Most common 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems
Share of the 72 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 complaints by model year
Best Silverado 3500 years: 2014, 2017, 2012. Years to avoid: 2024, 2025, 2021, 2020, 2022. Compare all years →
2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 recalls (1)
Interior lighting
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.
Remedy: Dealers will change the location of a wire connection in the underhood bussed electrical center. Owner notification began July 9, 2001.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500:
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…
Crank position sensor failure - stall
In a letter dated November 7, 2007, general motors (GM) reported to the office of defects investigation (odi) that it will conduct a safety recall (07v-521) to replace the crank position sensor (ckp) in approximately 12,000 model year (my) 2001 Chevrolet silverado and GMC sierra vehicles equipped with 8.1 liter engines manufactured on or before November 15, 2000.according to GM, the ckp can fail intermittently or…
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.
What 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 owners say
Brakes all 37 →
On multiple occasions and on both my Chevy trucks the ABS module will intermediately malfunction and while the light comes on the ABS brake do not work. While traveling southbound on i95 in richmond va I was in the left lane traveling with traffic, when a car stopped suddenly over confusion of the exit signs for i895. The 2013 avalanche in front of me stopped hard and was able to turn away from the stopped car, my front brakes locked up which rendered steering away useless. I hit the avalanche in the right rear with my left front. This cause $8,000 worth of damage to my vehicle and $5700 in damage to his. Late last year my 2002 suburban started experiencing the same problems. The GM dealership I went to told me it was a normal wear and tear problem and wanted $1,200 to replace the "dealer only supplied" part. This is a part that can work/ not work at any moment. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the anti-lock braking system activated while the contact was attempting to park the vehicle. As a result, the contact crashed into a guard rail. The contact reported no injuries during the crash. The contact notified the dealer of the incident but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not listed in NHTSA campaign number 05V379000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The failure mileage was 117,000.
Engine & cooling all 24 →
While driving engine cuts off intermittently, usually will restart. This is caused by the Crank position sensor. Once replaced, the issue was resolved. This vehicle was NOT covered by NHTSA recall 07U521000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning in the middle of the freeway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after a few attempts. The contact stated that the failure occurred on several occasions. The dealer (f.h. Dailey Chevrolet, 800 davis st, san leandro, ca 94577) stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 07V521000 (engine). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.
Fuel & propulsion system
Vehicle is stalling and not starting and brakes have to be replaced more often than any normal vehicle/truck/van. This occurrence has been happening for the last 2 years. Took the vehicle to many mechanics and even the dealer. All types of things have been replaced (fuel pump, starter, tune-up, spark plugs, brakes, brake disc, rotors, etc...) and it still has the same problem. The vehicle is stalling and it seems that enough gas is not getting to the engine and it seems that brakes wear quite too often. I know this May cost the company alot to recall but we as citizens pay alot for these vehicles and they should own up to these manufacturing issues. I have investigated this problem online and there are many others out there like myself that have reported the same problem from models dating back to 1997. …
Tl contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. While driving 30 MPH, the contact noticed that the oil pressure began dropping and the service engine light illuminated. He stated that diesel fuel was entering into the crankcase. He took the vehicle to a Chevrolet dealer regarding a recall notice he received in 2004 for the fuel injectors. He showed general motors the notice before the repair was made. After the repair was performed, general motors learned that he had a salvage title and informed him that he had to pay $4,800 for the repair. The contact stated that the recall notice never stated anything about the vehicle being a salvage vehicle. The vehicle is currently in GM's impound lot because the contact cannot afford to pay for the repair. The purchase date and recall number were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 96,000.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 a good car?
Based on 72 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Silverado 3500 rates use caution: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Silverado 3500 at the same age. It is one of the Silverado 3500 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?
The brakes — 37 complaints, 51% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the engine & cooling (24) and fuel & propulsion system (7).
How many recalls does the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have?
There is 1 recall for the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, the most recent from June 26, 2001 (interior lighting). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Silverado 3500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2017 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2025, 2021, 2020 and 2022. See the full Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 68,000 miles; 24% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.