2001 Gmc SIERRA 2500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
134 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
65,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 109 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 24 of 134 complaints (17.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 68 | 50.7% |
| Engine operation | 17 | 12.7% |
| Steering behavior | 11 | 8.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 8.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 5.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 2.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 24 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 16 |
| Service Brakes | 13 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 12 |
| Engine | 8 |
| Tires | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Steering | 5 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling: 16; Service Brakes: 13; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 12; Engine: 8; Tires: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Steering: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 30 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 24 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 13 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 20 |
| 150,000 and above | 16 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 30; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 20; 150,000 and above: 16
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (30). 25 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 20 |
| 2011 | 13 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2001: 2; 2002: 2; 2003: 8; 2004: 15; 2005: 10; 2006: 6; 2007: 7; 2008: 9; 2009: 9; 2010: 20; 2011: 13; 2012: 12; 2013: 7; 2014: 4; 2015: 2; 2016: 4; 2018: 2; 2021: 1; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 68 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 17 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10010953 · 2003-03-24 (March 24, 2003)
2 FIRESTONE LT265/75R16 DEVELOPED A CRACK WHICH RAN HALFWAY AROUND THE TIRE UP TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH WIDE IN BETWEEN THE OUTSIDE TREAD AND THE 1ST INSIDE TREAD. TIRES HAD APPROXIMATELY. 16,000 MILES ON THEM. COULD HAVE BEEN A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT AS WE WERE LEAVING ON A TRIP PULLING A HORSE TRAILER. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010953 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018603 · 2003-05-13 (May 13, 2003)
ENGINE PINGS/KNOCKS ON EVEN SLIGHT ACCELERATION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10018603 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021124 · 2003-06-05 (June 5, 2003)
FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4SII TREAD SEPARATION OF TWO TIRES WITHIN FOUR DAYS .*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 27,268 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021124 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10031965 · 2003-07-24 (July 24, 2003)
VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHILE DRIVING.*MR DEALER NOTIFIED. *CB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10043856 · 2003-10-29 (October 29, 2003)
TAILGATE CABLE SUDDENLY FAILED, NARROWLY AVOIDED DAMAGE / INJURY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10043856 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045142 · 2003-10-30 (October 30, 2003)
TAILGATE CABLE BROKE ON MY 2001 GMC 2500HD TRUCK. ONE (1) ONLY, BUT THE OTHER SIDE WAS REALLY RUSTY TOO. DEALER REPLACED THEM, LUCKILY I HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS "DEFECT" AND COULD INJURE SOMEONE BADLY. TRUCK TAILGATES ARE USED EXTENSIVELY FOR LOAD BEARING. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045142 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10047651 · 2003-11-26 (November 26, 2003)
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN THE EVENING ROAD WAS WET DUE TO EARLIER RAIN, TRAVELING AT 60-65 MPH, WHEN ANOTHER CAR PASSED US AND CHANGED LANES ERRATICALLY WHICH CAUSED THE NEED TO SLOW DOWN. UPON ENGAGING THE BRAKES THE ABS FAILED TO WORK, AND VEHICLE'S REAR END LOST TRACTION AND SLID INTO NEXT LANE OF TRAFFIC, THEN HIT GUARD RAIL AND SPUN TRUCK AROUND AND HIT BRIDGE GUARD RAIL ON OPPOSITE SIDE, CAUSING TRUCK TO STARTLE AND RIDE CONCRETE BRIDGE MEDIAN AND FINALLY COMING TO REST IN GRASS MEDIAN. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY …
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047651 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051406 · 2003-12-31 (December 31, 2003)
GMC 2500HD WILL NOT STOP OR TURN SOMETIMES ,HYATT BUICK SAYS IT IS NORMAL . I HAVE A SIGNED LETTER THAT SAYS IT IS NORMAL.INCEDENT DATE IS FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. I NEED HELP-------
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10051406 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
01V125000 · Equipment:Other:Labels
Reported: 2001-04-10 (April 10, 2001)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 2-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS." THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A COMPUTER ERROR THAT RESULTED IN THE CERTIFICATION LABEL LISTING TIRE SIZE AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION THAT DIFFER FROM THE TIRE SIZE AND THE INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION FOR THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE OWNER OR SOMEONE SERVICING THE VEHICLE INFLATES THE TIRES ACCORDING TO THE PRESSURE SPECIFIED ON THE LABEL VERSUS THE APPROPRIATE PRESSURE FOR THE TIRES, THE TIRES COULD BE UNDER-INFLATED OR OVER-INFLATED DEPENDING ON THE TIRES MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE.
Consequence: IF THE TIRES ARE UNDER-INFLATED, IT COULD REDUCE THE TREAD LIFE OF THE TIRE, AND THE TIRE COULD DEGRADE TO A POINT OF ALLOWING SUDDEN AIR LOSS. IF THE TIRES ARE OVER-INFLATED, IT COULD REDUCE THE TREAD LIFE OF THE TIRE AND INCREASE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ROAD HAZARD DAMAGE. IF SUDDEN AIR LOSS OR A ROAD HAZARD CAUSES DAMAGE TO A TIRE, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED AND COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A NEW LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. HOWEVER, A DEALER CAN INSTALL THE LABEL IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 31, 2001. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
NHTSA campaign record ↗01V220000 · Interior Lighting
Reported: 2001-06-26 (June 26, 2001)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 6.6L DIESEL ENGINES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRIC BRAKE SYSTEMS." THESE VEHICLES HAVE A BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT MAY NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE FLUID IS LOW. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE BRAKE FLUID IS LOW, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT MEET THE PARTIAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 105.
Consequence: THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHANGE THE LOCATION OF A WIRE CONNECTION IN THE UNDERHOOD BUSSED ELECTRICAL CENTER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 9, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
NHTSA campaign record ↗