Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic89
- Fuel system, gasoline46
- Parking brake42
- Service brakes35
- Power train33
- Electrical system30
- Engine and engine cooling30
- Steering29
- Tires28
- Seat belts23
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 35 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 83 2001 Suburban vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 51 people died inside them, and 27 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban failed the safety check 1.86% of the time — 7% less often than the average 2001 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 189,522 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
7 2001 cars are on the New Zealand register; 71% arrived as used imports, 14% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban.
| 2007363 9 Nov 2007 | Engine On certain vehicles equipped with an 8.1L engine, the crankshaft position sensor may fail. If the sensor operates intermittently, the Service Engine Soon (SES)… |
| 2005108 15 Apr 2005 | Electrical Certain vehicles were built with fuel module reservoir assemblies that contain fuel pump wires and/or connectors that may overheat under certain operating condi… |
| 2004395 5 Nov 2004 | Brakes Certain vehicles located in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador may experience unwanted Antilock Brak… |
| 2002068 11 Apr 2002 | Seats And Restraints Certain vehicles fail to conform to CMVSS 209, seat belt assemblies. These vehicles have a condition where one or two sensors in the driver's and front seat pas… |
| 2001135 23 May 2001 | Seats And Restraints Certain vehicles have an internal component in the 2nd and 3rd row outboard seat belt retractor that could be cracked. With repeated actuation of the locking m… |
| 2000269 17 Nov 2000 | Structure Certain vehicles may have loose or missing rear wheelhouse plugs. Under certain operating conditions, exhaust gases can flow forward and accumulate in the rear … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AN 8.1L V8 ENGINE, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION CAN OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY OR FAIL COMPLETELY. IF THE SENSOR OPERATES INTERMITTENTLY, THE SES LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE MAY RUN ROUGH. THE ENGINE MAY STALL, AND IF SO, MAY RE-START IMMEDIATELY OR AFTER A COOL DOWN PERIOD.
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE UNWANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATION. THIS CONDITION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN ENVIRONMENTALLY CORROSIVE AREAS. THIS RECALL WILL BE LAUNCHED IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ONLY.
CERTAIN TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH FUEL MODULE RESERVOIR ASSEMBLIES THAT CONTAIN FUEL PUMP WIRES CONNECTORS MAY OVERHEAT UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS.
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCK, VAN, AND MINI VAN CONVERSIONS EQUIPPED WITH SOUTHERN COMFORT BUILT RUNNING BOARDS THAT CONTAIN CERTAIN COURTESY LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS, INC. THESE UNITS CONTAIN A COURTESY LIGHT OR LIGHTS THAT MIGHT OVERHEAT WHEN THE WIRE HARNESS IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP AND UTILITY TRUCKS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN INTERNAL COMPONENT IN THE OUTBOARD SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FOR THE 2ND AND 3RD ROW OF SEATS THAT COULD BE CRACKED. WITH REPEATED ACTUATION OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM, THE CRACK COULD SPREAD TO THE POINT SUCH THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NO LONGER LOCK.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE LOOSE OR MISSING REAR WHEELHOUSE PLUGS. UNDER CERTAIN VEHICLE OPERATING CONDITIONS, EXHAUST GASES CAN FLOW FORWARD AND ACCUMULATE IN THE REAR WHEELHOUSE.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Chevrolet told its dealers about the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634979 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SECOND ROW SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHEN INSTALLING A CHILD RESTRAINT. *TT |
| 634905 | SOME VEHICLES WILL NOT MOVE WHEN 4-WHEEL DRIVE IS REQUESTED, NOISE, SHUDDER, POOR PERFORMANCE, TRANSMISSION / TRANSFER CASE SLIPS, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT, SLIPS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *TT |
| 634899 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE SERVICE 4WD INDICATOR ILLUMINATING WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE B2725 SET. *TT |
| 634839 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 634821 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE MANUAL LOCK LEVER COMES LOOSE FROM THE DOOR TRIM PANEL. *TT |
| 634805 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON HIGHER THAN EXPECTED ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. *TT |
| 634788 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A MILD TO SEVERE ENGINE PING (COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS SPARK KNOCK) USUALLY WORSE DURING ACCELERATION AND / OR AN ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP. *TT |
| 634723 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A MILD TO SEVERE ENGINE PING (SPARK KNOCK) DURING ACCELERATION AND / OR ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0332 SET. *TT |
| 634587 | REAR WIPER JUMPS WHEN THE FOG LAMPS ARE TURNED ON. *TT |
| 631670 | SUBJECT REGARDING, 2001-2002 CHEVROLET AND GMC C/K PICKUP AND UTILITY MODELS, DIAGNOSTICS FOR POSSIBLE GEAR INDICATOR CONCERNS. *JG |
| 631259 | SUBJECT REGARDING, 2001-2002 CHEVROLET AND GMC C/K PICKUP AND UTILITY MODELS, DIAGNOSTICS FOR POSSIBLE GEAR INDICATOR CONCERNS. *SLC |
| 629495 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1221 SERVICE MANUAL INFORMATION. *TT |
| 629487 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1221 SERVIC EMANUAL UDPATE. *TT |
| 628934 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP IS ILLUMINATED, NO 3RD AND 4TH GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, THE TRANSMISSION FEELS LIKE IT SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL OR A LOSS OF DRIVE OCCURS. *TT |
| 628884 | CONCERNS THAT CLUNK NOISE CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ALSO FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TT UPDATED *EH GM ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE. *TT |
| 628858 | SUBJECT REGARDING LOSS OF HVAC SYSTEM MODE AND/OR TEMPERATURE CONTROL. *TT |
| 628815 | SUBJECT REGARDING DIAGNOSTIC TIPS FOR SLIPPING OR MISSING SECOND, THIRD AND/OR FOURTH GEAR. *TT |
| 628508 | SUBJECT REGARDING DOOR MANUAL LOCK LEVER DISENGAGES FROM DOOR TRIM PANEL (REPAIR LOCK LEVER) *JG |
| 628505 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT AND REAR SIDE DOOR ACCESS DOOR NOISE (REPLACE DOOR CHECK LINK). *JG |
| 628079 | ON SOME VEHICLES AS WELL AS CREW CAB PICK-UPS, CUSTOMERS USING A CHILD RESTRAINT ON THE SECOND ROW BENCH SEAT MAY COMMENT THAT EITHER OUTBOARD SEATBELT RETRACTOR, UPON RETRACTION, MAY APPEAR THAT THE BELT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK. *TT |
| 627912 | SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP ILLUMINATED, INCORRECT TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, POOR PERFORMANCE OF ENGINE, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *YH |
| 627802 | INFORMATION REGARDING A/C NOT COLD ENOUGH, A/C BLOWS WARM AIR WITH VEHICLE AT EXTENDED IDLE. *YH |
| 627635 | INFORMATION REGARDING SECURITY LAMP ILLUMINATION ON THE INSTUMENT PANEL, ENGINE STALLS. *YH |
| 627471 | INFORMATION REGARDING FRONT AND REAR SIDE ACCESS DOOR NOISE. *YH |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Brake line corrosion failure
Brake line corrosion failure
CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE - STALL
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATION
OVERHEATED FUEL PUMP WIRING
OVERHEATED FUEL PUMP WIRING
HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILRES
STEEL WHEEL RIM FRACTURE
ALLEGED FAILURE OF 2ND ROW SEATBELT ALR
THROTTLE STICKING CLOSED
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation