Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Chevrolet Suburban owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving at an unknown speed, smoke emitted from the engine compartment of the vehicle. The contact pulled over and discovered that the front end and front wheels were on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. Fire and police reports were filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard and deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 204,654.
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving the vehicle, smoke emitted under the hood of the vehicle. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. The vehicle caught on fire, which was extinguished by the fire department. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000. The VIN was not available.
After taking my truck in for a complete fuel system cleaning service, I started to hear a rattling sound every time I turned on the ac. I took it back to the dealership (capital Chevrolet in montgomery, alabama) thinking that they forgot to tighten up something -- only to find out I need a new ac compressor. I overheard the service technician say that there is a bulletin out on this. I called the 800# but have not gotten a response in over a week. I was told by 2 independent service mechanics that this is a major problem with that the Suburban and tahoe!!! December 2002. Attempted to stop suddenly. Brakes locked and the car went into a terrible skid. Was unable to control the brakes by pumping. The car eventually skidded off the road into a ditch causing tremendous front-end damage. Air bags never deployed. Car was going about 25 miles/hour when brakes were applied.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that the engine stalled without warning. The engine warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing, which located a failure code at the crankshaft position sensor. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 07V521000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 101,000.
My 2001 Chevy Suburban 2500 lt has 52000 miles it is burning oil on long trips. It has been in the shop four times for this. Chevy does not want to pay for this problem because it is not a recall as of now. They want my private warranty to pay for this. I also have a fifty dollar deductible that I must pay. There is a TSB on this which I have a copy of. I also think the engine sounds like it has a slight knock. I was told there is a recall on the brakes for rust corrosion which it has been two weeks and I have not received my recall. I am afraid to drive this car. About four months ago, I was driving this vehicle and it would just die. I would lose all power . It was very hard to steer it to the side of the road. Luckily I never had anyone behind me or they would have slammed into me. It was in the shop for this twice. …
I have a 2001 Chevy Suburban that completely stalled out, (sept 29,2011) when I was getting ready to transport my four young children to school. Please note, that I'm in an area that is not accessible by public transportation. This means that when my car is down, I'm at the mercy of friends and neighbors which is quite an inconvenience. I hired a service guy to diagnose the problem and he said it was a problem with the crankshaft. While ordering the part, he was notified that the part was on a recall list. I checked the website NHTSA.gov to verify and the recall #07V521000 did exist. I contacted the Chevy dealer (nash Chevrolet) in snellville and was told that my VIN# was not in the batch and if they serviced it, the cost would be $2500. I contacted the manufacturer and was told that my problem could be attributed to wear and tear. …
Oil consumption, steering column, side door panels, rear-end, seats cracking, front popping noise, steers to right constantly. This has been an ongoing thing since we bought the vehicle new in 2001. We have complained to the consumer reporting agency here in n.c. And also talked to the dealer and manufacture on numerous occasions. Dealer said they have had several vehicles with oil consumption that they have traded because of it and they just kept telling us it is within manufacture limits. They have tried to fix the oil problem but with no success. Also the steering has been broken down twice because of its problem. The door panels are still not fixed after 2 tries. The rear-end has been worked on 2 times because of differential fluid, the steering wheel still scrubs when turning to the right and the driver's seat is starting to crack. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that the vehicle would sporadically become hesitant to start. The vehicle would also stall periodically without warning. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer and the contact was advised that the failure was caused by the camshaft position sensor. The manufacturer was made aware of failure and stated that the part had been discontinued. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number 07V521000 (engine and engine cooling) but was advised that the VIN was not included in the recall campaign. The failure mileage was 18,000. The current mileage was 20,177. Updated 06/17/13
Tl contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving 70 MPH, the vehicle would randomly shut off and completely stop. The other components, such as the radio, were still operable. The power steering and brakes were always affected and would become inoperable. Occasionally, the vehicle immediately restarts and other times, the contact must wait a couple of minutes. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 07V521000 (engine and engine cooling). The dealer was not notified. The failure mileage was 59,000.
I had a 2001 Chevy Suburban with an oil consumption problem. It used 1 to 2 quarts of oil every 2000 miles. After several complaints to the dealer and GM I was forced to file a lawsuit which was heard by an arbitraitor. I was awarded full msrp vaule of the vehicle while GM maintained their position that nothing was wrong even after failing their oil consumption test. I now have a 2002 2500 Suburban with no problems. The engine in the 2001 1500 Suburban has an oil consumption problem !!! Dealer still refuses to refund extended warranty monies .
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the crankshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2007. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
NHTSA investigations
Crank position sensor failure - stall
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe06-016) on May 4, 2006 based on eleven vehicle owner questionnaires (voqs) and early warning (ewr) data alleging sudden engine shutdown while driving as a result of crank position sensor failures in my 2001-2002 general motors c/k platform vehicles equipped with 8.1l engines.in response to an information request letter sent by odi, general…
Engine complaints in other Suburban years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban, 8% of the model year's 440 complaints. The component named most often is engine (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Chevrolet Suburban engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 07V-521 (engine and engine cooling, Nov 7, 2007). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Chevrolet Suburban engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.