2001 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 Recalls, Complaints & Safety

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 EQUIPPED WITH DEXTERO DHT2 TIRES, SIZE: LT245/75R/16 (NA). WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AMERICAN CUSTOM TIRE INC (1300 W MAIN ST, QUARTZSITE, AZ) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERNAL SIDEWALL FAILED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

THE "PCM"-PUMP CONTROL MODULE LOCATED ON THE INJECTION PUMP THAT IS IN CHARGE OF OPERATING AND COORDINATING PUMP OPERATIONS FAILS AFTER 30,000 TO 40,000 MILES. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STOP RUNNING--NO BRAKES OR STEERING SIMILAR TO IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM IN OTHER VEHICLES. GM LIKES TO GET 1,400 TO FIX, AFTER THE TOW. THANKS [XXX] A BETTER FIX NEEDS TO BE MADE HERE RATHER THAN INSTALLING ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PART. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS IN ALL THE 6.5 DIESEL MOTORS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE REAR MAIN SEAL, FRONT HARMONIC SEAL AND POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT SEAL ARE LEAKING. THE VEHICLE HAS 96,000 MILES ON IT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP LAST WEEK TO HAVE PROBLEM FIXED. NEED HELP VERY EXPENSIVE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BRAKE LINES SEVERELY CORRODED AND RUSTED AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. COMPLETE REPLACEMENT IS REQUIRED TO RENEW SAFETY INSPECTION CERTIFICATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 VAN. THE CONTACT WAS APPROACHING A TRAFFIC STOP WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE BRAKES ENGAGED MOMENTARILY AND THEN INDEPENDENTLY RELEASED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE CYLINDER SENSOR MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE AND WERE KEEPING THE BRAKE LINES CLOSED WITHOUT ALLOWING PRESSURE TO RELEASE AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12,419. UPDATED 10/26/10. *LJ UPDATED 10/26/10

Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 VAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS THE CONTACT WAS COASTING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY RESTARTED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE CARCASS. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 12/14/06 AT 7:30 PM ON A CLEAR EVENING A SECOND VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE AT 55 MPH WITH THE 2001 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A DITCH HEAD ON AT 50 MPH. THE POLICE WERE CALLED, HE DIDN'T SPEAK WITH AN OFFICER BECAUSE THE CONTACT WAS FLOWN BY HELICOPTER TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BROKEN RIBS, A BROKEN PELVIS, AND OTHER INJURIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT HARNESS DID RESTRAIN HIM, BUT THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE NATURE OF THIS COMPLAINT IS THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK UPDATED 2/22/2007 - *NM

Crash 1 injured

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE STALLED AND OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED. THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. AFTER A PERIOD OF 15 MINUTES, THE ENGINE EASILY RESTARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT ALTHOUGH AFTER RESTARTING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ACCELERATOR MODULE OF THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE STALLING AND REDUCED POWER PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. NUMEROUS PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE SUCH AS A SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT, THROTTLE BODY UNIT, AND A WIRING CONNECTOR. UPDATED 11/03/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE DURING DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE DRIVER'S REAR TIRE. THE CONTACT HEARD A VIBRATION IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE STEEL TX RADIAL R4S. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REINFORCEMENT TO THE FRONT BUMPER WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE REINFORCEMENT BAR WHICH WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES IT SHOULD BE REDESIGNED SO THAT IT WILL NOT DETERIORATE IN A SHORT TIME. *NM