GMC Sierra Complaints (2001)

582 consumer complaints on file.

#10610057July 12, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
EXPERIENCED COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY TRAVELING 15MPH AND IN AN AREA THAT WASN'T CONGESTED WITH TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO STOP BY USING THE ROADSIDE BERM BANKING AND AVOIDED ANY FURTHER DAMAGE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY GM DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH BRAKE LINES HAD CORRODED SO BADLY IT CAUSED THE LINES TO RUPTURE RESULTING IN AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF PRESSURE AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. JUST DAYS EARLIER I HAD THE BRAKES SERVICED AT A DIFFERENT GM DEALERSHIP NEAR MY HOME AND THERE WAS NO MENTION OF THIS CONDITION NOR THE PREVIOUS REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM FROM OTHER OWNERS AS NOTED ON THIS WEB SITE. EVEN IF GM OR THE NHTSA DOES NOT DEEM THIS ISSUE FREQUENT ENOUGH TO ISSUE A TSB, AT MINIMUM A SERVICE WARNING/RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE ISSUED TO GM DEALERSHIPS AND OTHER REGISTERED SERVICE PROVIDERS ALERTING THEM TO INSPECT FOR THIS CONDITION WHILE SERVICING THE BRAKING SYSTEMS FOR THESE MODEL YEARS. DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY CAN AND MOST LIKELY WILL OCCUR AS THERE ARE MANY VEHICLES FROM THESE MODEL YEARS STILL ON THE ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10606424June 27, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED REPEATEDLY IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT UPON STOPPING, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED BOTH FRONT WHEEL ABS SENSORS. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10604539June 19, 2014
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TRUCK JUST SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, COAST TO SAFEST PULL OVER, TURN KEY OFF, SIT AND WAIT A MINUTE, SOMETIMES LONGER, TRY TO START ENGINE, USUALLY STARTS, SOMETIMES LONGER WAITS. OTHER THEN THE APPARENT SAFETY POSSIBILITIES, DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT. WELL, THIS WOULD HAPPEN EVERY ONCE & AWHILE. FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, LAST 3 MONTHS WITH INCREASING OCCURRENCES. TRUCK OUT OF WARRANTY, SO I HAVE IT SERVICED LOCALLY, DAVE COTE AUTOMOTIVE, A GM TRAINED TECHNICIAN WITH 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE, PROBLEM DIAGNOSED, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AT THE REAR OF THE 8.1 L ENGINE. TECHNICIAN COTE HAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME REMOVING SENSOR, AT THIS WRITING STILL NO WORD. COTE GOES ON LINE TO SEEK ONLINE HELP FROM OTHER TECH'S AND DISCOVERS A SUPPOSED RECALL FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL TRUCK, THAT I NEVER RECEIVED. I ENQUIRE AT THE LOCAL DEALER VENDEHTTI MOTORS, FRANKLIN, MA ABOUT IT AFTER SUPPLYING THE VIN NUMBER, THEY TELL ME THAT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL? I SAY TO THEM THAT "HOW CAN THAT BE WHEN IT IS DOING WHAT THE RECALL WAS FOR" & THEY SAID "THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AT THE FACTORY BEFORE MY TRUCK WAS MANUFACTURED"? SO I AM ASKING WHY I WILL HAVE TO PAY POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT I CAN NOT AFFORD AT PRESENT, WHEN OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED TO BEGIN WITH. SENSOR IN BAD LOCATION. I OWN A SMALL LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CO. MOSTLY MOWING & SEASONAL CLEAN-UPS, I WAS EXPECTING TO USE THIS TRUCK TILL I HAD TO RETIRE. IT IS MY SOLE MEANS TO OPERATE PLOWING & LANDSCAPING BUSINESS. I CAN NOT AFFORD A NEW TRUCK. THIS TRUCK HAS LESS THEN 45,000 MILES ON IT, IT IS USED LOCALLY ONLY, LESS THEN 4,000 MI. A YEAR, I HAVE MAINTAINED IT WELL. NO MAJOR ACCIDENTS, LITTLE PLOWING DENTS. CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT GM IS NOT ONLY HAVING RECENT DIFFICULTIES WITH ITS VEHICLES BUT HAS BEEN HIDING ALLOT FROM THE PUBLIC & GOVERNMENT! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10593981May 25, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
AFTER BACKING MY TRUCK INTO MY DRIVEWAY, I WAS REACHING INTO THE BACK SEAT WHILE PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. UPON INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT I HAD A HOLE IN MY REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE. IT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. FURTHER INVESTIGATING SHOWED THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE VERY RUSTY AND IN POOR CONDITION. I HAVE REPAIRED THE RUPTURED LINE, BUT AM FEARFUL OF ANOTHER RUPTURE. I BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE ALL THE BRAKE LINES ON THIS VEHICLE. WHY DOES GM NOT USE HIGH QUALITY STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINES FOR ALL VEHICLES? ALL VEHICLE MAKERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO USE HIGH QUALITY STAINLESS STEEL FOR BRAKE LINES AND BRAKE COMPONENTS SUSCEPTIBLE TO RUST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10588454May 14, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10585834May 1, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOD, HAD DIFFICULTY STOPPING TRUCK, LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10576461April 1, 2014
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
WHEN MY ISSUES STARTED, I WOULD FILL MY GAS TANK AND THE GAS GAUGE WOULD PLUMMET TO EMPTY. WHILE DRIVING, IT WOULD GO TO FULL, BACK TO EMPTY OR BE ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN. AT THAT TIME, THERE NO NO MECHANICAL ISSUES, JUST THE ANNOYING FACT THAT YOU HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH FUEL YOU ACTUALLY HAD. THIS WENT ON UNTIL THIS SPRING, WHEN I HAD THE FIRST POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS INCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY THE SPEED LIMIT AND THE TRUCK'S ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF. NO POWER STEERING, NOTHING. IT HAPPENED JUST AS I WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN THANKFULLY. I WAS ABOUT 50 MILES FROM HOME AND WAS ABLE TO CALL A FRIEND THAT MANAGES THE COLLISION CENTER OF A LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP TO SEE ABOUT GETTING A TOW OR HIS OPINION AS TO WHAT WAS WRONG. AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES AND AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, IT RESTARTED. I TALKED TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND GOT THE SAME ANSWER FROM ALL OF THEM: THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT FAIL IN GMC TRUCKS AROUND THE MILEAGE, 95,000 MILES, THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE ON THE TRUCK. THE GAS GAUGE IS STILL ERRATIC, I HAVE HAD TWO EPISODES OF THE VEHICLE STALLING AND NOW THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS COMING ON AND WHEN IT IS PUT ON AN ANALYZER IT SAYS EMISSIONS, BUT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIRS REPLACED AND EVERYONE SAYS TO GET A FACTORY MADE PUMP BECAUSE THE CHEAP AFTERMARKETS BREAK DOWN EVEN QUICKER. I GOOGLED THE INFORMATION AND THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10575996March 31, 2014
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE A 2001 GMC SIERRA THAT HAS BEEN LOSING COOLANT FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS NOW. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS JUST WANDERING WHY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10568693March 12, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
IT WAS SNOWING AND ICY OUTSIDE. I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE FOR AN UPCOMING RED LIGHT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I HAD VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER. I STEERED TO THE CURB TO AVOID TRAFFIC IN THE INTERSECTION. I JUMPED THE CURB AND CAME TO A STOP AGAINST A POWER POLE. DAMAGE TO THE POWER POLE AND TO THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK. ONE OF THE STEEL BRAKE LINES RUPTURED. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, ALL THE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10557466December 27, 2013
POWER TRAIN, WHEELS, SERVICE BRAKES
WAS ABOUT TO GO SHOPPING FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS, STEPPED ON BRAKE AT TOP OF COURT AND THE PEDDLE WENT TO FLOOR. NOT JUST LOSS OF HYDROS FULL ON BRAKE MALFUNCTION , NO BRAKES AT ALL. I LIVE IN NEW YORK AND TRUCK WAS PURCHASED FROM CONNECTICUT. DECIDED TO MAKE LEFT TURN AND MISSED GETTING HIT BY 18 WHEELER BY INCHES. I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE TO BE TYPING THIS NOW, NO THANKS TO GM. NO WARNING LIGHTS NOTHING AT ALL JUST NO BRAKES. TO ADD EMERGENCY BRAKE DID NOT WORK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10557296December 26, 2013
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10554144November 29, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
SUDDEN RUPTURE OF BRAKE LINE DUE TO HEAVY CORROSION. RUPTURE WAS EVIDENT ALONG A SEAM IN THE BRAKE LINE FROM THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. RUPTURE GREATLY REDUCED THE BRAKING CAPACITY. RENDERED VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10550519November 1, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STUCK TO THE FLOOR BOARD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING FLUID DUE TO CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10549748October 28, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRAVELING UNDER 5 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PEDAL BEGAN TO PULSATE. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548192October 17, 2013
ENGINE
ENGINE STALLED AFTER PULLING OUT ONTO HIGHWAY THEN RESTARTED, ENGINE STALLED AT STOP LIGHT RESTARTED 5 MINUTES LATER , ENGINE STALLED IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THEN STARTED TWO MINUTES LATER. GM RECALL #06083 CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FROM DEC. 11, 2007 NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MORE OR MAYBE ALL 2001S WITH 8.1L V8 NOT JUST THE VIN # THAT ARE LISTED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548323October 17, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
WE HAD DRIVEN ABOUT 90 MILES FROM OUR MAIN HOUSE TO OUR LAKE HOUSE ON FRIDAY NIGHT-BRAKES WERE FINE. SATURDAY MORNING WE BACKED THE SIERRA UP AND HOOKED UP THE BOAT TO THE HITCH. AFTER HOOKING UP THE BOAT WHILE WE WERE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. WE DROPPED THE BOAT AND DROVE THE SIERRA A FEW MILES TO THE STORE. WHILE AT THE STORE WE NOTICED A LEAK ABOVE THE GAS TANK. THE LEAK WAS BRAKE FLUID AND THE SIERRA TOOK AN ENTIRE BOTTLE OF BRAKE FLUID. WE DROVE IT THE FEW MILES BACK TO THE HOUSE AND GOT THE TRUCK TOWED HOME THE NEXT DAY. WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS DROPPED WE NOTICED RUST SO BAD ON THE FRAME THAT A SCREWDRIVER WENT THRU THE FRAME. THE FRAME COULD HAVE BUSTED APART RIGHT BEHIND THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548012October 15, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
STEPPED ON BRAKES APPROACHING YELLOW LIGHT ,SAILED RIGHT THOUGH LIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10547804October 14, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
BRAKE LINE FAILURE. WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH BUT ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED FROM THE OUTSIDE. ALWAYS RINSE UNDERCARRIAGE AFTER DRIVING ON SALT ROADS WHICH ISN'T THAT OFTEN IN CHESTERFIELD VA. SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES I KNOW OF 5 OTHER PERSONS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10542659September 9, 2013
ENGINE
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10541828September 4, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
I PARKED MY VEHICLE AND UPON EXITING OBSERVED FLUID DRIPS ON THE PAVEMENT. I TOUCHED AND SMELLED THE FLUID AND DETERMINED IT TO BE BRAKE FLUID. I THEN OBSERVED FLUID DRIPPING FROM BENEATH THE DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE BRAKE FLUID RES. AND OBSERVED IT TO BE BELOW THE 1/2 POINT. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES FROM MY HOME AND DECIDED TO TAKE THE BACK ROAD WHICH REQUIRED LESS BRAKING. THE FLUID WAS STILL LEAKING UPON MY ARRIVAL HOME. I SHOULD NOTE THERE WAS NO FLUID LEAKING PRIOR TO DEPARTING MY RESIDENCE. I DID NOTICE THE PEDAL TRAVEL TO HAVE INCREASED AND THE FEEL TO BE SLIGHTLY SPONGY AS I DROVE DOWN A STEEP GRADE REQUIRING SIGNIFICANT BRAKING TO MAINTAIN THE 35 MPH LIMIT INTO HAVRE DE GRACE. THE VEHICLE (2001 GMC 2500HD) IS NOT DRIVEN MUCH AND MOSTLY FOR LOCAL (<15 MILES) TRAVEL. THE FRONT ROTORS AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE LINES BLED APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO. THERE IS RUST EVIDENT ON THE BRAKE LINES. I MIGHT ARGUE THAT DUE TO THE VEHICLE AGE THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED; HOWEVER, THE EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE IS EQUIVALENT TO APPROXIMATELY THREE (3) YEARS WORTH OF DRIVING. HAVING OWNED MANY VEHICLES, THIS IS THE FIRST TO HAVE HAD SUCH A PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE THE UNSCHEDULED EXPENSE OF REPLACING THE BRAKE LINES. I AM LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN FURTHER FROM HOME WHERE I MIGHT HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE POSSIBLY CAUSING A CRASH.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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