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2001 Chevrolet Tahoe problems

The most common problem on the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe is brakes, typically around 75,300 miles. It has 1.8 times the complaints of a typical Tahoe model year.

Typical year1.8x the typical complaints
Year score
44/100
Owner complaints
512
Recalls
5
Service bulletins
510
Worst area
Brakes
Fuel economy
14-15mpg
Typical repair
$1,000

The worst 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe

ABS 94Brake failure 54No deployment 22Grinding brakes 12Tire blowout 11Fire or smoke 10Harsh shifting 9Seat belt 8Power steering loss 7Premature wear 7Slipping 5Stalling 5

Recalls 5

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipReported August 29, 2005 · 1,353,718 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only.
Risk
This can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel speed sensor, and check the peak-to-peak output voltage to ensure the wheel speed signal is within specifications. The recall began september 22, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.

Recall number 05V379000 · Recall details

StructureReported March 7, 2003 · 3,674 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain pickup truck, van, and mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
Risk
This overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. Owner notification began march 7, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southern comfort at 1‑800‑745‑6096.

Recall number 03V094000 · Recall details

Seats: front assembly: head restraintReported September 17, 2002 · 558,904 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with rearward folding head restraints on the second row seats, two potential pinch points exist on each of the folding head restraints when the restraints are folded rearward as the seatback is folded down.
Risk
If a person were to insert their finger(s) into the pinch point when the head restraint folds, it could trap and pinch the finger(s) causing injury.
Remedy
Dealers will install protective covers over the pinch points. Owner notification began november 8, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, gmc at 1‑800‑462‑8782, or cadillac at 1‑800‑458‑8006.

Recall number 02V253000 · Recall details

Seat belts: front: retractorReported May 17, 2001 · 9,196 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: pickup and utility trucks. Some of these vehicles have an internal component in the outboard seat belt retractors for the 2nd and 3rd row of seats that could be cracked. With repeated actuation of the locking mechanism, the crack could spread to the point such that the seat belt would no longer lock.
Risk
In a crash, increased occupant injury could result from the no-lock condition.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the outboard seat belts for specific lot numbers and replace the belts if necessary. Gm is enclosing an inspection procedure for the owners to use or they can have their dealers do the inspections. Owner notification began july 2, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020 or gmc at 1‑800‑462‑8782.

Recall number 01V159000 · Recall details

Structure: bodyReported October 25, 2000 · 35,659 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have loose or missing rear wheelhouse plugs. Under certain vehicle operating conditions, exhaust gases can flow forward and accumulate in the rear wheelhouse.
Risk
These gases could flow into the passenger compartment if the plug is missing or loose and could cause possible illness, unconsciousness, or death.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the vehicle for loose or missing wheelhouse plugs and install new plugs if necessary.

Recall number 00V343000 · Recall details

See all 5 recalls for the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe

Defect investigations

Brake line corrosion failureOpened January 5, 2011, closed April 8, 2015

On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that the federal safety agency has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The subject vehicles represent the first five MY's of GM's GMT800 platform production, of which approximately 2,038,504 vehicles were sold in salt states (the subject vehicles).The GMT800 platform includes the following vehicles:1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 series pick-up trucks; 2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles; and 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Avalanche sport-utility vehicles.General Motors produced a total of approximately 10,427,062 GMT800 vehicles for sales in the United States, including almost 5 million that were sold in salt states.Although there are over 60 different brake pipe routing configuration used in GMT800 vehicles, with the exception of the rear crossover pipes in MY 200x-2007 vehicles that changed from rear disc to drum brakes, all of the vehicles use brake pipes from the same supplier with a common double-wall, brazed steel pipe design with a combination of hot dip Zinc-Aluminum corrosion protection coating and Aluminum paint outer layer known in the industry as AlGal (ASTM-B750). ODI analysis of field data regarding GMT800 vehicles identified a total of 3,645 complaints of brake pipe corrosion failures, including 107 alleging crashes, and 40 injuries.Though only 20% of total GMT800 production, due to age and region the subject vehicles account for a disproportionate share of the failure experience; with 2,702 of the complaints (75%), 88 of the crashes (82%) and 20 of the injuries (50%) reported in those vehicles.Analysis of the complaints showed strong correlations to vehicle age and region.For vehicles with less than 8 years of service, the complaint rates were minimal for all regions.In the salt states the failure rates begin to climb as the vehicles advance in age, particularly in the Northeast corner of the United States.The complaint rates in the salt states go from less than 0.1 incident per thousand vehicles (IPTV) at 7 years in service to over 1.0 IPTV after the 12th year of service for the subject pickup trucks and utility vehicles.Most of the failures reported to ODI occurred in vehicles with more than 10 years in service.ODI?s investigation did not identify any specific defect conditions that were causing or contributing to the brake pipe failures.Nor did the analysis isolate the problem to any subject vehicle sub-populations when analyzed by vehicle type or production range.The investigation found that vehicles experiencing brake pipe corrosion failures were likely to have general patterns of excessive corrosion on the majority of the brake pipe assembly and appear to be occurring due to expected wear out for the brake pipe coating material used in the subject vehicles and the environmental conditions in severe corrosion states.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor t

EA11001

Parking brake failureOpened December 20, 2005, closed May 31, 2006

Odi's review of complaint data received since the close of ea04-011 revealed no indication that the investigation should be re-opened.more details can be found in the federal register notice enclosed in the dp05-009 public file.odi reserves the right to reopen the investigation in the future should conditions warrant.

DP05009

Unwanted low-speed ABS activationOpened April 28, 2005, closed September 13, 2005

In a letter dated august 29, 2005, gm notified odi that it was recalling certain model year 1999 through 2002 c/k pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles to correct a problem with anti-lock brake system (ABS) wheel speed sensor corrosion that may result in unwanted ABS activation and extended stopping distances during low-speed braking (recall 05v‑379).gm's recall covers approximately 804,000 vehicles currently registered in the following 14 salt-belt states:connecticut, illinois, indiana, massachusetts, maine, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, and west virginia.the recall procedure will involve removing the sensor, cleaning the mounting surface, applying a rust inhibitor (zinc-x) to the surface, and reinstalling the sensor.if necessary, the sensor will be replaced. The population and failure report data given in this resume are for the full region that has been considered by odi as the salt-belt.that includes delaware, iowa, maryland, minnesota, missouri, wisconsin and the district of columbia in addition to the 14 states included in 05v‑379.the states covered by gm's recall have the highest incident rates for the subject condition, accounting for 91% of the incidents, but only 24% of subject vehicle sales in the united states.odi's analysis determined that 840 of the complaints, 244 of the crashes, and 16 of the injuries identified in this investigation occurred in those states.the resulting incident and crash rates are 96.2 and 28.0 per 100,000 vehicles respectively (note:rates are based on vehicle sales, not registered vehicles). The corresponding numbers in the excluded portions of the salt-belt are 399,000 vehicles, 81 incidents (20.3 per 100,000 vehicles), 3 crashes, and no injuries.the statistics in the remaining 30 states are 2,406,000 vehicles, 168 incidents (7.0 per 100,000 vehicles), 31 crashes, and one injury.gm and odi are continuing to monitor the problem experience in states that are not included in the recall.gm will provide odi with updated complaint, field report, and warranty data in november 2005.odi and gm will review that data and assess the appropriateness of the current scope of the recall at that time.

PE05020

Steel wheel rim fractureOpened June 12, 2003, closed November 3, 2003

There have been less than 2 complaints per 100,000 subject vehicles related to the alleged defect.the oldest vehicles (my 1999) have only 2 complaints in over 140 thousand vehicles after over 4 years in service.the rate of warranty claims potentially related to the alleged defect is less than 0.1%.there are no known incidents involving rapid loss of tire pressure or loss of vehicle control. A defect trend has not been identified at this time.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

PE03026

Alleged failure of 2nd row seatbelt alrOpened September 25, 2002, closed February 11, 2003

The automatic locking retractor (alr) is a feature incorporated in the subject vehicle for locking the webbing to properly secure a child safety seat into a vehicle.this pe was opened based on a gm technical service bulletin stating that with certain child safety seats the webbing may not remain locked.there are no complaints in the odi database and only two complaints to gm.gm's instructions state for the final step in using the webbing lock feature to push and pull the child restraint to be sure it is secure. If the alr is not locked, the user would be fully aware of this condition prior to completing proper installation of the child safety seat in this vehicle.this investigation did not uncover any complaints of the alr inadvertently unlocking while the vehicle is in motion.the emergency locking retractor (elr) feature remains available to lock the retractor in a crash.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that no safety-related defect exists.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached summary for additional information.

PE02067

Throttle sticking closedOpened August 1, 2002, closed January 12, 2004

This investigation involves the general motors corporation (gm)throttle body (tb) utilized in model year (my) 1999-2002 silverado, sierra, tahoe, suburban, avalanche and yukon (subject vehicle(s)) with 4.8l, 5.3l, and 6.0l engines. The tb valve may intermittently stick in a closed position.in such a situation, an operator may apply additional accelerator pedal force to increase engine speed.the application of additional accelerator pedal force, to open a stuck throttle valve, may open the throttle valve more than intended and, in turn, accelerate the engine and vehicle more than intended and reasonably expected by the driver.on august 1, 2002, the office of defects investigation (odi), of the federal safety agency, opened this engineering analysis.the investigation revealed that two factors may cause the defect: 1) tb manufacturing process problems; and 2) accumulation of deposits (a pcv system by-product) on or around the tb throttle valve and bore.odi concludes that the tb performs in a defective manner after analyzing gm?s data submissions, and test data collected by the vehicle research and test center (vrtc).fifty-nine crashes are alleged to have occurred as a result of gm?s tb defect.the majority of the crashes involve a single vehicle, engaging in a close quarter vehicle maneuver (or low speed), and causing only minor property damage.four out of the fifty-nine crashes involve injury, and those injuries were minor.although gm?s tb is defective, based on the evidence gathered, odi has found that the accelerator pedal force required to open a stuck throttle valve is negligible, and the throttle valve does not stick in the open position.therefore this engineering analysis (ea02-015) will be closed at this time.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist.for a detailed discussion of the tb component and testing, please see the attached report.

EA02015

Technical service bulletins for the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe 510

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 510 bulletins for the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe

2001 Chevrolet Tahoe fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
4.8L 8‑cylRWD131815
5.3L 8‑cylRWD131614
4.8L 8‑cyl4WD131614
5.3L 8‑cyl4WD131614

What 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Jul 5, 2025 · Electrical · MI · fire · 1 injury

Passenger side rear air conditioning blower motor caught on fire and burned vehicle out completely. Fire trucks called to put out fire but is completely burned out. My safety was at risk flames in back by the time I got stopped on highway. Thankful no one was riding in back seat. First issue I had with it and it torched the vehicle. No warnings on dash. Vehicle is waiting to be inspected by insurance adjuster.

Filed Apr 15, 2025 · Brakes · 91,632 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle pulled to the left very hard, almost causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The ABS and brake warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the EBCM motor relay circuit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,632.

Filed Aug 2, 2024 · AR

My 2001 Chevy Tahoe has been stolen an I been trying to get it back but I can’t bc I left the title in the Tahoe

Filed Jun 17, 2022 · Tires · AZ

I bought Achilles desert hawk uhp 285/50/R20 tires in late 2019 from Walmart . and had them mounted in 2020 from discount tire. Within 10 months of tires being mounted I had a vibration and it was getting worse every day so I started looking at it and found I had a separated tire on the driver's side front. I put my spare on and contacted Walmart which told me sorry for your luck and there is nothing they can or will do.so I contacted discount and they said to contact Achilles tire. I did and never heard back from them. I then forgot about it until roughly 5 months ago when passenger tire was separated. Then 3 days ago the passanger rear separated and now today the driver's rear has separated. I understand 1 tire possibly 2, but to have all 4 tires separate in less than 2 years and in under 10,000 miles is mind blowing to me..I have all the tires and I filed a complaint with Walmart and Achilles after the 2nd one. I honestly don't think it's discount tires responsibly. I only had them install tires because walmart would make excuse after excuse and I got fed up with it. There should be some sort of liability to the manufacturer and to Walmart. I am asking you if it's possible to look into this. 4 tires separate in 2 years you ée⁷⁷e77⁷e⁷

Filed Jul 15, 2021 · Transmission · CA

Bad transmission there's reverse but no forward gears

Filed Jul 9, 2021 · Brakes · NM

In the past I have sent several emails to Chevrolet corporate office re the ABS brake system on my Tahoe which first failed with only 130 miles on the vehicle. Vehicle almost tipped over but I recovered the braking system and stopped vehicle only inches from going off a cliff and into the ravine below. I love my Tahoe which now has 109000+ miles on it but the ABS brake system has never worked and on several occasions almost wiped out myself and a passenger because brakes failed to engage. I filed several complaints with the Chevrolet dealer in Austin, TX where I bought my Tahoe and also here in Taos, NM where I currently live. Recently I had the Chevrolet dealer here in Taos run a diagnostic on my ABS brakes. Result was that the brake system was defective and would cost $2000 to repair! I feel Chevrolet should pay for the repair since my Tahoe was delivered from the factory with defective ABS brakes. As it is, my Tahoe cannot be resold since the system as is could kill anyone in this vehicle if they did not know how to recover when pedal is all the way to the floor and vehicle is picking up speed rather than slowing down. Certainly even I could hit an elk standing in middle of highway because I would not be able to recover brake system in time.

Filed May 11, 2020 · Brakes · 180,000 miles · KS

Emergency brake wears itself without being engaged to the point when you need it, it does not work.

Filed Apr 22, 2019 · Seat belts · AL

The front passenger seat belt locks up and can't be adjusted. It continues to get tighter after fastening and allows for no movement. It is very uncomfortable and does not allow for any movement. It has been that way since original purchase in 2001. I have brought to attention of chevy dealership. Answer always being that there is no recall for this issue.

Filed Sep 11, 2018 · Suspension, Wheels · 200,000 miles · CA

Was driving taking kids to school in a residential neighbor hood . When I made a turn onto a street the truck dropped to right side and the tire and axle rolled into another car. Turning 5 mile hr

Filed May 6, 2018 · Brakes · 41,000 miles · PA

Rear steel brake lines rusted out. I was driving on the highway at about 50 miles per hour and the brake pedal went to floor & had to pump brakes. Had to turn off to berm of road to keep from hitting car in front of me. Had to have rear brake lines replaced and the mechanic suggested all brake lines be replaced because of the rust. I had all the brake lines replaced for over $600 dollars. The tahoe has only 41000 miles on it and almost caused an accident. It happens all of a sudden & it take a few seconds before you can figure out what to do, taking much longer distance to stop. They need to recall these brakes as soon as possible before more accidents happen.

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Questions about the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe

Is the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe reliable?

Owners have filed 512 complaints about the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe, 1.8 times a typical Tahoe model year.

What is the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe year score?

The 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe scores 44 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Chevrolet Tahoe: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe?

Brakes, with 272 complaints, typically around 75,300 miles. Next is airbags (31).

How many recalls does the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe have?

5 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic, structure and seats.

Was there a recall on the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe brakes?

Yes, 1 recall: 05V379000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Chevrolet Tahoe have bad brakes?

The Chevrolet Tahoe model years with the most brakes complaints are 2001 (272 complaints), 1999 (249 complaints) and 2015 (196 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe get?

Official estimates for the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe range from 14 to 15 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.8L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 13 city and 18 highway.

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