2001 GMC SIERRA Electrical System Problems

WHEN MY ISSUES STARTED, I WOULD FILL MY GAS TANK AND THE GAS GAUGE WOULD PLUMMET TO EMPTY. WHILE DRIVING, IT WOULD GO TO FULL, BACK TO EMPTY OR BE ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN. AT THAT TIME, THERE NO NO MECHANICAL ISSUES, JUST THE ANNOYING FACT THAT YOU HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH FUEL YOU ACTUALLY HAD. THIS WENT ON UNTIL THIS SPRING, WHEN I HAD THE FIRST POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS INCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY THE SPEED LIMIT AND THE TRUCK'S ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF. NO POWER STEERING, NOTHING. IT HAPPENED JUST AS I WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN THANKFULLY. I WAS ABOUT 50 MILES FROM HOME AND WAS ABLE TO CALL A FRIEND THAT MANAGES THE COLLISION CENTER OF A LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP TO SEE ABOUT GETTING A TOW OR HIS OPINION AS TO WHAT WAS WRONG. AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES AND AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, IT RESTARTED. I TALKED TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND GOT THE SAME ANSWER FROM ALL OF THEM: THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT FAIL IN GMC TRUCKS AROUND THE MILEAGE, 95,000 MILES, THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE ON THE TRUCK. THE GAS GAUGE IS STILL ERRATIC, I HAVE HAD TWO EPISODES OF THE VEHICLE STALLING AND NOW THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS COMING ON AND WHEN IT IS PUT ON AN ANALYZER IT SAYS EMISSIONS, BUT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIRS REPLACED AND EVERYONE SAYS TO GET A FACTORY MADE PUMP BECAUSE THE CHEAP AFTERMARKETS BREAK DOWN EVEN QUICKER. I GOOGLED THE INFORMATION AND THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD. *TR

Mileage: 86,000

FAILURE OF ABS MODULE CAUSED ABS LIGHT AND RED SERVICE BRAKE LIGHTS TO COME ON. REPLACING BOTH FRONT HUB BEARINGS (INCLUDING BOTH FRONT ABS SENSORS AND WIRING) AND REPAIRING THE GROUND STRAP ON THE FRAME FOR THE ABS SYSTEM DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM HAS NEW CALIPERS ,ROTORS,AND PADS AND A FULL INSPECTION REVEALED NO PROBLEMS OR FAILURES. ABS MODULE IS STILL ON VEHICLE BUT WILL BE REPLACED NEXT. *TR

Mileage: 126,000

MANY PROBLEMS: 4 WHEEL DRIVE SENSOR, FRONT END SUSPENSION, PARKING BRAKE, SERVICE BRAKES, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, SPEED SENSORS, RADIO, CENTER CONSOLE, ENGINE NOISE RAPPING WHEN STARTING, TAILGATE CABLES, ANTI-THEFT SENSOR, AND NOW THE BATTERY VOLTAGE GAUGE NEEDLE EXCESS DROPPING WHEN STOPPING, ENGINE IDLING TO LOW WHEN STOPPING. DEALER SAYS PROBLEM IS NORMAL. LET'S TEST DRIVE A NEW TRUCK AND SHOW ME IT IS NORMAL. THIS TRUCK IS A LEMON IN MY EYES!*JB

Mileage: 49,274

MANY PROBLEMS: 4 WHEEL DRIVE SENSOR, FRONT END SUSPENSION, PARKING BRAKE, SERVICE BRAKES, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, SPEED SENSORS, RADIO, CENTER CONSOLE, ENGINE NOISE RAPPING WHEN STARTING, TAILGATE CABLES, ANTI-THEFT SENSOR, AND NOW THE BATTERY VOLTAGE GAUGE NEEDLE EXCESS DROPPING WHEN STOPPING, ENGINE IDLING TO LOW WHEN STOPPING. DEALER SAYS PROBLEM IS NORMAL. LET'S TEST DRIVE A NEW TRUCK AND SHOW ME IT IS NORMAL. THIS TRUCK IS A LEMON IN MY EYES!*JB

Mileage: 49,274

DT: THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 05500 WORK ON 7-28-05 FOR THE IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR SYSTEM. IT WAS INSPECTED AND REPLACED. . WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE TRUCK TO DEALER IT WAS RUNNING WELL, THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. ABOUT 30-45 MINUTES LATER CONSUMER WAS CALLED BY THE SERVICE DESK AND INFORMED THAT TRUCK NEEDED A NEW DISTRIBUTOR. HOWEVER, CONSUME R DID NOT BELIEVE THAT TRUCK NEEDED A NEW DISTRIBUTOR. THEN A SERVICE PERSON TOLD CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE NEEDED A DISTRIBUTOR OR THEY COULD TIE A ZIP TIE ON THE DISTRIBUTOR, AND THAT WAS WHAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID. THEY TIED A PLASTIC ZIP TIE ONTO THE DISTRIBUTOR. CONSUMER WAS WONDERING WHY THAT HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS RUNNING WELL. BEFORE THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE THIRTY MINUTES EARLIER. THE SERVICE PERSON SAID IF THE OWNER DID NOT GET A NEW DISTRIBUTOR THE TIE COULD COME LOOSE AND THE TRUCK WOULD QUIT RUNNING. NEEDLESS TO SAY, CONSUMER WAS NOT SATISFIED THAT THE DEALERSHIP PUT A BRAND AIDE FIX ON THE TRUCK AND PUT IT BACK ON THE ROAD. CONSUME R HAD NOT CONTACTED GM AT THIS POINT. *AK

Mileage: 70,000

I DONT REALLY KNOW WHAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE BUT THE PASS LOCK ANTI THEFT SYSTEM ON THE GM PRODUCTS REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT OR NOT START AT ALL. 90 % OFF THE VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE PASS LOCK SYSTEM ON THEM HAVE PROBLEMS. GM MECHANICS SAY IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH OR THIS OR THAT BUT IT ISNT IT IS THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM. AFTER PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED IT STILL HAPPENS. I LIVE IN A SMALL RURAL COMMUNITY WITH ALOT OF TRAINS AND I DONT FEEL THAT MY TRUCK SHOULD BE STALLING ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. AFTER LOOKING AROUND ON THE NET TO FIND HELP THERE IS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. WHAT HAPPENS IF THE VEHICLE STALLS IN THE WRONG PLACE OR AN EMERGENCY COMES UP AND IT WILL NOT START. SOMEONE COULD GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR EVEN KILLED. I BELEIVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. MY VEHICLE ITSELF STALLED FOR 10 MIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I REALLY DONT KNOW WHAT COULD FIX THE PROBLEM EXCEPT THERE IS WAYS TO BYPASS IT. REWIRE YOUR IGNITION SWITCH. THIS COULD CAUSE OTHER PROBLEMS. OR YOU CAN BUY A FIFTY DOLLAR BYPASS MODULE. THEN YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE SECURITY LIGHT ON. YA YOU COULD UNPLUG THE LIGHT IN THE MESSAGE CENTER BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER ALERTS THAT COME UP IN THERE. YOU WOULD LOOSE THEM. I WOULD RATHER HAVE MY SECURITY SYSTEM WORKING PROPERLY SO THAT IF SOMEONE TRYS TO STEAL MY VEHICLE THEY HAVE A HARDER TIME DOING SO & SO MY FAMILY AND I DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT STALLING SOMEWHERE. I WOULD THINK THAT WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT GM GETS ABOUT THIS THEY WOULD HAVE A BIT OF AN IDEA TO FIX IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

Mileage: 88,000

TRUCK WILL RUN FINE UNTIL WARM. PULLING INTO STOP SIGN, GARAGE, TRAFFIC LIGHT,PARKING LOT ETC. TRUCK WILL SHUT OFF. ALTERNATOR GAUGE PULLS DOWN BELOW 9 VOLTS. NEW ALT. BELT, NEW ALTERNATOR, NEW FUEL FILTER WERE REPLACED. SEVERAL BOTTLES OF INJECTOR CLEANER WERE USED OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD. NOTHING HELPED SO FAR. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS. THE LAST ONE WAS ON A DIVIDED HIGHWAY WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND THE ENGINE STOPED AND I ENDED UP OUT INTO THE SOUTH OBUND LANES OF TRAFFIC. LUCKILY NOTHING WAS COMING.*AK

Mileage: 48,000

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION NUMEROUS TIMES. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT THREE TIMES. *AK

THE HARNESS WIRING ON THE STEERING WHICH CONTROLLED THE HEADLIGHTS OVERHEATED AND MELTED. THEY WERE SO MASHED TOGETHER THAT THEY HAD BEGAN TO RUB AGAINST OTHER WIRES. THE WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

AFTER FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. *PH WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, IT WOULD NOT START. THE FUEL PUMP WAS CHANGED BUT NOT THE CONNECTOR. THE PROBLEM RESURFACED AND QUIT RUNNING NUMEROUS TIMES. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL CAP WAS NOT TIGHT ENOUGH WHICH CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. (THE CAP WAS TIGHTENED) THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT MORE THAN ONCE. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS THEN OUT OF WARRANTY. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED AND THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND NO GAS PRESSURE AND REPLACED THE PUMP. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AGAIN WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN UPON HIMSELF TO GO UNDER THE VEHICLE AND WIGGLED THE WIRING HARNESS WHICH STARTED THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEALER CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR HARNESS. (THE CONNECTOR WAS BURNED AND PITTED) *SC *JB

THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE OFF FOR ABOUT 35 MINUTES, WHEN IT SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK *CB *JB

Mileage: 25,818

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING BATTERY DIED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER HAD JUST DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES, RETURNED HOME AND PARKED VEHICLE. TWO MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER DID NOT SMELL ANY SMOKE OR HAD ANY INDICATION THAT VEHICLE WAS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE.*AK

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE ANY TAIL LIGHTS TO ALERT VEHICLES OR TRAFFIC BEHIND OF A SUDDEN STOP OR JUST BEING THERE. BRAKE LIGHTS ONLY COME ON TO INDICATE A STOP. DEALER REPLACED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN CORRECTED. *AK