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Chevrolet Silverado 2500Model year report

2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Problems

Complaints
388filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
75,500miles, 319 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

What owners report

Owner complaints on this model year concentrate on the brakes, especially rusted-through steel brake lines that give a low or sinking pedal, and on the antilock system engaging at low speed when coming to a stop. A second cluster concerns 8.1L gas engines stalling without warning, which owners and dealers often trace to the crankshaft position sensor. Reports of both appear across a wide mileage range, from under 20,000 to well past 150,000 miles, with the brake line reports skewing toward older, higher-mileage trucks in salt-belt use.

  1. Brakes

    Rusted brake lines bursting, pedal to the floor

    • 118 complaints (30%)
    • median 95,000 mi at 11.0 yrs old (112 state mileage)
    • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 10 quotes)
    • filed 2003–2019

    Owners describe the brake pedal suddenly sinking to the floor while braking, then finding brake fluid under the truck or at a wheel. Inspection typically shows the steel lines — often the rear line over the fuel tank or along the frame — rusted through and other lines heavily corroded. Several report replacing all the lines; dealers and independent shops quoted the repair, and some owners note no warning light came on before the failure. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 165,000 miles, often on trucks driven in areas that use road salt.

    What to check: Have the steel brake lines inspected end to end, especially above the fuel tank and along the frame rails; a corroded or weeping line should be replaced before driving. Ask whether any lines have already been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My brake lines failed twice. Once in 2008 and today 8/8/11. Failure due to lines rusting (cheap metal tubing) and bursting when brakes applied. Mechanic even stated he couldn't believe that GM was using inferior metal tubing. He showed me a piece of the line and it snapped into two pieces, I mean it didn't even bend it just snapped.”

    NHTSA complaint #10418048, filed 2011-08, 68,658 miles

    “I started the truck, put it into drive and proceeded to the end of my alley. I stepped on the brake pedal which went down more then normal and the truck did not stop until I applied more pressure to the brake pedal which caused the rear wheels to skid and stop the truck, I carefully and slowly reversed the truck back into the drive way and parked it. There was a wet spot in the alley that upon inspection was brake fluid. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10354478, filed 2010-09, 92,600 miles
  2. Engine

    Engine stalls while driving (crankshaft position sensor)

    • 69 complaints (18%)
    • median 66,500 mi at 8.4 yrs old (62 state mileage)
    • filed 2004–2025

    Owners of trucks with the 8.1L gas engine report the engine quitting without warning at speed, sometimes while towing, and either restarting on its own or after a short wait. Several say a scan pointed to the crankshaft position sensor and that replacing it addressed the stalling; others note a recall for this symptom that their vehicle was not covered by. Some dealers could not duplicate the problem before the sensor was identified. Reported from roughly 36,000 to 110,000 miles, at highway and in-town speeds alike, sometimes while towing.

    What to check: Ask whether the crankshaft position sensor has been replaced and whether the vehicle was ever checked against the stalling recall for this engine; note any history of intermittent stalling or hard restarts.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Engine quit without warning while towing 12,000 lb trailer forcing me to the side of the road. After a few minutes I was able to restart the engine and continue. Failed again shortly thereafter. I was eventually able to get home. Scan tool revealed crankshaft position sensor problem. I replaced the crankshaft position sensor myself.”

    NHTSA complaint #10172813, filed 2006-11, 49,825 miles

    “My 2001 Chevrolet silverado stalls while driving. There is no warning when this happens. I must bring the truck to a halt and try to restart. Sometimes it takes two or three tries before it starts. It seems to happen in warm weather.”

    NHTSA complaint #10228113, filed 2008-05, 62,500 miles
  3. Brakes

    ABS engages at low speed, longer stopping

    • 74 complaints (19%)
    • median 91,000 mi at 9.0 yrs old (68 state mileage)
    • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2001–2019

    Complaints describe the antilock system pulsing or kicking in during the last few mph of a stop, with the pedal dropping or the truck taking longer to stop. Some owners were told the wheel speed sensor was the cause, others the ABS unit itself; several mention a related recall in earlier years and that their vehicle was not included. A few also report the brakes and steering behaving oddly together at low speed. Reported from about 20,000 to 130,000 miles, typically at speeds under 10 mph while stopping.

    What to check: On a test drive, brake firmly from walking speed and note any pulsing pedal or grabbing; ask whether the wheel speed sensors or ABS components have been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When coming to a stop, I loose my braking at about 2 or 3 miles an hour. It doesn't happen all the time. I know that GM is having a recall on my truck in other states, but does not include wisconsin.”

    NHTSA complaint #10135354, filed 2005-09, 59,000 miles

    “I have a 2001 Chevrolet silverado 2500hd. The anti-lock brakes on the truck pulse at low speeds as I come to a stop and it seems to take longer to stop in many instances. In investigating this issue on the internet, I found that there was a recall (GM recall 05068, NHTSA campaign id number: 05v379000) that addressed this issue. Upon calling Chevrolet, I was informed first that there was no such recall. Upon challenging that information, I was then told that the recall stopped several thousand units before my vehicle and thus did not apply.”

    NHTSA complaint #10244108, filed 2008-10, 100,000 miles
  4. Tires

    Tire tread separation and sidewall blowouts

    • 34 complaints (9%)
    • median 51,780 mi at 5.5 yrs old (23 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2001–2015

    Owners report tread separating from the casing or the sidewall blowing out at highway speed, in some cases damaging fenders and body panels. Several incidents involved multiple tires on the same truck, and tires were replaced after the failures. Reported from about 15,000 to 50,000 miles on the tires, at highway speeds.

    What to check: Check tire date codes and sidewalls for cracking or bulging, and ask about the age and brand of the tires currently fitted.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Traveling 70 miles an hour on I 95 north. Tire blew,taking plastic cowling from front right fender. Tire blew into a great many pieces. Replaced with [cooper tire] tire size,lt245-75r16. Also! ! ! ! ! 3 weeks later,traveling at 35 MPH, the front left tire blew, lt245-75r16. Sidewall blew out,replaced with a cooper tire. Just about caused an accident. First tire is not available,2nd one I have.”

    NHTSA complaint #10275012, filed 2009-06, 107,100 miles

    “While driving at 65 MPH rear passenger side tire lost all of the tread. Several months later, a second tire on the driver's side lost all the tread. These two occurrences caused damage to the fenders on the rear and on some of the undercarriage. Dealer and the manufacturer were notified.”

    NHTSA complaint #10040111, filed 2003-09, 37,673 miles

Buying note. On this model year, the brake system deserves the most attention: have the lines and ABS function checked before purchase, and confirm the engine's stalling history and sensor replacement if it has the 8.1L gas V8. Records of past repairs matter more here than mileage alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 388 consumer complaints for the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. 319 of the complaints include a mileage, and 26% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 75,500 miles. Of all complaints, 17 involved a crash, 7 a fire, 10 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 286 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (7), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (5), Equipment (4), Seat belts (4), Wheels (4), Air bags (3), Exterior lighting (3), Latches, locks and linkages (3), Other or unknown (3).

Example complaints

Brakes: “My truck only has 61,000 miles on it and the brake pedal went all the way to the floor one day on my way to work. I called the dealer and the price to fix was $2,130.00 , I watched a news report and even a single owner of similar truck who had it washed every week had the same problem. The truck should have been designed with a guard protecting the brakes.”

NHTSA complaint #10926091, filed 2016-11, 61,000 miles

Engine cooling: “2001 Chevrolet silverado 8.1 liter engine will intermittently stall in traffic. Service engine light is on and dealer diagnostics say it is a faulty crankshaft position sensor. There is already a recall out for this (GM recall 06083) or NHTSA campaign id # 07v521000, however, the dealership says that my VIN # is not covered. My vehicle is exhibiting the identical problems outlined in the recall, so the problem is obviously larger than the few VIN's that they are covering.”

NHTSA complaint #10237255, filed 2008-08, 36,000 miles

Tires: “Tread separation from tire and subsequent body damage to vehicle. There is currently a recall on this very same make and model of tire, and for the same problem, however my tire was purchased prior to the range covered by the recall. Bf goodrich has told me that there is nothing that they can do for me.”

NHTSA complaint #10467973, filed 2012-07, 164,659 miles

Electrical system: “Pulling away from a stop light, the motor and electrical system shut down. I coasted over to the side of the road -- constituting a traffic hazard to other motorists- and re-started the vehicle. There were no other incidents that day. My son and daughter in law report similar experiences on separate occasions.”

NHTSA complaint #10296051, filed 2009-12, 62,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

26% of the 319 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 49,111 and 110,000 miles.

3%0–108%10–2515%25–5022%50–7521%75–10020%100–15011%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (319 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 75,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’02’05’0845’11’14’17’20’25
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 286 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 286 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chevrolet Silverado 2500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026135,1002———Too new
20253015,2501——Too new to compareToo new
202414318,4004——Too new to compareToo new
20234747,0001——25 · FewerToo new
20229737,5003——62 · TypicalRising
20218939,5006——70 · MoreRising
202010925,00010——93 · MoreRising
20197412,02574—77 · MoreStable
20185324,13854—48 · TypicalStable
20175421,00054—50 · TypicalStable
201612335,00064—77 · MoreFalling
201517944,00063–4—91 · MoreStable
20144070,90022–4—0 · FewerRising
20135174,74232–4—0 · FewerFalling
20125372,00033–4—0 · FewerStable
201110472,0004——42 · TypicalFalling
20102198,0005———Falling
20096159,0005——50 · TypicalFalling
200819156,0004——60 · TypicalFalling
200720457,2303——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200617852,0000——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200526963,0000—11Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200436873,8000—10Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200344983,0200—10Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200235184,1181—11Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200138875,5001——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200013285,5001—15Not compared (before 2008)Rising
19998194,0000—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19987382,2740——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19976488,5000——Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Chevrolet Silverado 2500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?

Owner complaints on this model year concentrate on the brakes, especially rusted-through steel brake lines that give a low or sinking pedal, and on the antilock system engaging at low speed when coming to a stop. The issues reported most often: Rusted brake lines bursting, pedal to the floor; Engine stalls while driving (crankshaft position sensor); ABS engages at low speed, longer stopping.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have?

NHTSA recorded 388 consumer complaints for the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 181 complaints (47% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 78.

Has the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 reported?

Among the 319 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 75,500 miles and the middle half falls between 49,111 and 110,000 miles; 26% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.