ChevroletTahoe 2WD2001Overview/chevrolet/tahoe-2wd/2001/base/

2001 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Tahoe 2WD.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD comes with a 6‑quart oil capacity and is calibrated to a 5W‑30 API rating, paired with an automatic 4‑speed transmission and EPA‑rated 15/20/17 mpg. It records 521 total owner complaints, with the most frequent issues involving service brakes and hydraulic systems, and eight recall campaigns have been issued. Within the model’s broader complaint history, which spans from 1991 to 2026 and peaks at 1,176 complaints in 2007, the 2001 version falls near the lower end, suggesting comparatively modest reliability for its generation.

Model year201420102001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque140 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/20/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731172. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeLT245-75R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731172
Engine air filter22845992 alt 15908916
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug12621258
Front wiper blades15214346
Serpentine belt12576447 alt 12637202
Thermostat12561155 alt 12571261
Cabin air filter19257782 alt 12489479

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length198.8 in
Overall width78.7 in
Overall height74.8 in
Wheelbase116.1 in
Curb weight4874 lb
Track (front / rear)65 / 66.1 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 20 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 140 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.6 qt
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6 qt

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket110.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle70.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket70.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts140 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Optional BCI Group Number78
Optional BCI Cranking Performance690 cca
Optional BCI Group Number78
Optional BCI Cranking Performance690 cca
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-90 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket122 ft-lbs / 80 ft-lbs / 148 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in / 0.0001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.005 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.142 in / 1.181 in / 1.496 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.142 in / 1.181 in / 1.496 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.102 in / 1.142 in / 1.457 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.083 in / 1.122 in / 1.437 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miAir Filter Restriction Gauge (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Underbody (inspect)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miFuel Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miTransfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 100,000 miPCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe 2WD lead in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic, 115 of 521 reports (22%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 8 recall campaigns target the service brakes, hydraulic, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 48 of the reports describe a crash and 7 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes, hydraulic pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

8
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
521
Owner complaints
48 involved a crash · 7 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 521 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic115
Parking Brake67
Service Brakes46
Tires29
Air Bags28
Seat Belts21
Power Train19
Structure18

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E026000Exterior LightingReported 23/03/2006

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL… Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Tahoe 2WD. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2001 Tahoe 2WD take?

6 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2001 Tahoe 2WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Tahoe 2WD get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 20 highway / 17 combined mpg.