2001 GMC Sierra 1500

WE OWN A 2001 GMC SIERRA 1500 PICKUP TRUCK WITH AROUND 55K MILES. LAST DEC 2010 THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE. WE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS ONE OF THE REAR CALIPERS; HOWEVER, UPON FURTHER DIAGNOSIS, IT WAS DETERMINED THE BRAKES LINES HAD RUSTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY BURST/RUPTURED DURING A BRAKE APPLICATION. FORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS CLOSE TO HOME WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND WE MANAGED TO GET OUR TRUCK HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE LEFT OUR TRUCK PARKED OVER THE WINTER TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE WHEN THE WEATHER WOULD BE MORE COOPERATIVE FOR HAVING OUR VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. I CONTACTED GM EARLY MARCH 2011 REGARDING OUR PROBLEM AND GM SAID A GM AUTHORIZED DEALER HAD TO DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM. WE HAD OUR PICKUP TOWED TO A LOCAL GMC DEALER AND THE DEALER?S SERVICE DEPT CHARGED US $98 TO INSPECT OUR VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPORTED BACK TO GM THAT THE CORROSION WAS CAUSED BY LACK OF MAINTENANCE. THE DEALERS ESTIMATE WAS $4,657 TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES AND PERFORM OTHER MAINTENANCE WORK CAUSED BY THE LINES RUPTURING. IF THE "EBCM FOR THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DID NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED, THEN THE DEALER?S ESTIMATED REPAIR BILL WAS REDUCED TO $3,316. I INFORMED GM THAT I'VE OWNED 10 OR SO VEHICLES IN MY LIFETIME AND NEVER HAD ANY BRAKE LINES CORRODE/RUPTURE DURING A BRAKE APPLICATION NOR DID I HAVE TO HAVE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE BRAKE LINES TO PREVENT THEM FROM CORRODING. OTHER OWNERS OF GM PICKUPS/SUVS HAVE ALSO FILED COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA?S WEBSITE FOR THIS SAME BRAKE LINE FAILURE PROBLEM DUE TO CORROSION. A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION WAS OPENED BY NHTSA TO DETERMINE THE FREQUENCY, SCOPE AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN GM PICKUPS/SUVS MANUFACTURED DURING 1999 TO 2003. THE INVESTIGATION NUMBER IS "PE 10-010" DATED 30 MARCH 2010. THE SUBJECT IS "BRAKE LINE FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION". THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED MARCH 2010 AND I CANNOT LOCATE ANY UPDATES ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. UPDATED 05/19/11 *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SIERRA K1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ISSUE WAS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AND OFFERED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

I OWN A 2001 GMC SIERRA 1500. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN EXCEPTIONAL CARE OF MY VEHICLE. THE MOTOR HAS ALWAYS HAD A KNOCK WHEN YOU START IT,WHICH DEVALUES THE TRUCK & IT ALSO HAS ALWAYS USED OIL. THE RACK & PINION HAS STARTED LEAKING. I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED A TRUCK & HAVE NEVER HAD A RACK & PINION GO OUT LET ALONE AT 152000 MILES.IT ALSO IS LOSING ANTIFREEZE BUT THERE ARE NO LEAKS. THE FUEL GAUGE HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY,NOW ITS ALSO FLASHES LOW COOLANT LIGHT WHEN ITS NOT LOW. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON LINE CONCERNING THESE SAME ISSUES & LAWSUITS. I DO NOT FEEL THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE HAVING TO FOOT THESE BILLS. I HAVE CALLED GM ABOUT MY CONCERNS & THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET A RECALL FOR ALL THESE PROBLEMS. MY TRUCK IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT HAVE DEX-COOL ANTIFREEZE. *TR

PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. BRAKE AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON UNTIL ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. NO DETECTABLE CHANGE IN BRAKING. SEPARATELY, BUT ALSO INTERMITTENTLY, AT LOW SPEEDS (NO WARNING LIGHTS) THE ABS IS ENGAGED WHILE BRAKING, MAKING THE VEHICLE HARD TO STOP AT TIMES. THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT. SYMPTOMS ARE VERY SIMILAR, IF NOT IDENTICAL TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 05V379000. MANY ANECDOTAL DESCRIPTIONS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM IN 1999-2002 GMC LIGHT TRUCKS CAN BE EASILY FOUND ON THE INTERNET.

IT STARTED WITH THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATING BETWEEN FULL AND EMPTY WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS AND THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ON DASH LIGHTING UP FOR APPARENTLY NO REASON. THEN IT STARTED GIVING ME TROUBLE STARTING AND MAKING A WEIRD WHINING NOISE. I CHECKED ALL THE FLUID LEVELS AND FUSES, EVERYTHING WAS OK. I WAS AT THE CAMP(MIDDLE OF NOWHERE) AT NIGHT WHEN I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE SPARKS COMING FROM AROUND THE AREA OF THE STARTER WHEN MY HUSBAND TRIED TO START IT.(IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE DARK AND I WAS SITTING WITH A VIEW OF THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL) I CHECKED THE WIRES AND FOUND WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BREAK IN THE INSULATION, TAPED IT AND THE SPARKS QUIT. HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE IT HOME THE NEXT DAY AS THERE WAS NO PHONE SERVICE. STARTED RIGHT UP , AND DROVE FINE, EXCEPT FOR THE LOW WHINNY NOISE THAT NO ONE COULD PINPOINT. I WAS ALMOST HOME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. I BROUGHT IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION BUT NONE OF US CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE DEVIL IS CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT THE TOW/ HAUL BUTTON DIDN'T DO ANY THING, NOW THE LIGHT ACTUALLY COMES ON-WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT,BUT I CAN'T GET IT TO GO OFF. THE GAS GAUGE IS STILL ACTING NUTS AND THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT STILL COME AND GO. PLEASE POST INSTRUCTIONS FOR TROUBLESHOOTING THIS THING! *TR

THIS PROBLEM CONCERNS MY 2001 GMC SIERRA AND GM'S RECALL NUMBER 05068. THE RECALL CONCERNS THE ABS AND A RUST PROBLEM. I HAD THE RECALL PERFORMED ON OCT. 19, 2005 AND THERE WAS 47,249 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I NOTICED A BRAKING PROBLEM LAST WEEK WITH MY TRUCK. AFTER DOING A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I DECIDED IT WAS PROBABLY A ABS SENSOR PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE SAME DEALER THAT DID THE ORIGINAL RECALL. THEY CHECKED WITH GM REGIONAL MANAGER AND SAID IT WAS ALREADY COVERED ONCE AND WOULDN'T COVER IT A SECOND TIME. I HAD THE REPAIR DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP ON DEC. 8, 2010 AND THE MILEAGE WAS 65,849. SO THE EFFECT OF THE RECALL ONLY LASTED 18,600 MILES. I KNOW 5 YEARS HAVE PAST, BUT THE SAME ISSUE IN THAT FEW MILES? I SENT AN EMAIL TO GM ON DEC. 9 AND THEY PHONED ME THIS MORNING. SAID THE VEHICLE AGE WAS SUCH THAT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. IF I HAD 150,000 MILES OR SO ON THE TRUCK, I WOULDN'T THINK THAT MUCH ABOUT THIS. HOWEVER, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT GM ISSUED A RECALL ON AND FROM WHAT A UNDERSTAND, THE ORIGINAL RECALL DID NOTHING BUT REMOVE RUST FROM THE SENSOR AND TREAT THE SURFACE. I WOULD THINK A RECALL WOULD LAST MORE THAT 18,600 MILES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CONCERN ABOUT THE RECALL ONLY STALLING A PROBLEM LATER ON DOWN THE ROAD, BUT WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE CONCERN I HAVE. THE BRAKES WILL FAIL AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED AND THE MESSAGE CENTER IN THE DASH DOES NOT GIVE ANY MESSAGE. THANK YOU. *TR

EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT BREAKAGE,I'M WRITING IN REGARDS TO MY 2001 GMC SIERRA W/5.3 LITER MOTOR,I HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED A BOLT BROKEN OFF ON MY HEAD THAT MOUNTS MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS A DEFECTIVE OR INFERIOR PRODUCT USED BY GMC THIS REPAIR SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY FOR ANY VEHICLE IF THE PROPER MATERIALS WERE USED DURING ORIGINAL ASSEMBLY OF THE VEHICLE BY GMC OR ANY OTHER COMPANY IN THAT REGARD,THIS REPAIR IS A VERY EXPENSIVE ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC TO THE SUM OF $760+TAX TO REPAIR AND IF IT IS NOT FIXED IT CAN LEAD TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE AMONGST OTHER EMISSION FAILURES AS WELL AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AS WELL DUE TO EXCESSIVE HOT EXHAUST HEAT ESCAPING FROM THE BROKEN BOLT AREA INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT,AS FOR THIS COMPLAINT I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS MATTER AND HAVE FOUND A LARGE MAJORITY OF OTHER GMC OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND ARE NOT VERY HAPPY WITH GMC'S INABILITY TO OWN UP TO RESPONSIBILITY AS A MANUFACTURER TO FIX THIS OBVIOUS AND EXPENSIVE DEFECT DUE TO INFERIOR OR IMPROPER MATERIAL USED ON THESE VEHICLES,SO ANY HELP WITH THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED BY ALL GMC OWNERS AFFECTED BY THIS CONSISTENT PROBLEM.. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE BEGAN JUMPING FROM FULL TO EMPTY REGARLESS OF THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK. I TOOK GM'S RECOMMENDATION TO PUT THEIR FUEL SYSTEM CLEANER INTO THE GAS TANK TO CLEAN THE CONTACTS ON THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS LATER, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER PLUGGED TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RUN AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOW TOLD THAT ONLY WAY TO FIX THE FUEL GAUGE IS TO PULL THE GAS TANK AND REPLACE THE SENDING UNIT. SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS FAULTY SENDING UNIT AND THE "QUICK FIX" THAT MANY PEOPLE PROBABLY TRY. APPROXIMATELY $400 TO FIX SENDING UNIT BECAUSE IT'S BUILT INTO THE GAS TANK, AND APPROXIMATELY $1000 TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

BRAKING SYSTEM BEGAN FAILING AT LOW SPEEDS (< 10 MPH), ALMOST CAUSING ME TO REAR END VEHICLES WHEN TRYING TO STOP. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, WHO CLEANED THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS AT A COST OF $110. ONE MONTH LATER, THE BRAKES BEGAN FAILING AGAIN AND AFTER RESEARCHING ON-LINE, FOUND A GM RECALL FOR 1999-2002 GMC SIERRAS. CONTACTED GM BUT WAS INFORMED ONLY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN VIN #'S ARE INCLUDED, AND MINE IS NOT ONE OF THEM. I HAVE CHILDREN AND FREQUENTLY DRIVE IN SCHOOL ZONES AROUND SCHOOL BUSES AND CHILDREN AT LOW SPEEDS (<15 MPH). THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP.