2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Complaints

THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE (EBCM) HAS FAILED ON MY 2001 SUBURBAN. WITHOUT MANIPULATION OF THE ABS RELAY, THE ABS MOTOR RUNS CONTINUOUSLY. THIS FAILURE LEAVE MY VEHICLE WITHOUT USABLE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES (ABS). THIS IS A HEAVY VEHICLE, AND I CONSIDER ABS TO BE A CRITICAL SAFETY SYSTEM. NO UNUSUAL EVENTS OR CONDITIONS PRECEEDED THIS FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE HAS AROUND 47,000 MILES ON IT, AND HAS BEEN IN SERVICE SINCE APRIL OF 2001. REPAIR REQUIRES A PART THAT COSTS $809.28. WITH DEALER SHOP TIME AND A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE, I EXPECT THE REPAIR TO COST ALMOST $1000.00. *AK

ABS MODULE FAILED FOR NO REASON AT 37000 MILES, DEALER SUGGEST REPLACE @ COST OF 1198.00 VERY EXPENSIVE FOR VEHICLE BARELY OUT OF ORIGINAL WARRANTY. *AK

UPON INSPECTION OF THE TIRES BY THE DEALERSHIP, WHILE DOING AN OIL CHANGE, THEY NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE EXPERIENCING TREAD SEPARATION. *AK *LA

FUEL PUMP WIRES OVERHEAT WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE BECOMES INOPERATIVE. *AK

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE - 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN DURING STATE INSPECTION (TEXAS) APPARENT CAUSE OF PARKING BRAKE FAILURE IS DUE TO MISALIGNMENT OF PARKING BRAKE SHOE. CHEVROLET HAS REDESIGNED THEIR THE RETAINING CLIP WHICH HOLDS THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE IN PLACE. THE REDESIGNED CLIP DOES NOT ALLOW THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE TO FLOAT OR MOVE INSIDE THE ROTOR OF THE REAR PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY. IN THIS CASE THERE WAS ABNORMAL WEAR TO THE INSIDE OF THE PARKING BRAKE ROTOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AS WELL AS ABNORMAL WEAR ON THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE. THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE WEAR ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR BRAKE ROTOR OF PARKING BRAKE SHOE. CHEVROLET HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS WHICH ADDRESSES THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ENGAGED OR SET. THE FIX IS THE REDESIGNED CLIP WHICH REPLACES THE OLD CLIP. IN OUR CASE, WE DO NOT USE THE PARKING BRAKE ON A REGULAR BASIS (IF AT ALL) AND THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING A NORMAL ROUTINE STATE INSPECTION (TEXAS) - AS IT FAILED TO PASS THE TEST DUE TO THE PARKING BRAKE NOT HOLDING.

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 . *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THEN, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STEER. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO SPIN THE STEERING WHEEL ON THE COLUMN WITHOUT TURNING THE TIRES.*AK

I RECENTLY HAD THE FUEL PUMP UNIT REPLACED ON MY 2001 SUBURBAN FOR THE 2ND TIME. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 2.5 YEARS OLD WITH 19,000 MILES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT RESTART. THIS MOST RECENT TIME I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE UPSLOPE OF A HWY BRIDGE. LUCKILY I WAS NOT REAR ENDED WHILE WAITING FOR ASSISTANCE. I FEEL THERE IS SOME TYPE DEFECT IN THIS PRODUCT. I EVEN ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HE SAID YES. PLEASE INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE. TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM 2X WITHIN 2.5 YEARS IS DANGEROUS AND UNREASONABLE. I SAW THE WARRANTY PAPERS AND IT COST OVER $500 EACH TIME TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. WHEN IS IT GOING TO GO OUT NEXT? WHERE WILL I BE? AND WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR IT WHEN THE CAR IS SOON OUT OF WARRANTY?*AK

I RECENTLY TOKK MY 2001 CHEV SUBURBAN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR MISC REPAIRS. ONE OF WHICH WAS THAT THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE NO LONGER HELD THE VEHICLE AT ALL. EITHER IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. ONE DAY I WENT TO USE IT AND IT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. HOW LONG HAD IT BEEN THIS WAY? I RARELY, IF EVER, USE THE PARKING BRAKE SO I ASSUMED IT WAS BROKEN AND WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 2.5 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAS 18,900 MI. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE PARKING BRAKE NEEDED "ADJUSTMENT" AND THIS WAS A NORMAL WEAR CONDITION AND WOULD COST ME $65. I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE TO NOT HAVE MY BRAKES WORK, SO I COMPLIED. IT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR TO USE IT MORE OFTEN AND THAT WOULD KEEP IT IN ADJUSTMENT? I FEEL THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS BRAKE OR VEHICLE DESIGN, ESPECIALLY AFTER READING OTHERS COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE. I HAD MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE FOR 11 YEARS AND 90K MILES AND NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH A PARKING BRAKE. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO GO TO USE AND FIND OUT IT DOESN'T WORK! BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I URGE YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION - NOT TO MENTION COSTLY TO THE CONSUMER FOR NO REASON AT ALL.*AK

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DEPART FROM PICKING UP OUT TRAVEL TRAILER, BOTH THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WENT OUT ON OUR 2500 4 WHEEL DRIVE SUBURBAN. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE SUBURBAN WAS THE TRAILER'S BRAKES. LUCKLY WE WERE STILL IN THE PARKING LOT AND THEREFORE GOING SLOW. UPON EXAIMINATION, I PULLED THE SURPINETINE BELT OFF AND THE POWER STEERING PULLY AND SHAFT CAME OFF. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES ARE CONNECTED. THIS CAN ALSO HAPPEN WHEN THE BRAKE BOOSTER GOES OUT. THE GOOD THING IS THAT THIS NOT ONLY HAPPENED IN TOWN BUT NOT ON THE FREEWAY GOING DOWN A GRADE PULLING A 9,000 LBS TRAILER. I HAVE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE BRAKES BLEED AS THEY DON'T "FEEL" RIGHT.*AK