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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
66,906 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Chevrolet Suburban steering problems

steering problem

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2001 Chevrolet Suburban Owner Comments

problem #14

Nov 252015

Suburban

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Exhaust bolts broken and causing a leak making the vehicle unable to pass emissions also. Steering stabilizers broken.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #13

Oct 102011

Suburban 4WD 8-cyl

  • 107,009 miles
After towing our travel trailer 60 miles, my wife was backing Suburban into the driveway and pulled forward to adjust the trailer angle and lost all steering. When I went to see what it was doing, noticed that the brakes were also very difficult to operate. Was able to back the trailer into the driveway with much effort to adjust the steering. Hate to think what would have happened if it went while towing a trailer on the highway with the rush hour traffic. Verified fluid was full and belt and pulley were spinning normally. Mechanic suggested to check pulley, was able to move it forward from the power steering unit easily with a screw driver.

- Southborough, MA, USA

problem #12

Jun 162009

Suburban

  • 105,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban. While the contact was driving 40 mph he heard a rattling and knocking sound in the steering wheel. The vehicle has not been diagnosed or serviced by the dealer for the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000 and the current mileage was 111,000.

- Crowley, TX, USA

problem #11

Mar 022010

Suburban

  • 143,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2001 Suburban completely shuts off and the steering stops when I am at speeds below 10 mph, if I am making a turn, backing out of my driveway, or come to a stop at a stop sign. I took it to many places to have it tested and they all stated that everything is fine nothing was detected. I have had the fuel pump replaced by dealership when it just completely stopped running on the highway. I am at a loss for words and this is dangerous when it is the only car you have to haul yourself and kids around in. This is happening everyday and it seems that I am not the only one having this problem. This is a serious problem for americans trying to make an honest living.

- Marshall, TX, USA

problem #10

Feb 112005

Suburban

  • 25,000 miles
Clunking from front suspension, GM knows there is a problem, what happens if intermediate shaft fails?

- Madeira Beach, FL, USA

problem #9

Sep 122008

Suburban

  • 59,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle would randomly shut off and completely stop. The other components, such as the radio, were still operable. The power steering and brakes were always affected and would become inoperable. Occasionally, the vehicle immediately restarts and other times, the contact must wait a couple of minutes. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 07V521000 (engine and engine cooling). The dealer was not notified. The failure mileage was 59,000.

- Slat Lake City, UT, USA

problem #8

Jun 192008

Suburban

  • 88,180 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving the power steering failed making the vehicle nearly impossible to steer. After towing it to a Chevy dealer, they informed us that the shaft in the power steering pump had broken. There is a NHTSA recall on GM/Chevy trucks for this problem. GM does not acknowledge any recall for power steering pumps.

- Annapolis, MD, USA

problem #7

Jun 162008

Suburban

  • 98,000 miles
When making sharp turns at low speed power steering fails. This has happened at least 25 times. Brought truck to mechanic and he has checked belts and fluids and says he doesn't see anything wrong with those items. Sometimes when I am driving I feel like steering is extremely loose.

- Broad Channel, NY, USA

problem #6

Nov 142004

Suburban 4WD 8-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,000 miles
November 2004 I had an auto accident, I was driving home late at night after my husband and I had been out to dinner with a friend on leave from the military. We were on the way to pick our kids up from my parents and it was misting outside. I was on a 4 lane highway traveling southbound on the far inside left hand lane, the next thing I knew I was facing the police station head-on at 35 mph. I tried to correct the wheel and my husband also grabbed the wheel and tried to correct it, didn't work I think the wheel broke because we crashed into the police station. I had to kick my door open and run inside to have them call an ambulance, my husband was pinned against the wall, his face busted the passenger window out, and the dash, the radio and glove box was in our lap and the windshield shattered. We were wearing seatbelts and the front and side was totaled but the air bags did not deploy. The only working doors were the back hatch and the rear driver side door, the passenger door was caved in on my husband and he was forced across the console he had to be pulled from the auto. He was transported to the er and ended up missing weeks of work from his injuries, I refused treatment with only my knee and foot hurt. I was found not at fault and no tickects were wrote. We had been having front end problems that Chevy mechanics and other mechanics could not explain. Yes they saw and heard the problem but didn't know how or have a way to fix it, I believe that is why we crashed something with the front end. I reported to the police that my husband grabbed the wheel trying to correct it but they wrote it as he grabbed me causing the wreck; needless to say I corrected the error but they didn't correct their report. I contacted Chevy about the incident and wanted to know why my airbags didn't deploy, they called me on a Sunday but nothing was ever done.

- Pryor, OK, USA

problem #5

Oct 232007

Suburban 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,500 miles
2001 Suburban-steering shaft pop turn over bumps, cause steering to shake/ pop. Steering shaft was replaced on 10/23/2007. Complaint how many other customers out there that don't know about this bulletin my truck have 116737 miles I should have been informed about this. What if I would have had a accident.(2) I have a steering gear box failure and like the bulletin says noise when turning to the right and left. I think the steering shaft cause the steering gear box to go out. Having this steering shaft problem for over 1,167,37 miles some related problem sure to cause another problem. Bill heard Chevrolet worked on my vehicle. I found the bulletin and brought this to their attention.

- Columbus, GA, USA

problem #4

Sep 282006

Suburban 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban 1500. When attempting to make a right turn, the steering froze and then corrected itself. There were no warning indicators. The vehicle has not been diagnosed. The purchase date was unknown. The current mileage is 131,186 and failure mileage was 98,000.

- Kingston, NH, USA

problem #3

Feb 252005

Suburban 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 51,000 miles
Power steering pump flow control valve actuator or power steering gear valve imbalance causing tire wear and unnecessary alignments. Excessive tire wear in only 2 months since brand new. Vehicle was pulling to the right at all speeds. Two separate alignments and numerous tire rotations (costs to customer) failed to correct. Unique symptom is steering wheel turns to one side when engine is started (pump active) and steering wheel moved easily to one side and high steering effort to other side. Other symptom whine from steering pressure hoses (cavitation). Steering bleed of air did not fix. (www.automotiveforums.com/)

- Glen Mills, PA, USA

problem #2

Mar 162004

Suburban

  • 50,000 miles
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.

- Scottsdale, AZ, USA

problem #1

Apr 092001

Suburban 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,000 miles
Oil consumption, steering column, side door panels, rear-end, seats cracking, front popping noise, steers to right constantly. This has been an ongoing thing since we bought the vehicle new in 2001. We have complained to the consumer reporting Agency here in N.C. and also talked to the dealer and manufacture on numerous occasions. Dealer said they have had several vehicles with oil consumption that they have traded because of it and they just kept telling us it is within manufacture limits. They have tried to fix the oil problem but with no success. Also the steering has been broken down twice because of its problem. The door panels are still not fixed after 2 tries. The rear-end has been worked on 2 times because of differential fluid, the steering wheel still scrubs when turning to the right and the driver's seat is starting to crack. The consumer people in raleigh will not help us after we filled the complaint, they wrote us and told us to hire a lawyer and the manufacture only offered us a $1000 owner/loyalty certificate towards a new vehicle. What is our next step without hiring an attorney?

- Fairview, NC, USA

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