2001 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck: common problems

Owners of the 2001 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 21
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 29% of all complaints
2 Fuel system 14% of all complaints
3 Structure 14% of all complaints
4 Tires 14% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
7 Steering 10% of all complaints
8 Air bags 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 6 complaints (29% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 3 complaints (14% of all).
Structure: 3 complaints (14% of all).
Tires: 3 complaints (14% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (10% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 21 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

tires: bulges, blowouts2 · 10%
airbags did not deploy1 · 5%
brake failure1 · 5%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 5%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 5%
jerking, harsh shifts1 · 5%
won't start1 · 5%
rollaway, parking brake1 · 5%
seat belts1 · 5%
steering or power steering problems1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	6	1
Fuel system	3	0
Structure	3	0
Tires	3	0
Electrical system	2	0
Engine and cooling	2	0
Steering	2	0
Air bags	1	1
Exterior lighting	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Parking brake	1	0
Powertrain	1	0
Seat belts	1	0
Seats	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Several times when backing and looking out the back window I have applied the brakes and hit the accellerator pedal at the same time. This causes the asb system to acctivate. When taken to the dealer they tell me that the brake pedel travel is no greater than any other vehilce of the same make and model.
Service brakes · crash · 2005-06-22 · NHTSA complaint #10126293
Airbags did not deploy in my vehicle, nor in the 2001chevy tahoe that tboned me.
Air bags · crash · 2002-02-11 · NHTSA complaint #757949
I have 2001 8.1 chevy 1 ton,had 3 crankshaft sensors replaced! 4 years never had a problem with 3 one!!!martys gmc replaced it!!(recalled) wanted old 1 back,they said no? 2 days before my 1 year warranty crank sensor failed!
Engine and cooling · 2010-01-04 · NHTSA complaint #10298206
Dt*: the contact stated that while driving the vehicle the fuel line constantly spewed gas from the rear of the vehicle. This occurred at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined the cause of the problem was due to rats chewing on the fuel line.
Fuel system · 2006-10-30 · NHTSA complaint #10172187
Parking brake will not work. The trucks were recalled, because they are a standard. Tahoes were not even though they are the same parking brake. My parking brake not working is dangerous when I park on a hill or when I need the extra safety.
Parking brake · 2005-10-25 · NHTSA complaint #10140802
In january of '05, the fuel gauge on my 2001 chevy tahoe quit working. It shows empty all of the time. This also causes my low fuel light to come on, and the check engine light to be on.
Fuel system · 2005-09-28 · NHTSA complaint #10138004
Catalytic converter problems - no power, bogs down when stopped
Engine and cooling · 2005-07-22 · NHTSA complaint #10129655
I went to restart my engine it would not start. 3) replaced starter which had locked up. Replaced starter relay which was the main factor for this failure. The starter relay will try to start the engine even if the key is out.
Electrical system · 2004-10-09 · NHTSA complaint #10093861

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20001
20014
20025
20031
20042
20056
20061
20101

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Chevrolet Truck has 16 complaints (32 years in the data). This year has 21, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, fuel system, structure. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: tires: bulges, blowouts (10%), airbags did not deploy (5%), brake failure (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2001 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2001 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.