Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 GMC Sierra, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic100
- Service brakes31
- Engine and engine cooling22
- Tires18
- Suspension15
- Parking brake14
- Power train14
- Structure13
- Electrical system13
- Air bags12
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 9 injuries and 5 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 117 2001 Sierra vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 62 people died inside them, and 21 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 GMC Sierra failed the safety check 1.75% of the time — 13% less often than the average 2001 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 162,992 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
8 Transport Canada recalls for the 2001 GMC Sierra.
| 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)… |
| 2005116 22 Apr 2005 | Brakes On certain 1999-2002 1500 series and 2001-2005 2500 & 3500 series trucks equipped with a manual transmission, the parking brake friction lining may wear to an e… |
| 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… |
| 2004102 18 Mar 2004 | Other On certain vehicles, the galvanized-braided-steel tailgate support cables used to support the tailgate in the full open (horizontal) position can corrode over t… |
| 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… |
| 2001186 3 Jul 2001 | Brakes Certain 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks equipped with 6.6L diesel engines fail to comply with requirements of C.M.V.S.S. No. 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Syst… |
| 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… |
| 2001100 24 Apr 2001 | Suspension Certain vehicles do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 120 - Tire Selection and Rims for Vehicles Other Than Passenger Cars. Vehicles have a Certificati… |
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.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND BUILT WITH EITHER PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEMS OR TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEMS, THE PARKING BRAKE FRICTION LININGS MAY WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE GALVANIZED STEEL TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES THAT RETAIN THE TAILGATE IN THE FULL OPEN (HORIZONTAL) POSITION MAY CORRODE, WEAKEN, AND EVENTUALLY FRACTURE. IF BOTH CABLES FRACTURED, THE TAILGATE WOULD SUDDENLY DROP AND STRIKE THE TOP SURFACE OF THE REAR BUMPER.
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 GMC told its dealers about the 2001 GMC Sierra: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637387 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE ALLISON LCT1000 TRANSMISSION MAY EXPERIENCE A VERY HARSH 2-1 DOWNSHIFT AT A STOP OR ON THROTTLE REAPPLY. *TT |
| 637231 | SOME 4.3 LITER ENGINE EQUIPPED VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A ROUGH RUNNING CONDITION WITH POSSIBLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0300 SET. *TT |
| 637176 | SOME VEHICLES MAY DISPLAY A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE OF P0446 (EVAP CANISTER VENT). *TT |
| 636643 | SUBJECT IN REGARDS TO FUEL SYSTEM SERVICING ON THE LB7 FUEL INJECTION. *TT |
| 636609 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ABOUT HOOD HINGE WIND NOISE . *TT |
| 636519 | SOME 2500 HD AND 1500 HD CREW CAB MODELS MAY EXHIBIT A STEERING COLUMN RATTLE OR NOISE ESPECIALLY DURING LOW SPEED PARKING LOT TURNING MANEUVERS. *TT |
| 636444 | THIS IS IN REGARDS TO INSPECTION OF THE TURBO CARGER AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 636434 | THIS MESSAGE IS ABOUT INSPECTION OF THE TURBO CHARGER AFTER A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634961 | DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR POSSIBLE GEAR INDICATOR (PRNDL) CONCERNS FOR VEHICLES WITH ALLISON LCT1000 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TT |
| 634959 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT OF HARSH OR DELAYED 2-1 DOWNSHIFT, NEUTRAL FEEL AT A STOP, SHIFT BUSYNESS, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0708, P0847, P0872, P0875, P1711, P1713 FROM 3/4 AND 1 TON PICKUP MODELS. *TT |
| 634947 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS, A SHUDDER, CHUGGLE, OR VIBRATION IS FELT WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. *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 |
| 634895 | CONCERNS WITH LAUNCH SHUDDER / VIBRATION ON ACCELERATION. *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 |
| 634819 | PICKUP BOX SHEET METAL FRACTURE / DAMAGE WITH AFTERMARKET ACCESSORIES INSTALLED. *TT |
| 634817 | SUBJECT REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF PICKUP BOX REINFORCEMENT KITS FOR TOOLBOX / REAR WINDOW BARRIER / LADDER RACK APPLICATIONS. *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 |
| 634786 | SOME CUSTOMERS WHOSE VEHICLES ARE OPERATED IN DUSTY TYPE ENVIRONMENTS, SUCH AS FARMING OR MINING OFF-ROAD TYPE APPLICATIONS, MAY COMMENT ABOUT THE ILLUMINATION OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SES LIGHT, WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0446 SET. *TT UPDATED 7/11/08. *NJ UPDATED 11/5/10. *PE |
| 634782 | SERVICE MANUAL UPDATE REGARDING REVISED FUEL SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS-HIGH PRESSURE SIDE. *TT |
| 634778 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0087 TABLE. *TT |
| 634776 | THIS BULLETIN IS BEING ISSUED TO REVISE THE SURGES / CHUGGLES DIAGNOSTIC. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Brake line corrosion failure
CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILURE - STALL
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
UNWANTED LOW-SPEED ABS ACTIVATION
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
TAILGATE CABLE BREAKAGE
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
THROTTLE STICKING CLOSED
THROTTLE STICKING
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation