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2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 525.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

385 reports with mileage · 83 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 147 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 133 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

48 crash reports5 fire reports20 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

133 reports
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90,000 miles · May 27, 2014
Service Brakes

I HAVE A 2001 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCK THAT I PURCHASED NEW. A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THERE WAS A RECALL FOR ANTILOCK BRAKES IN RUST BELT STATES. SUPPOSEDLY THE SENSORS WERE DIRTY AND NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. WISCONSIN WAS INITIALLY NOT A RUST BELT STATE BUT EVENTUALLY WAS INCLUDED. PRIOR TO ITS INCLUSION MY A…

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I HAVE A 2001 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCK THAT I PURCHASED NEW. A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THERE WAS A RECALL FOR ANTILOCK BRAKES IN RUST BELT STATES. SUPPOSEDLY THE SENSORS WERE DIRTY AND NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. WISCONSIN WAS INITIALLY NOT A RUST BELT STATE BUT EVENTUALLY WAS INCLUDED. PRIOR TO ITS INCLUSION MY ANTILOCK BRAKES WERE MALFUNCTIONING ON A REGULAR BASIS AND CAUSED THREE NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS BEFORE I PULLED THE FUSE TO CUT POWER TO THE SYSTEM. AFTER WISCONSIN WAS INCLUDED I TOOK MY CAR IN - THE SENSORS HAD RUSTED AWAY TO NON EXISTENCE. THEY REPLACED THE SENSORS. ABOUT 9 MONTHS AGO THE TRUCK BEGAN TO EXHIBIT THE SAME FAILURES CAUSING MORE NEAR MISSES. I CONTACTED GM. THEY REFUSE THE REPAIR IT A SECOND TIME. SO I HAVE DISABLED ANTILOCK BRAKES AGAIN. I THINK GM SHOULD BE MADE TO REPLACE THEIR SENSORS AND THEY SHOULD BE DESIGNING SENSORS THAT DON'T RUST AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10594403

123,000 miles · May 13, 2014
Service Brakes

STARTED TO LEAVE DRIVEWAY AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WITH NO CONTROL. MANAGED TO COAST TO STOP AND PUSHED TRUCK BACK TO GARAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10588030

132,000 miles · Apr 26, 2014
Service Brakes

UPON SLOWING DOWN NEAR MY HOUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE DRIVEWAY WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING AND I USED MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO HOLD THE TRUCK IN PLACE WHILE I PLACED THE TRUCK IN PARK. I PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FLUID WAS POURING OUT OF ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES. THE BRAKE LINES ARE…

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UPON SLOWING DOWN NEAR MY HOUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE DRIVEWAY WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING AND I USED MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO HOLD THE TRUCK IN PLACE WHILE I PLACED THE TRUCK IN PARK. I PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FLUID WAS POURING OUT OF ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES. THE BRAKE LINES ARE SEVERELY RUSTED OUT AS WERE THE FUEL LINES I HAD REPLACED IN THE PAST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10585076

128,000 miles · Apr 26, 2014
Fuel/propulsion SystemService Brakes

COMING UP ON A RED LIGHT, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. ONLY THEN DID THE BRAKE LIGHT COME ON. I PUT THE TRUCK IN NEUTRAL, AND FINALLY COASTED TO A STOP. UPON FINDING A PIN HOLE IN ONE LINE, THE COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. ONCE REPLACING THE BRAKE LINES, THE FU…

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COMING UP ON A RED LIGHT, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. ONLY THEN DID THE BRAKE LIGHT COME ON. I PUT THE TRUCK IN NEUTRAL, AND FINALLY COASTED TO A STOP. UPON FINDING A PIN HOLE IN ONE LINE, THE COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. ONCE REPLACING THE BRAKE LINES, THE FUEL LINES WAS ALSO SO RUSTED, AND THEY WERE ABOUT TO FAIL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10585044

51,000 miles · Apr 9, 2014
Service Brakes

SIMPLY DRIVING WEST ON NORTH AVE AT 25 - 30. HAD TO APPLY BRAKES GETTING CLOSE TO INTERSECTION. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. TRIED USING FOOT OPERATED EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT IT DID NOT WORK EITHER. PUT IT INTO 4 WD LOW TO SLOW AS BEST I COULD. DROVE OFF THE ROAD ONTO GRASS TO AVOID CAR AHEAD OF ME. DROVE VER…

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SIMPLY DRIVING WEST ON NORTH AVE AT 25 - 30. HAD TO APPLY BRAKES GETTING CLOSE TO INTERSECTION. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. TRIED USING FOOT OPERATED EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT IT DID NOT WORK EITHER. PUT IT INTO 4 WD LOW TO SLOW AS BEST I COULD. DROVE OFF THE ROAD ONTO GRASS TO AVOID CAR AHEAD OF ME. DROVE VERY SLOWLY IN 4WD LOW TO F&F TIRE AT 410 N. MOORLAND BLVD THE CLOSEST CAR SERVICE SHOP ABOUT 2 MILES FROM WHERE BRAKES WENT OUT. SERVICE TECH CHECKED AND REPORTED THE BRAKE LINES ARE EXTREMELY RUSTED AND ONE LET GO. LATER HE REPORTED ALL LINES WERE EXTREMELY RUSTED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS TRUCK HAS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 50,000. IT IS ALWAYS KEPT IN A GARAGE WHEN NOT IN USE AND RARELY USED AS PER 50,000 + IN 13 YEARS. HAD RUST PROBLEM WITH BRAKES WHEN VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 30,000. STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL REAR CALIPERS REPLACED AT THAT TIME SHOWING OUTER PAD ON DRIVER SIDE NEVER MOVED TO CONTACT ROTOR, BUT INNER PAD RIVET WAS GOUGING THE ROTOR. BRAKE PEDAL WENT CLOSE TO FLOOR DURING FIRST MONTH OF PURCHASE. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD "THAT'S HOW ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE". TRUCK WAS TAKEN IN (DEALER) FOR ROUTINE CHECKING & TO INSTALL FOG LIGHTS. CHECK-OFF SHEET NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT BRAKES. HAVE REPLACE 4 ELECTRIC WINDOW MOTORS ON PASSENGER SIDE SO FAR. LAST TIME OPERATED THE WINDOW LESS THAN A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN AGAIN. DEALER ALWAYS CLAIMS RUST IS BECAUSE TRUCK IS NOT DRIVEN ENOUGH. WEBSITE COMPLAINTS ABOUT RUSTY ROTORS AND BRAKES PROVES OTHERWISE, OVER 400,000 HITS WHEN I CHECKED AFTER MY BRAKES/ROTORS RUSTED AWAY. THIS VEHICLE IS A LEMON AND I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10578578

35,000 miles · Apr 2, 2014
Service Brakes

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT APPROPRIATELY. OVER THE PERIOD I HAVE OWN THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM Z(CABLE) TWICE BECAUSE IT BROKE. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM FAIR WEAR AND TEAR UNTIL I REVIEWED THE OVER 381 COMPLAINTS ABOUT PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. I WISH TO BE NOTIFIED CONCER…

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I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT APPROPRIATELY. OVER THE PERIOD I HAVE OWN THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM Z(CABLE) TWICE BECAUSE IT BROKE. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM FAIR WEAR AND TEAR UNTIL I REVIEWED THE OVER 381 COMPLAINTS ABOUT PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. I WISH TO BE NOTIFIED CONCERNING ANY RECALL OR REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. MY VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 72,300 MILES. THE CABLE FIRST BROKE AROUND 35,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576715

181,000 miles · Mar 19, 2014
Service Brakes

BELOW 5 MPH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE, BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES PRESSURIZED, AND TRUCK DOES NOT STOP AND CONTINUES TO ROLL UNLESS YOU PRESS ON THE PEDAL EXTREMELY HARD. THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THEY ASSUME IT IS A SENSOR IN THE WHEEL HUB. AND WITHOUT A LIGH…

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BELOW 5 MPH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE, BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES PRESSURIZED, AND TRUCK DOES NOT STOP AND CONTINUES TO ROLL UNLESS YOU PRESS ON THE PEDAL EXTREMELY HARD. THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THEY ASSUME IT IS A SENSOR IN THE WHEEL HUB. AND WITHOUT A LIGHT OR CODE THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. MY WIFE AND KIDS ARE REGULAR OCCUPANTS IN THIS VEHICLE AND WE FREQUENTLY DRIVE IN SCHOOL AREAS AND FEEL THIS IS A EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE OCCUPANTS AND PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES AROUND US. I CONTACTED GM BUT THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THAT THIS PROBLEM EXIST. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 1999 CHEVROLET 1500 PICKUP TRUCK. I ARGUED MY POINT IF THIS SYSTEM FAILS IT SHOULD FAIL SO THE BRAKE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO WORK! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573393

118,000 miles · Mar 15, 2014
Service Brakes

THE REAR BRAKE LINE BUSTED WHEN BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED IN DRIVEWAY AND APPEARS AS THOUGH ALL BRAKE LINES ARE SEVERELY CORRODED. OHIO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10572561

5,000 miles · Mar 12, 2014
Service Brakes

MY TRUCK HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND, SINCE I PURCHASING IT NEW IN JULY, 2001, I RARELY USE THE PARKING BRAKE. A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, WHEN PARKING ON A HILL, I FIRST NOTICED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT WORK HOWEVER, AS I RARELY USED IT I CONTINUED TO RELY ON THE TRANSMISSION'S "PARK" SETTING TO KEEP THE TRUCK IN…

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MY TRUCK HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND, SINCE I PURCHASING IT NEW IN JULY, 2001, I RARELY USE THE PARKING BRAKE. A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, WHEN PARKING ON A HILL, I FIRST NOTICED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT WORK HOWEVER, AS I RARELY USED IT I CONTINUED TO RELY ON THE TRANSMISSION'S "PARK" SETTING TO KEEP THE TRUCK IN PLACE UNTIL LONG AFTER THE GUARANTEE HAD EXPIRED. WHEN I THEN LOOKED INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF WHETHER THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE I FOUND THAT THERE HAD BUT IT WAS ONLY FOR CARS WITH A STANDARD TRANSMISSION SO I DECIDED TO CONTINUE LIVING WITH THIS FAULT. NOW, AS I LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE TENDENCY OF THE BRAKE LINES ON THIS VEHICLE TO RUST THROUGH AND FAIL IT OCCURS TO ME THAT THIS IS, IN FACT, AN EMERGENCY BRAKE AS WELL AS A PARKING BRAKE. MY TRUCK NOW HAS 59,923 MILES. I BELIEVE IT, AND OTHERS LIKE IT, SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO ALONG WITH THOSE STANDARD TRANSMISSION MODELS. I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS COMPLAINT WOULD HELP FURTHER THAT ACTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10568847

130,000 miles · Mar 11, 2014
Service Brakes

PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY A BRAKELINE RUPTURED ALONG FRAME RAIL IN FRONT OF DRIVERS DOOR.HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ABOUT 20 FEET OF LINE ON MORE THAN THREE OCCASIONS.LATEST INCIDENT WAS REPLACING THE FUEL FILTER,THE FUEL LINES ARE CORRODED AND LEAKING FUEL.MY LOCAL DEALER HAS REFUSED SERVICE ON A VEHICLE MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD.NOW WHAT?

NHTSA ODI #10568354

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

EA04011 · Parking Brake Failure

Opened Apr 9, 2004 · Closed May 10, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake; Parking Brake:conventional; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Additional source detail variants (4)

Parking Brake:conventional

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Parking Brake

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

PE03057 · Parking Brake Failure

Opened Dec 8, 2003 · Closed Apr 9, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake

ODI OPENED PE03-057 TO ASSESS PARKING BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKES THAT INCORPORATE A SINGLE-SHOE DRUM-IN-HAT PARKING BRAKE INDEPENDENT OF THE SERVICE BRAKES.COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA INDICATE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE LININGS TEND TO WEAR OUT EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (AT AN AVERAGE OF 24 MONTHS IN SERVICE), REDUCING THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM'S TORQUE BELOW THAT NEEDED TO IMMOBILIZE THE VEHICLE.GM HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS ACCELERATED WEAR TO FOREIGN MATERIAL INTRUSION AND A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SHOE TO PROPERLY SELF-CENTER WITHIN ITS BRAKE DRUM.EFFECTIVE WITH THE START OF MY 2003 PRODUCTION, A NEWER REDUCED FORCE HOLD-DOWN CLIP WAS INTRODUCED TO FACILITATE BRAKE SHOE DISENGAGEMENT FROM THE DRUM SURFACE.THIS PART IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE SERVICE LEVEL FOR THE MY 1999-2002 VEHICLES.GM HAS INDICATED THAT THE PAKING BRAKE IS INTENDED TO OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION TO IMMOBILZE PARKED VEHICLES, AND THAT IN MANY CASES, ACCELERATED PARKING BRAKE LINING WEAR IS CAUSED BY ROUGH USE, VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AND DRIVING WITH THE PARKING ENGAGED. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING PARKING BRAKE USAGE FACTORS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SEVENTEEN REPORTED VEHICLE CRASHES.