FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2001 GMC Sierra 3500
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 36 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 GMC Sierra 3500, most frequently naming the brakes, engine and fuel system categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 164 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.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 2001 | 3 | 3 |
| Aug 2001 | 1 | 4 |
| Sep 2002 | 1 | 5 |
| Apr 2003 | 1 | 6 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 7 |
| Dec 2004 | 1 | 8 |
| May 2005 | 1 | 9 |
| Aug 2005 | 1 | 10 |
| Oct 2005 | 2 | 12 |
| Jan 2006 | 2 | 14 |
| Jul 2006 | 1 | 15 |
| Oct 2006 | 1 | 16 |
| Nov 2006 | 1 | 17 |
| Dec 2007 | 1 | 18 |
| Jan 2008 | 1 | 19 |
| May 2008 | 1 | 20 |
| Jul 2008 | 1 | 21 |
| Aug 2008 | 1 | 22 |
| Nov 2008 | 1 | 23 |
| Sep 2009 | 1 | 24 |
| Jul 2010 | 1 | 25 |
| Aug 2010 | 1 | 26 |
| Jan 2011 | 1 | 27 |
| Oct 2011 | 1 | 28 |
| Jul 2012 | 1 | 29 |
| Sep 2013 | 1 | 30 |
| May 2014 | 1 | 31 |
| Jul 2014 | 1 | 32 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 33 |
| May 2016 | 1 | 34 |
| Oct 2018 | 1 | 35 |
| Feb 2021 | 1 | 36 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Brakes1637.2%
- Engine920.9%
- Fuel system818.6%
- Tires & wheels24.7%
- Body & structure24.7%
- Electrical24.7%
- Interior & seats12.3%
- Other / unspecified12.3%
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
3 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.govEQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
INTERIOR LIGHTING
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE - STALL
IN A LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 7, 2007, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) REPORTED TO THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (07V-521) TO REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR (CKP) IN APPROXIMATELY 12,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO AND GMC SIERRA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 8.1 LITER ENGINES MANUFACTURED ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 15, 2000.ACCORDING TO GM, THE CKP CAN FAIL INTERMITTENTLY OR PERMANENTLY.A PERMANENT CKP FAILURE WOULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE STALL WITHOUT RESTART.AN INTERMITTENT CKP FAILURE COULD CAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, THE VEHICLE TO RUN ROUGH OR THE ENGINE TO STALL BUT ALLOWS RESTART.AS A REMEDY, AN IMPROVED CKP WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE RECALL CAMPAIGN WILL START IN DECEMBER 2007. DURING THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE06-016), AND THIS EA INVESTIGATION, GM AND ODI INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTED DETAILED REVIEWS OF CERTAIN FIELD DATA TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE AND RATE OF SUBJECT VEHICLE STALLING DUE TO CKP FAILURES.GM AND ODI REVIEWED GM'S WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR THE CKP WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF ASCERTAINING AN ESTIMATE OF THOSE CLAIMS REPRESENTING AN ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING.THE CKP WARRANTY CLAIMS WITHOUT VERBATIM TEXT WERE THE LARGEST SEGMENT OF WARRANTY CLAIMS.USING THOSE CLAIMS, GM SURVEYED VEHICLE OWNERS TO GATHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO DETERMINE IF THE CLAIM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A STALL WHILE DRIVING EVENT.BASED ON THE SURVEY, GM ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 49% OF ALL WARRANTY REPAIRS FOR THE CKP INVOLVED A STALL WHILE DRIVING.ODI?S REVIEW OF GM'S SURVEY DATA PRODUCED A HIGHER ESTIMATE (71%) FOR STALL WHILE DRIVING.GM FURTHER ESTIMATED THE RATE OF STALL WHILE DRIVING FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES OVER TIME.IT ESTIMATED STALLING WHILE DRIVING RATES OF 1.6%, 4.6% AND 8.9% AT 1, 3 AND 6 YEARS IN SERVICE RESPECTIVELY.ODI'S REVIEW OF THE GM'S SURVEY DATA FINDS HIGHER ESTIMATED STALL WHILE DRIVING RATES OF 2.2%, 6.8% AND 13% AT 1, 3 AND 6 YEARS IN SERVICE RESPECTIVELY. ODI ALSO CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF VEHICLE OWNERS USING CONSUMER COMPLAINTS REPORTED TO BOTH ODI AND GM.THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO ASCERTAIN THE POTENTIAL SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF AN ENGINE STALL DUE TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.WITH RESPECT TO THE ABILITY TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER A STALL, 11% REPORTED IMMEDIATE RESTART, 69% REPORTED DELAYED RESTART AND 20% REPORTED NO RESTART.OVER HALF NOTED AT LEAST ONE ENGINE STALL INCIDENT AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 40MPH. ABOUT ONE-THIRD NOTED THE VEHICLE WAS STRANDED EITHER PARTIALLY OR FULLY IN A LANE OF TRAFFIC AFTER THE ENGINE STALL.ALL OF THE CONSUMERS SURVEYED NOTED MULTIPLE STALLING EVENTS PRIOR TO PROPER DIAGNOSIS AND REPLACEMENT OF THE CKP.BASED ON GM'S DECISION TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
HYDRAULIC PUMP SHAFT FAILURES
THE PRELIMINARY EVAULATION IS BEING UPGRADED.DURING THE EA ODI WILL LIMITITS INVESTIGATION TO ONLY THOSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HYDRO-BOOST SYSTEM, WHICH PROVIDES POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKING AND STEERING SYTEMS.VACCUUM BRAKE BOOSTER VEHICLES ARE EXCLUDED.ODI HASEXPANDED THE SCOPE OF THE EA TO INCLUDE MODEL YEARS2003 AND 2004, ASDURING THE PE, ODI LEARNED THAT THE HYDROBOAST PUMPS WERE MODIFIED IN FEBRAURY 2004.THEREFORE,ODI HAS EXPANDED THE SCOPE TO INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL MODEL YEARS.ODI'S IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THISISA SUDDEN FAILURE THAT AFFECTS TWO CRITICAL SYSTEMS OF THE VEHICLE, BRAKES AND STEERING, AT THE SAME TIME.THE ABILITY OF THE OPERATOR TO HANDLE THE DUAL FAILURES IS A CONCERN. FURTHER, THESE VEHICLES TEND TO BE WORK VEHICLES, WITH SOME OVER 10,000 POUNDS GVWR AND MANY EQUIPPED TO PULL LARGE TRAILERS.DUAL FAILURES OF HEAVILY LOADED VEHICLES AND VEHICLES PULLING TRAILERS FURTHER INCREASES THE SAFETY RISK.ODI PLANS TO CONDUCT TESTING TO QUANTIFY THE BRAKING AND STEERING PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION AND THE IMPACT ON SAFE VEHICLE CONTROL, WHEN A HYDROBOAST PUMP FAILS.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
THE TRUCK HAS LOW MILEAGE FOR IT'S AGE BUT IT 3 TIMES STARTING IN 2005 IT HAS CAUGHT FIRE IN AND AROUND THE BATTERY/ALTERNATOR. I'VE GIVEN GMC MULTIPLE TIMES TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN. IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY AT FIRST AND IT HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY THE OTHER DAY.
- NHTSA ID
- 11396402
- Incident
- Feb 14, 2020
SOLD ME A "GOOD RUNNING VEHICLE" THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM FAILED CAUSE ENGINE TO SHUTDOWN, CAUSED NO BRAKING, VEHICLE PULLED OUT OF CENTER DO TO STEERING COMPONENTS, NO SAFETY BELTS IN REAR OF VEHICLE
- NHTSA ID
- 11142741
- Incident
- Aug 21, 2018
- Mileage
- 98 mi
I ALMOST RAN INTO ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE THE OTHER DRIVER STOPPED SUDDENLY AND I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES OVER AND OVER TO STOP WHEN THE RUSTED LINE BROKE. I WAS ON A CITY STREET DRIVING SPEED LIMIT AND WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO STOP. I WAS TOWING MY TRAILER LAST WEEK AND ALMOST LOST THE TRAILER BECAUSE THE ENTIRE UNDERBODY IS RUSTED. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL TRUCKS AND NEVER HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN. IT WAS A SCARY SITUATION IN BOTH CASES.
- NHTSA ID
- 10864689
- Incident
- May 12, 2016
- Mileage
- 240,000 mi
BRAKE LINE RUPTURED LEADING TO COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING. HIT CAR IN FRONT OF ME AS IT CAME TO A STOP. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED DUE TO BRAKE LINE RUPTURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINE METAL. PLEASE FORCE GM TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10653437
- Incident
- Oct 10, 2014
- Mileage
- 75,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INJECTION PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO YEARS LATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INJECTION PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10614620
- Incident
- Oct 7, 2009
- Mileage
- 19,000 mi
THREE WEEKS AGO NOTICED LOW BRAKE FLUID. FILLED RESERVOIR AND DIDN'T SEE AND LEAKS. YESTERDAY I WAS IN TOWN SHOPPING AND WHEN I CAME OUT OF STORE AND LEAVING BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO FLOOR WHEN I TRIED TO STOP HAD ENOUGH BRAKE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING CAR IN FRONT OF ME. BOUGHT A QUART OF FLUID AND REFILLED TANK AND CAUTIOUSLY MADE IT THE 25 MILES HOME AFTER REFILLING TWICE. LOOKED UNDER TRUCK AND SAW LEAK ABOVE THE FUEL FILTER. THE WHOLE LINE UNDER TRUCK IS TERRIBLY CORRODED AND WILL NEED REPLACING. I LIVE IN HAWAII AND HAVE HAD THE TRUCK FOR 5 YEARS SO NO SALT DAMAGE HERE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10588454
- Incident
- May 13, 2014
- Mileage
- 112,609 mi
MY 2001 GMC SIERRA 3500 WITH A 8.1L V8 ENGINE STALLED WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. IT WOULD NOT RESTART UNTIL A "COOL" DOWN PERIOD. THIS PROBLEM SURFACED AS NOT BEING ABLE TO START THE ENGINE AFTER IT HAD RUN AND THEN SET FOR 30 - 60 MINUTES AND WOULD NOT START UNTIL SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO START IT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE LAST YEAR AND HAS PROGRESSED TO THE STALL ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET AN ENGINE FAILURE CODE FROM THE VEHICLE LISTED AS CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILURE. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THE RECALL FROM GMC (06083 -- CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ENGINE STALL) AND CALLED THE DEALER WHICH INFORMED ME THAT MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. I THEN CALLED GMC'S CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED THAT I'M HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEMS LISTED ON THE EXACT VEHICLE WITH THE EXACT ENGINE LISTED. ALSO I HAVE SINCE FOUND 3 OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH NHTSA OF THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER VEHICLES THAT WERE NOT COVERED. IT IS EVIDENT TO ME THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS BEYOND THE BLOCK OF VIN'S GMC RECALLED AND SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER THESE OTHER VEHICLES. GMC DOES NOT SEEM TO BE INTERESTED IN EXTENDING THIS RECALL AND IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS A VEHICLE STALLING ON THE FREEWAY IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT SHOULD BE RESOLVED. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10542659
- Incident
- Sep 6, 2013
- Mileage
- 76,000 mi
BRAKES FAILED DUE TO RUPTURE OF RUSTED BRAKE LINE, NO WARNING LIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. WAS BARELY ABLE TO STOP BY PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. MULTIPLE BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10467071
- Incident
- Jul 13, 2012
- Mileage
- 78,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
ENGINE
This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
ENGINE
This service bulletin explains how to measure for oil consumption and possible reasons for loss of oil.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.
POWER TRAIN
GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging or shipping. This bulletin advises the dealers to be more careful not to damage the transmissions during removal and to package the core properly for return.
ENGINE; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up.
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
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 42.5 |
| 2024 | 43 | 3 | 0 | 51.6 |
| 2023 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 55.9 |
| 2022 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 61.5 |
| 2021 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 52.6 |
| 2020 | 51 | 8 | 1 | 62.6 |
| 2019 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 63.0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 49.9 |
| 2017 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 62.4 |
| 2016 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 42.0 |
| 2015 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 55.2 |
| 2014 | 7 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 2013 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 58.5 |
| 2012 | 9 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 2011 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 50.3 |
| 2010 | 2 | 5 | 1 | — |
| 2009 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — |
| 2008 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 55.8 |
| 2007 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 52.4 |
| 2006 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 49.5 |
| 2005 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 35.0 |
| 2004 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 38.9 |
| 2003 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 57.4 |
| 2001Viewing | 36 | 3 | 2 | 59.7 |
| 2000 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 57.8 |
| 1999 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 49.5 |
| 1998 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 52.4 |
| 1997 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 59.7 |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
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.