN WITH THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER ON. I WAS SITTING ON A THIN SEAT CUSHION. TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE 40 MINUTE TRIP, I TURNED MY SEAT HEATER OFF. TEN OR SO MINUTES LATER, I SMELLED A HORRIBLE RUBBER/PLASTIC BURNING SMELL. WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION, I LIFTED MY CUSHION AND SAW THAT THE SEAT HAD A BURNED HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER AND INTO MY SEAT CUSHION. IT WAS WARM, BUT I DID NOT SEE A FLAME. WHEN I GOT HOME IN THE BAY AREA, I CONTACTED GM, AND THEY OPENED A CASE NUMBER AND TOLD ME TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO A DEALER, AND THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE. I RECEIVED A CALL YESTERDAY FROM THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP., AND SHE TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE COVERING THIS AS MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, IN SO MANY WORDS. I ASKED WHAT THE DEALER HAD FOUND, AND SHE COULDN'T TELL ME. I REITERATED TO HER THAT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME. MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HEATER IS NOW GETTING VERY HOT, AND I AM CONCERNED NOW ABOUT THAT. PLEASE NOTE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER IS STILL WORKING IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE BUTTON ON THE DOOR. TODAY, I FOUND OUT FROM THE DEALER THAT THEY WERE NOT INSTRUCTED BY GM TO LOOK INTO THE SEAT TO SEE WHAT CAUSED THIS, ONLY TO TAKE PICTURES, ETC. NOBODY KNOWS WHY IT HAPPENED. HOW CAN THEY DENY ANYTHING WITHOUT DETERMINING THE CAUSE IS MY THOUGHT. AREN'T THEY CONCERNED THEIR SEATS OVERHEAT? SHOULD THEY BE WARNING THE PUBLIC? MY SEATS ARE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, EVEN THOUGH IT IS AN OLDER VEHICLE. INTERESTING TO NOTE WHEN WE PICKED THE CAR UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE SERVICE WRITER SAID I SHOULDN'T WORRY SINCE IT IS NOT WORKING NOW BECAUSE A WIRED PROBABLY BROKE (EVERYTHING IS PROBABLY OR MAYBE). I CORRECTED HIM AND SHOWED HIM THAT IT DOES. HE WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE THAT IT STILL DID. SO, THE QUESTION IS WHY DID IT OVERHEAT. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA ID

10981322

Incident

Mar 16, 2017

Mileage

180,000 mi

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.

This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.