2001 Chevrolet Silverado Electrical System Problems

Unknown Lost my truck to fire I was shopping and when I came out of the store the fire department had already put the fire out. They had said the fire started under the hood on the driver side.

TRUCK JUST SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. AS IF THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN WON'T TURN BACK ON. IT HAS HAPPEND 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS WHERE I AM DRIVING AND IT COMPLETELY JUST SHUTS OFF. CAN'T GET IT TO START BACK UP AND HAVE TO TOW IT HOME, IT WILL THEN TURN ON AND RUN FOR A FEW DAYS AND SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING

GEAR SELECTOR LIGHTS AND MILEAGE LIGHTS DONT ILLUMINATE ON DASH, INTERMITTENTLY.

WHILE FRIVING ON A STREET I 8NSERTED A CIG LIGHTER IN TO CIG LIGHGER SOCKET. AND PULLED IT OUT RIGHT AWAY. SMOKE STARTED.COMING OUG FROM DASH AND VENTS. I PULLED 9VER AND POURED WATER INTO SOCKET DUE TO FIRE .N9 MY BATTERY LIGHT AND ODOMETER LIGHTS DO JOT TURN 9FF WHEB KEY IS OFF. AND NOW I START IT AND IT KEEPS STALLING. WHERE DO I START?

THE DIMMER SWITCH FOR INTERIOR LIGHTING IS PRONE TO FAILURE. WHEN IT FAILS, ALL DASH AND GAUGE CLUSTER ILLUMINATION WILL CEASE TO FUNCTION, CAUSING DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS AFTER DARK. THE DRIVER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE ANY GAUGES OR CLIMATE CONTROL FEATURES, WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH.

EMERGENCY LIGHT SWITCH ON STEERING COLUMN BROKE OFF. I NOTICED IT WAS BROKEN AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON CRAIG'S LIST. THE SWITCH COULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN FOR YEARS.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY @ 75MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHILE IN TRAFFIC VEHICLES ARE HAVING TO MAKE QUICK ADJUSTMENTS TO AVOID HITTING MY VEHICLE AND FOR THEIR SAFETY. I CALLED THIS INTO OUR LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP HERE IN COLORADO SPRINGS CO ALONG WITH CALLING CHEVROLET RECALL CENTER TO BE TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT ON THEIR LIST. WELL APPARENTLY IT SHOULD BE ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER 2001 2500 HD SILVERADO'S THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM.

WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING IN THE INFORMATION CENTER, STARTING WITH ABS WARNING, THEN CYCLED THROUGH THE REST OF THE WARNINGS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES AND GEAR SELECTOR , MILEAGE DISPLAY, AND ALL OTHER DIGITAL LIGHTING SHUTS OFF. FUNCTIONS THEN TURN BACK ON, THEN OFF. IT CONTINUES THIS CYCLE THROUGHOUT THE TIME THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING. I CONSIDER THIS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS WHEN ALL DRIVING INFORMATION SHUTS DOWN, IT LEAVES DRIVER WITH NO CLUE OF SPEED OF TRAVEL, LEVEL OF FUEL, IN WHICH GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN, ETC. ETC. *TR

I PURCHASE MY CHEVROLET 1500 PICKUP NEW IN 2001 AND HAVE MAINTAINED WELL. FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE ON BOARD COMPUTER WARNING LIGHT WILL INDICATE MY FUEL TANK IS EMPTY AND THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE WILL GO TO EMPTY. THE LIGHT AND GAUGE WILL REMAIN THIS WAY UNTIL I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. AT THAT TIME IT MAY WORK OR IT MAY NOT. I CURRENTLY HAVE 72,300 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRENCE BEGAN AROUND 35,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN IT IS IN THE SHOP SO THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I AM CONCERN WITH THE CURRENT SAFETY RECALLS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE IMPACT BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT MAY ALSO BE AN ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE. I HAVE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THIS UNTIL THE RECENT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLIC. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY SHUT OFF, REQUIRING ME TO PULL OFF THE ROAD (WITHOUT THE USE OF THE POWER STEERING) AND TO WAIT A FEW MINUTES TO RESTART THE ENGINE. HAD ONE CLOSE CALL, AS SOMEONE BEHIND ME HAD NOT NOTICED MY TRUCK SLOWING SUDDENLY. THEY HAD TO MAKE A QUICK ADJUSTMENT TO AVOID ME. THIS ENGINE FAILURE HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 OR TWELVE TIMES. DOING RESEARCH HAS FOUND THE PROBLEM TO ALMOST CERTAINLY BE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR. CHEVROLET TELLS ME THAT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. AS THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, WHY WOULD ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER OF TRUCKS BE RECALLED TO BE FIXED? *TR

THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS CONNECTED TO THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS TO MALFUNCTION AND NOT PERFORM DURING NIGHT TIME HOURS. BASICALLY, THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS WOULD BLINK OUT AND NOT LIGHT WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. THE TECHNICIAN FOUND SEVERAL WIRES HAD BURN AND DISCONNECTED FROM THE MAIN WIRING HOUSING CAUSING THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS TO MALFUNCTION. THIS WIRING HARNESS IS A DEALER ONLY PART AND HAS THE POTENTIAL OF CAUSING A FIRE WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OF THE VEHICLE. I STRONGLY FEEL THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A MANUFACTURES RECALL ON THIS WIRING HARNESS SINCE IT IS A SAFETY ITEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER HE WAS TOLD IT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A SECURITY ISSUE AND THE CAUSE COULD HAVE BEEN A VARIETY OF FAILURES. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 160,000.

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL(SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ETC.) IS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. I'VE READ A TON FORUMS THAT MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING OR WERE(SINCE PAID OUT-OF-POCKET) HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. GM/CHEVROLET HAS REPORTED THAT THE COST FOR REPAIR IS $500. LET ME ALSO ADD, THIS PROBLEM ISN'T IN JUST MY PARTICULAR MODEL AND YEAR, BUT NEWER MODELS AS WELL. THIS IS HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM BEING THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE DOESN'T KNOW THE SPEED OF HIS VEHICLE. *TR

STARTING THE TRUCK START DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND THE TRUCK JUST SHUTS DOWN. LET THE TRUCK SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IT WILL RESTART. SEARCH THE INTERNET AND TALKED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP MECHANICS AND THEY ALL SAID THAT THE CRANK SENSOR IS THE PROBLEM. *TR

WE WERE TRAVELING SOUTH ON I-5 WHEN WE STOPPED IN MEDFORD, OREGON TO FILL UP OUR 2001 CHEV. DURAMAX PICKUP WITH DIESEL. AFTER FILLING UP, WE NOTICED SMOKE AND A BURNT SMELL COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WE OPENED TO HOOD TO FIND WIRES SMOLDERING. WE IMMEDIATELY MOVED THE PICKUP AWAY FROM THE FUEL TANKS AT THE GAS STATION AND RE-OPENED THE HOOD. MY HUSBAND REMOVED THE PLASTIC SHROUD CONTAINING WHAT LOOKED TO BE ENCLOSED WIRES WHICH WERE SMOLDERING. I GOT THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT. AS MY HUSBAND WAS TRYING THE SEPARATE THE WIRES THAT WERE SMOLDERING WHICH WERE ALSO BURNING HIS FINGERS, FLAMES ERUPTED. WE USED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. WE TOOK THE PICKUP TO THE DEALER IN JUNCTION CITY, OREGON (GUARANTY). THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE GLOW PLUG/INTAKE HEATER RELAY ASSEMBLY FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. IT WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT WE MOVED THE PICKUP AWAY FROM THE FUEL TANKS AT THE GAS STATION AND HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT HANDY AT THAT TIME. THERE WAS ALSO A TANKER TRUCK NEXT TO US FILLING UP THE UNDERGROUND GAS TANKS WHEN THE WIRES BURST INTO FLAMES. MANY LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN LOST BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. WE WERE VERY LUCKY. IN MY OPINION, IF A PART FAILS ON A VEHICLE (WHICH I KNOW THEY DO), IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CATCH FIRE IN ORDER TO GET MY ATTENTION. *TR

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON PERIODACALLY

MY 2001 CHEVY WITH THE 8100 ENGINE WOULD STALL AT SPEED AND ALSO AT IDLE. THE AT-SPEED STALL WOULD RESTART ON ITS OWN WITHIN 3 OR 4 SECONDS. THE AT-IDLE STALL WOULD REQUIRE SOME ENGINE CRANKING BUT IT WOULD RESTART.(ODOMETER READING WAS 105,000KM)THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS ENGINE (CRANK POSITIONING SENSOR)HOWEVER MY VIN IS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL. DEALER NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE SENSOR AT MY EXPENSE. THIS MOVE RESOLVED THE STALL PROBLEM. IT HAS NEVER STALLED AGAIN. QUESTION: WHY WOULD MY VIN NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL....SAME SYMPTOMS ...SAME SOLUTION AS THE RECALL ! *TR

PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE MOTOR AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN. I COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD -- CONSTITUTING A TRAFFIC HAZARD TO OTHER MOTORISTS- AND RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO OTHER INCIDENTS THAT DAY. MY SON AND DAUGHTER IN LAW REPORT SIMILAR EXPERIENCES ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 55 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A CHEMICAL ODOR. SHE HAD A CIGARETTE IN THE ASHTRAY AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM BEHIND THE ASHTRAY. SHE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE ASHTRAY, BUT IT WAS TOO HOT TO GRAB. SHE ROLLED THE WINDOWS DOWN AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAUGHT FIRE. A NEARBY SERVICE STATION ATTENDANT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE CIGARETTE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS UNABLE TO BE ENTERED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE OVER 150,000.

WIRES THAT ARE IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT HOOK UP TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH BREAK DO TO USE OF THE TILT-STEERING. THEY CAN BREAK AND SHORT OUT CAUSING THE HEAD LIGHTS TO MALFUNCTION OR NOT WORK AT ALL. OR TURN OFF UNEXPECTEDLY LIKE IN MY CASE. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS ONE NIGHT AROUND 10.00 PM AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY LIGHTS QUIT WORKING. *TR