RoadVitals

2001 GMC Sierra 3500 Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
9
Latest Oct 25, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
25%
of 36 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 GMC Sierra 3500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EngineFuel systemSteering
Filed Oct 25, 2018

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
Engine
Filed Sep 9, 2013

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
Engine
Filed Oct 25, 2011

EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE ON DRIVER SIDE, BACK TWO. THESE BOLTS ARE FAR TOO SMALL FOR THE JOB AND THIS EXPOSES HEAT AND EXHAUST GASES TO THE ENVIRONMENT. CREATING A FIRE DANGER TOO. *TT

NHTSA ID
10432747
Incident
Oct 13, 2011
Mileage
69,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 1, 2010

2001 GMC SERRIA 3500 VIN #[XXX]. VEHICLE INTERMITTANTLY STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART FOR A WHILE. I SEE A RECALL # 07V521000 FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT GM SAYS THIS VIN IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. IT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. IT SEEMS THE RECALL DIDN'T INCLUDE ENOUGH VINS. THIS TRUCK ONLY HAS 55K MILES ON IT. PLEASE REOPEN A FAILURE INVESTIGATION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10340933
Incident
Jun 30, 2010
Mileage
55,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 16, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SIERRA 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY THE ENGINE STALLED; HOWEVER, HE WAS ABLE TO RE-START IT IMMEDIATELY OR AFTER A COOL DOWN PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR AT AN EXPENSE OF $400.59. HE THEN ADDED THAT BECAUSE THE VIN NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL# 07V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,550. UPDATED 10/13/09 *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE GOING THROUGH HIS FILES, HE DISCOVERED THE CAM CAM SENSOR WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST 2004. AT THAT TIME, ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CRANK SENSOR WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2009. UPDATED 10/14/09. *JB

NHTSA ID
10284155
Incident
Aug 24, 2009
Mileage
65,500 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 18, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SES WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND TYPICALLY RESTARTS. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVER $400 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,500. UPDATED 12/30/08 . *LJ THE DEALER REPLACED A FAULTY CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE HE WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 01/05/09. *JB

NHTSA ID
10238758
Incident
Jun 30, 2008
Mileage
52,500 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Jul 29, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SIERRA 3500. INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT ANY RATE OF SPEED, IT SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MUST WAIT UP TO 20 MINUTES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AT LEAST FOUR TIMES FOR THIS FAILURE. THE FUEL FILTER WAS CHANGED ON ONE OCCASION, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED FOR THE OTHER THREE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V521000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID
10236224
Incident
Feb 18, 2006
Mileage
80,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 14, 2006

ABOUT APRIL OF 2005 MY TRUCK STARTED SHUTTING OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. AT THIS TIME IT WOULD RESTART AUTOMATICALLY WITH NO OTHER PROBLEMS. TOOK IT IN TO THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRUCK WAS MISSING A STALL CODE AND THAT THEY HAD UPDATED IT. IN SEPTEMBER IT STARTED TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I HAD ASKED SOME MECHANICS I KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE AN IGNITION PROBLEM. WE STARTED CHECKING ALL IGNITION CONNECTIONS, FUSES, GROUNDS ETC. IT STOPPED FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WERE IT WILL SHUT OFF THREE AND FOUR TIMES PER TRIP. WHILE MYSELF AND TWO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE WORKING IN LUGOFF SC IT SHUT OFF ON US IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY, NEARLY CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND THAT IF IT DID IT AGAIN TO CALL THEM AND THEY WOULD SEND A SERVICE TECH OUT TO LOOK AT IT. I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN THAT GM NEEDS TO LOOK INTO. *JB

NHTSA ID
10147760
Incident
Jun 27, 2005
EngineFuel system
Filed Mar 8, 2001
Fire reported

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE, CLAIM 75-A337-158. *SLC

NHTSA ID
6900666
Incident
Mar 7, 2001

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .