Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Unknown Lost my truck to fire I was shopping and when I came out of the store the fire department had already put the fire out. They had said the fire started under the hood on the driver side.
I was driving aprox. 55-60 MPH on north bound 71 when traffic suddenly slowed down,when I pushed on the brakes the pedal went all the way to the floor so I tried to pump the brakes but the truck never slowed down, the traffic was completely stopped in front of me so I had to drive off into the median on the right side and up over the concrete curb into the grass and eventually came to a stop in the grass, luckily there was no cars on the side of the road,after having it checked out I found out the brake lines were completely rusted away,I had to replace a right side rim and tire, right side lower control arm,right side torsion bar, right side running board,and all the brake lines, around $2300.00 in repair, the money is not the important thing it's the lives that were almost lost because of faulty brake lines that day, presently the truck is waiting for repairs because fuel started …
I was driving my 2001 Silverado 2500 hd and when I applied my brakes the vehicle started to slow down as expected. All of the sudden the brake pedal went to the floor and I had to press very hard to get the vehicle to completely stop. I am extremely lucky there was no vehicle in front of me and that I was not going very fast when the brakes failed! I took the vehicle to my repair shop and they found a brake line near a block (under the driver seat area) that had blown a hole in it. All the lines at the block were very corroded and need to be replaced. They stated usually the brake line blows out in the rear and that my rear line looked to be in pretty bad shape as well but that it had not blown yet. If I would have been on the highway or going any speed in traffic I would have plowed through something for sure... I cannot believe this type of safety hazard has not been a recall! …
While driving on a rural country road I soundly and without warnong lost my power brakes and steering. . Steering was very difficult and brakes were almost not functional. I took a great effort to turn the steering wheel and apply the brakes to safely stop the vehicle. If I was traveling in traffic at highway speeds I could not control and safely stop the vehicle.. I immediately parked the vehicle and had it towed to a nearby dealership. The power steering pump was replaced. So the power steering pump malfunctioned (broken shaft) while the vehicle was underway.. The power steering malfunction affected both the power steering and brakes and there was no warning. I feel this is a poor design. Minimally there should be some sort of warning when the power steering and or power brakes are compromised. As I understand it this same issue occurs when the serpentine belt fails. …
The vehicle stalled while driving down a ramp to highway 41. Power brakes and steering did not work as the engine was dead. The vehicle had to be cranked repeatedly to get it to restart. This was the first incident that I remember, but it happened again many times over the years without warning. Finally this year after some research I found that the problem was caused by a faulty crank position sensor. I learned there was a recall (NHTSA - ea06016) for this but GM said my vehicle was not covered by it even though it was the same problem identified in the recall. I have read reports of others that had the same failure but GM has refused to fix saying the vehicle was not included in the recall. I believe the recall should be expanded as this is a serious problem that could cause an accident. The crankshaft position sensor was replaced and the problem has been solved. …
I own a 2001 2500hd Chevy Silverado and last month I had the left rear steel brake line rupture and as a result I lost all braking power. Neither the brake light come on and the proportioning valve did not function correctly during this malfunction since front brakes lost all power. I was very fortunate that the road was clear, traffic was light and there were no pedestrians around. The parking brake worked marginally since I was carrying a load of wet soil home. I truly believe this is a very serious defeat with this GM truck. The very next day I had that rear left brake line replaced and the garage technician said all the remaining brake lines are in a similar state. Thank you, [redacted] '
This vehicle has ABS activating between 3mph and 10mph when applying the brakes. There is no condition warranting the need for ABS (e.g. Wet or icy roads) when this happens. There is no codes or dashboard lights for this issue. This issues does increase the stopping distance of the vehicle, especially on dirt roads, or when hauling heavy loads. GM is aware of this issue and it is caused by rust around the ABS sensors. There is a recall (NHTSA campaign number: 05V379000) for vehicles with this issue, but despite matching the make, model, year, geographical location and the very specific symptoms, this vehicle is not included in the recall for some reason. GM has told me to pay for the repairs and hope that maybe someday the recall will be updated to include my vehicle.
Brake lines rusted out and allowed brake fluid to leak out when I applied the brakes. Had vehicle towed to curry auto in bloomington, in for replacement of rusted brake lines. This happened a second time about two months later when another original set of brake lines under the bed of the truck rusted through and caused brake failure. Both times I was driving in hilly country and was fortunate not to crash into something. Dealer said that this is a common problem with Silverado trucks of brake lines rusting out. I have a 1996 Buick roadmaster that has rusted out quarter panels and the brake lines are original.this truck is rust free except for the brake lines. GM should pay for the replacement of the brake lines on these trucks.
I was driving about 25 MPH approaching a red light. I hit brakes to slow down as I approached the rear of the vehicle ahead of me (already stopped). The brakes were functioning properly, then when I slowed to about 5 MPH the brake pedal suddenly went to the floor and the brakes stopped working and I hit the vehicle ahead of me at about 5 MPH. The air bags did not go off. After the accident my brakes worked and I drove home. My mechanic and my insurance adjuster were both familiar with the problem. They said my wheel bearing had corrosion and it caused the ABS sensor in the wheel bearing to not work properly and to disable my ABS braking system.
The brake lines on my 2001 Chevrolet 2500hd have completely rusted out. I was backing out of my drive way in reverse and went to step on the brake an the pedal went to the floor. I rolled to the end of my driveway, across the street and through my neighbor's fence. My emergency brake only slowed my speed in reverse and did not stop me. The brake line on the driver side rear is rusted through and broken off at the flange at the rear wheel. Inspection shows all of the brake lines are severely corroded and will need to be replaced. I am lucky this failure did not happen at a major intersection or in an emergency stop situation on the highway.
NHTSA investigations
Hydraulic pump shaft failures
The preliminary evaulation is being upgraded.during the ea odi will limitits investigation to only those vehicles equipped with a hydro-boost system, which provides power assist to the braking and steering sytems.vaccuum brake booster vehicles are excluded.odi hasexpanded the scope of the ea to include model years2003 and 2004, asduring the pe, odi learned that the hydroboast pumps were modified in febraury…
Hydraulic pump failres
GM is conducting a recall on all subject vehicles build between May 1999 and October 14, 1999.significant changes were incorporated into production in early October 1999, and vehicles built after that date have lower warranty failure rates.the complaint and warranty data appear to support the effectiveness of these changes.
Brake complaints in other Silverado 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
NHTSA has 181 complaints about the brakes of the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 47% of the model year's 388 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (26 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 91,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 14 crashes, 2 fires and 7 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.