2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE.WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONTACT COULD NOT DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

Mileage: 115,000

I WAS LEAVING THE FISH AND GAME CLUB IN LONDONDERRY NH WHEN I WENT TO STOP THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR I PUSHED HARDER IT FINALLY STOPPED. I PUMPED THE PEDAL A FEW TIMES SOME PRESSURE BUILT UP I CONTINUED TO THE CORNER WHERE A STOP SIGN WAS HIT THE BRAKE AGAIN AND THIS TIME THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AGAIN BUT WOULD NOT STOP I PUT ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THE TRUCK STARTED TO SLOW BUT I WAS ON A HILL AS I APROACED THE NEXT STOP SIGN GOING ABOUT 15 MPH WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON I HAD TO PUT THE TRUCK IN REVERSE TO STOP FROM TRAVELING IN TO THROUGH TRAFFIC. I TOWED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND 3 BRAKE LINES HAD BURST ONE IN THE FRONT AND TWO IN THE REAR. I HAVE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF THIS TRUCK AND HAS NO RUST EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE LINES. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE LOOKED IN TO. I HOPE THIS WILL BE SENT TO WARN OTHER OWNERS OF THIS ISSUE. I HAVE OVER 2 MILLION MILES DRIVING AND HAVE LOST BRAKES BEFORE BUT NEVER THIS BAD. I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD AT LEAST WARN OWNER OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM. I JUST HAD MY TRUCK INSPECTED IN MAY AND THIS WAS NOT WARNED TO ME. I LOOKED IN TO THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS GM SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM AND WARN CUSTOMERS AND COMPENSATE THEM AS WELL. I UNDERSTAND THE TRUCK IS 11 YEARS OLD BUT I HAD A 1987 SABB UNTIL 2006 AND NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. MY FRIENDS FORD FROM 2000 WE TAKE TO NORTHERN MAINE AND HAS 160000 MILES DOES NOT HAVE RUSTED LINES. I THINK GM USED INFERIOR MATERIAL. THANKS ERIC VAUGHAN

Mileage: 82,851

WHILE EXITING HWY 75 THE BREAKS FAILED ON MY 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE. THE FIRST APPLICATION OF THE BREAKS THE PEDAL WENT 3/4 OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, THE SECOND TIME THE PEDAL WENT THE THE FLOOR I PUMPED THE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL THE PRESSURE BUILT UP ENOUGH TO FINALLY GRAB. I WAS HALF WAY THRU THE INTERSECTION WHEN THE TRUCK STOPPED, WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC APPROACHING I MADE A LEFT TURN TO CONTINUE UNDER THE OVERPASS AND THE STOPLIGHT WAS RED I COULDN'T STOP AND WENT THRU THAT AS WELL. I USED MY EMERGENCY BREAK TO FINALLY STOP THE TRUCK AND WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A GAS STATION AND PARK THE TRUCK. THIS HAPPENED SO FAST AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING I NEVER HAD ANY INDICATION THAT I WAS HAVING ANY BREAK ISSUES. THIS COULD HAVE GONE SO WRONG. THE TRUCK IS IN THE SHOP AND SO FAR THEY HAVE FOUND ALL FOUR BRAKE LINES SEVERELY CORRODED.

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH MY 2003 CHEVORLET AVALANCHE Z71 ONLY 62,000 MILES. MY PROBLEMS STARTED AROUND 8,000 MILES WITH THE REAR BRAKES GOING BAD. I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FOUR (4) TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. THE ABS SPEED SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND NEED REPLACED AGAIN. THE SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK AT 120 MPH, THE U JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE OUT. I FEEL THAT CHEVORLET SHOULD FIX THESE PROBLEMS UNDER A WARRANTY/RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 62,000

THE BRAKE LINES ON MY 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE HAVE COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT LEADING TO A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE INCIDENT WHILE ON THE ROAD. ALTHOUGH IT'S A 2003 YEAR MODEL, I HAVE LESS THAN 20,000 YES, LESS THAN 20,000 TOTAL MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I WILL NEVER EVER BY A CHEVY AGAIN. I ALSO HAVE A 1998 ACURA WHICH I HAVE DRIVEN FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS AND IT HAS NO SUCH PROBLEMS. NOPE. I WILL NEVER EVER BY A CHEVY AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 19,500

SEVERE BRAKE LINE RUST THAT STARTED WHEN VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD. 2 SEPARATE DEALERS SAW THE RUST BUT SAID THEY COULD NOT ACT ON THE PROBLEM UNLESS THERE WAS A FAILURE OR THEY WERE LEAKING. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ATTENTION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY.( ORIGINAL & OEM EXTENDED). *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN HWY 316 AND BEGAN APPROACHING A RED LIGHT. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO BEGIN STOPPING FOR THE RED LIGHT, MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES DIDN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING ANY OTHER VEHICLES OR OBJECTS. I THEN PULLED INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT ABOUT 50 FEET AWAY. WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND STARTING LOOKING AROUND I COULD SEE FLUID DRIPPING ON THE GROUND NEXT TO THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. I THEN WAS ABLE TO FIND THAT THE FLUID WAS BRAKE FLUID AND IT WAS COMING FROM A PINHOLE SIZED LEAK IN THE STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINE COMING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER AND GOING TO THE ABS SYSTEM. AFTER CLOSER INSPECTION I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT ALL MY STEEL BRAKE LINES ARE SEVERELY RUSTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS, LIGHTS, BONGS, OR BEEPS UNTIL AFTER MY BRAKES FAILED.MY BRAKES WOULD BARELY WORK,THE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR AND I WOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO SLOW MY VEHICLE DOWN ENOUGH TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN SHIFT INTO PARK TO COMPLETELY STOP. I CONSIDER MYSELF AND MY FAMILY EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH AND WERE NOT HARMED OR DIDN'T HARM ANYONE ELSE. AFTER THIS OCCURRED I STARTING DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS HAS BECOME A MAJOR ISSUE WITH CHEVROLET VEHICLES IN THE SALT BED STATES. I LIVE IN GEORGIA, BUT MY CHEVY AVALANCHE IS FROM A SALT BED STATE AND WAS ONLY RECENTLY BROUGHT TO GA. *TR

Mileage: 134,678

THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT THAT I WILL BE GIVING IN REGARDS TO THE BRAKE LINE ON MY CHEVY AVALANCHE AS PER COMPLAINT NUMBER: 10430307. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO A GMC/CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE BRAKE LINE REPLACE WHICH COST 600.00. NOT EVEN A WEEK AFTER BRINGING THE TRUCK HOME, I START UP THE TRUCK, PUT IT INTO REVERSE AND AS I START MOVING BACKWARDS AND APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND A LOUD POP IS HEARD. UPON INSPECTION, BRAKE FLUID WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE AGAIN AND NOW I WILL HAVE TO RETURN IN THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP. GMC DID NOT OFFER ANY HELP TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES THE LAST TIME AND IT IS UNKNOWN AS OF NOW IF THEY WILL THIS TIME. IT WAS NOT EVEN ONE WEEK AND THE BRAKE LINES GAVE OUT YET AGAIN EVEN AFTER JUST BEING FIXED. SOMEONE MUST HOLD GM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET HURT OR WORSE DUE TO FAULTY MATERIALS USED ON THESE VEHICLES. *TR

OCTOBER 14, 2011: MY FAMILY AND I WERE BACKING OUT FROM OUR HOME WHEN WE LOST PRESSURE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION UNDER THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR, BRAKE FLUID WAS FLOWING FREELY ONTO THE ROAD. A CLOSER LOOK REVEALED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND THAT THEY HAD RUPTURED WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. AS I PULLED MY TRUCK BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY, IT TOOK 10-15 FT JUST TO BRING THE TRUCK TO A COMPLETE STOP USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND I DID NOT EVEN GET UP TO 3 MPH. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS TO WHAT COULD OF HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AT 45 MPH OR FASTER AND WENT TO BRAKE AND THE LINE RUPTURED NOT TO MENTION ANYONE ELSE I WOULD OF CRASHED INTO. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A CURRENT INVESTIGATION (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER :EA11001) THAT IS PENDING FINAL RESULTS. PLEASE ADD MY OWN EXPERIENCE TO YOUR GROWING LIST OF ISSUES WITH GM'S MANUFACTURING/INSTALLATION OF BRAKE LINE. IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT ONE THAT HAS AFFECTED A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF BUYERS. I STRONGLY ASK THAT SOMEONE PLEASE FIGURE OUT THE CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR GM TO TAKE THAT DOES NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE CUSTOMERS BOTH ETHICALLY AND FINANCIALLY. *TR

Mileage: 107,211

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE BRAKES, HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND CORRODED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

Mileage: 61,000

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE THAT I BOUGHT NEW. IN OCTOBER 2007 MY MECHANIC REPLACED ALL 4 ROTORS AND PADS ON THE BRAKES. HE SAID THE BRAKES HAD RUSTED OUT FROM THE BACKSIDE. AT THAT TIME I PAID $390, AND THE REST WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. ON OCTOBER 16, 2010, I WAS DRIVING FROM THE PHILADELPHIA AIRPORT TO MY HOME IN WEST CHESTER, PA. SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING THE AIRPORT, I SUDDENLY LOST ALL BRAKING POWER. THE BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY GONE. WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, NOTHING HAPPENED. I DROVE FOR MORE THAN 20 MILES THIS WAY, TO MY MECHANIC IN WEST CHESTER, ON SEVERAL ROADS WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND MANY STOP LIGHTS. I DID THIS BY SHIFTING GEARS AND BY TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND ON. MY MECHANIC HAD TO FABRICATE SOME PARTS TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES, SINCE THESE PARTS ARE NO LONGER MADE BY GM. HE COMPLETELY REPLACED BOTH BRAKES. I PAID $394. I HAVE LEARNED ONLINE THAT SOME 110 OWNERS OF CERTAIN GM TRUCKS AND SUVS, INCLUDING THE MODEL I OWN, HAVE REPORTED THEIR VEHICLES TO THE NHTSA FOR BRAKE DEFECTS, AND THAT THERE IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION THAT BEGAN IN SPRING 2010. I WANT TO ADD MY COMPLAINT TO THOSE OTHERS. I THINK GM DID A SHODDY JOB MANUFACTURING THE BRAKES FOR MY 2003 AVALANCHE. IF THERE IS ANY WAY TO GET COMPENSATION FOR THIS, I AM INTERESTED. BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, I WANT THE NHTSA TO KNOW THAT MY BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED ON A MAJOR URBAN HIGHWAY, AND THAT I BELIEVE POOR MANUFACTURING MATERIALS WERE THE CAUSE. HOPEFULLY THE REPAIRS DONE BY MY MECHANIC WILL PREVENT A RECURRENCE. BUT FOR WHAT I PAID FOR MY AVALANCHE (ABOUT $35K), I DIDN'T EXPECT ROTTEN BRAKES. *TR

Mileage: 37,762

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO /MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE BRAKE SERVICE LIGHT THEN ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED //WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH BRAKE LINES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 32,000. UPDATED *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED BOTH BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, HE HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER AVALANCHE. UPDATED 10/26/10*JB

Mileage: 32,000

COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES DUE TO CORROSION AND RUPTURE OF BRAKE LINES. *TR

Mileage: 63,450

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVE-WAY HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND HE WAS ADVISED THE HE EXPERIENCED AN IDENTICAL FAILURE REFERENCED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V045000(SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.

ABS SYSTEM VEHICLE ACTIVATES ABS SYSTEM BELOW 5 MPH 805 THOUSAND RECALLS FROM 99-02 FOR THE SAME THING! GM CUSTOMER SERVICE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW OF THE 805 THOUSAND? WHAT A JOKE!!!! NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY A GM,THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT A SAFETY AS BAD AS THIS? *TR

Mileage: 110,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES BECAME LESS AND LESS EFFECTIVE OVER TIME. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ROTORS WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS LOCATED IN A SALT BELT STATE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ROTORS SHOULD WEAR OUT NOT RUST. UPDATED 10/13/06. *JB

Mileage: 47,000

AFTER GREEN LIGHT AND I CROSSING MAIN ROAD NORTH ON PAXTON ST. ADVANCING AT APROX. 30 MPH A TRUCK IN FRONT STOPPED QUICKLY TO MAKE A 'U' TURN ON PAXTON AND I SLAMMED MY BRAKES AT LEAST 400 FEET AWAY BUT MY TRUCK DIDN'T STOP AND CRASHED TO THE BACK OF THE OTHER TRUCK. MY INSURANCE PAID FOR REPAIRS OF OTHER VEHICLE BUT FEARING PREMIUM INCREASE I DIDN'T CLAIM THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ON MY AVALANCHE TRUCK. AS OF TODAY I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A RECALL FROM GM ABOUT REPAIRS NEEDED ON MY TRUCKS ABS BRAKING SYSTEM. POLICE REPORT AVAILABLE AND BOB WATSON CHEVROLET DEALER KNOWS ABOUT MY TRUCKS DAMAGE. *JB

PICK A PROBLEM. PIN FROM TRANSMISSION GEARS WERE TOO SHORT FROM THE MANUFACTURER, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THIS REPAIR WAS DONE AT 8000 MILES. 4 QUARTS. LOW ON OIL WITHIN MONTH OF CHANGING. NO LEAKS AND NO EXPLANATION FROM THE DEALER AS TO WHERE THE OIL WENT. A/C FUNCTIONED IMPROPERLY AFTER TRUCK SURGED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. STILL NO EXPLANATION. REMOTE ENTRY WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. INTERIOR LIGHTS PULSE WHEN TRUCK IDILING. HEATER MOTOR FUNCTIONS ACCORDING TO SPEED OF VEHICLE, SLOW WHEN BRAKING AND SPEEDS UP WHEN ACCELERATING. DRIVERS POWER WINDOW STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND STARTED WORKING THE EVENING BEFORE TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. POPPING NOISE FROM EXHAUST JUST AFTER STARTING AND SHUTTING OFF. FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHILE RUNNING I CONTINUOUSLY HEAR COOLING FLUIDS FLOWING. SOMETIMES THE HORN DOES NOT FUNCTION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. BRAKING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. ALWAYS FEELS AS THERE ISN'T ENOUGH BRAKE PRESSURE TO STOP IN A NORMAL DISTANCE. ALONG WITH THE REMOTE ENTRY NOT WORKING THE PERSONAL PRESETS FOR DRIVER 1 MOST OF THE TIME DO NOT OPERATE WITH THE REMOTE ENTRY. I HAVE TO SELECT DRIVER 1 FROM THE INTERIOR TO ENGAGE SETTINGS. BED PLASTICS ARE FADING. BUTTONS FOR RADIO ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND RADIO ARE FLAKING. *AK

DT: THE CALLER COMPLAINED ABOUT BRAKE FAILURE AT LOW SPEEDS. HE STATED THAT ON CURVES WHEN SLOWING DOWN BRAKES FAILED. THE CALLER HAD PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED A MONTH AGO. HE SAID THE REAR ROTORS WERE MORE WORN OUT THAN THE FRONT ROTORS. RECALL 05V379000 ON ABS BRAKES WAS ISSUED. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO MODEL YEAR. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE CONSUMER'S FAULT, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DEALER SAID THEY WOULD CALL MANUFACTURER, AND HAVE THEM GET IN CONTACT WITH DEALER. THE CALLER HAD A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT AT A STOP SIGN. *AK

Mileage: 35,000

DT: 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES FADED AT 25000 MILES. WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC THEY WILL GO TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THESE WERE THE ORIGINAL BRAKES FOR THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS NOT CAUSED ANY INJURY OR ACCIDENTS. THIS STARTED ON JUNE 15, 2005.

Mileage: 25,000

DRIVING TO WORK. DRY CONDITIONS. HAD 4-5 CAR LENGTHS BETWEEN ME AND CAR IN FRONT OF ME. CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED. I WAS GOING ABOUT 30-35 MPH. TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. ABS DID NOT COME ON AND WHEELS DID NOT LOCKUP. I REAR ENDED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO BRAKING POWER AT ALL. BRAKE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR. TRUCK JUST SLOWLY SLOWED DOWN. THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. *NM

Mileage: 43,000

ON 3/23/04 WE PURCHASED A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, VIN: [XXX], WITH 13067 MILES ON IT FROM JERRY HAGGERTY CHEVROLET, GLEN ELLYN, IL. OVER THE WEEKEND OF AUGUST 6 & 7, 2005, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING THE TRUCK WHICH BEGAN MAKING A NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE USED. ON 8/12/05 I DROVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN AT WHICH TIME AN EVEN LOUDER NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN USING THE BRAKES. AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE FOR THE BRAKES TO BE CHECKED ON 8/17/05 AT BILL JACOB'S CHEVROLET, PLAINFIELD,IL. THE TRUCK HAD 25,000 MILES. THEY DETERMINED THE TRUCK NEEDED NEW REAR BRAKES AND A RIGHT SIDE ROTOR AND QUOTED A PRICE OF $400.00. IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED WARRANTY WORK EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD SEEN BRAKES FAIL WITH AS LITTLE AS 10,000 MILES. WE DISCUSSED THIS WITH A SECOND COMPANY, MIDAS, WHO STATED THIS WAS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH GM TRUCKS WHERE THE BRAKES RUST AND FAIL PREMATURELY. MIDAS AGGREED TO REPLACE BOTH REAR ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS AT OUR COST OF $340.00. *AK UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

BRAKES FAILED, ALMOST SLIDE INTO CROSS WAY TRAFFIC. TOOK INTO 2 DIFFERENT REPAIR FACILITIES( FIRESTONE & MERLIN BRAKES) THEY BOTH INFORMED ME THAT ALL 4 ROTORS WERE RUSTED ENTIRELY THROUGH FROM INSIDE OUT, MY TRUCK IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. I TRIED TO GET THE MANUFACTURE TO COVER THE COST OF THE ROTORS BUT THEY REFUSED AND INFORMED ME THAT THE ONLY ITEMS TO RUST ON MY CAR WAS CAUSED BY THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE 2 PEOPLE I SPOKE TO WERE OF NO HELP, VERY RUDE AND WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE TELEPHONE NUMBER TO THE CORPORATE OFFICE. ( MICHELL BALYKEO AND STEVEN SCHWAUSCH). I HAVE JUST BEEN TURNED DOWN TODAY AND WILL TRY TO HAVE MY TRUCK REPAIRED SHORTLY. *JB

Mileage: 51,285

PREMATURE WEAR OF EMERGENCY BRAKES ON A 2003 CHEVROLET AVANLANCHE 1500. THE BRAKE IS NOT USED AND THE SERVICE PEOPLE COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE BRAKES WORE OUT. MY REGULAR BRAKES JUST AT 28700 MILES JUST NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN THE BACK BUT NOT THE FRONT. THE FRONT BRAKES ARE ALMOST LIKE NEW. EVEN THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT IT DID NOT SEEM RIGHT. GM JUST SAYS NOTHING THEY WILL DO. IT COST ME ABOUT $150 DOLLARS(REQUIRED FOR INSPECTION) TO FIX THOSE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE SYSTEM THAT ALLOWED THE BRAKES TO WEAR OUT. THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY WEAR AS EMERGENCY BRAKES. GM SAID THEY HAD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS BUT THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN IT EITHER. CAN YOU HELP ME AND INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM? BASICALLY I WAS TOLD BY GM THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT. SO MAYBE I SHOULDN'T USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AT ALL. SINCE THEY CAN'T PROVE WHAT'S WRONG THEY WON'T HELP ME. SOUNDS LIKE AN EXCUSE NOT TO FIX WHAT'S WRONG. MAYBE IT'S JUST A WAY OF CAUSING THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO PAY MORE AT SERVICE/INSPECTION TIME. A SCAM!*AK

Mileage: 28,770

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 CHEV AVALANCHE DOWN A HILL I REALIZED THAT WHEN I STEPPED ON MY BRAKES, THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR, THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, BUT VERY SLOWLY. I HAVE TOWED MY BOAT WITH THIS VEHICLE IN THE PAST AND I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS HAVING A HARD TIME SLOWING DOWN. I'M AFFRAID THAT IF I HAVE TO STOP QUICKLY THE BRAKES WILL NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN TIME. I AM A STATE TROOPER AND I AM VERY FAMILLIAR WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEMS TO INCLUDE ABS. I ONLY HAVE 9000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP FOR SEVERAL REPAIRS, I REQUESTED THEM TO CHECK THE BRAKES. I WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE MGR THAT THE BRAKES WERE WITHIN GM SPECS. I ASKED HIM WHAT THAT MEANT? HE SAID THAT HE HAD HAD A LADY COME IN SEVERAL WEEKS AGO COMPLAINING OF THE SAME THING AND BECAUSE SHE WOULDN'T GO AWAY HE CONTACTED THE GM ENGINEERS, THEY CAME OUT AND INSPECTED HER BRAKES, THEY TOLD HIM THAT HER BRAKES WERE WITHIN SPECS AND THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT MY BRAKES WERE BETTER THAN HER'S. I ASKED HIM WHAT HE MEANT BY THAT, HE SAID THAT IF HER BRAKES WERE OK THEN MY BRAKES WOULD BE WITHIN SPECS. I TOLD HIM THAT I WASN'T SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THE BRAKES WORKED AND THAT I WANTED HIM TO MAKE A NOTE OF MY DIS-SATISFACTION. HE NEVER WROTE THIS ON MY INVOICE. THE SECOND COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAD ADVISED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A PROBLEM WITH THE REMOTE CONTROLED OUTSIDE MIRRORS. THEY WERE NOT WORKING THE WAY THEY WERE DESIGNED. I WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS OPERATOR ERROR. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS VERY CAPABLE OF READING AND SETTING THE OPERATOR PREFERENCES. I TOLD HIM THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO A GM DEALERSHIP FOR THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I HAVE READ ON YOU SERVICE BULLETIN WEB SITE THAT THEIR HAD BEEN ONE ISSUED FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. I AM ALSO HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE ALARM SYSTEM, IT DOESN'T SET PROPERLY, THEY AGAIN ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS OPERATOR ERROR. *AK

Mileage: 6,000

DURING A PANIC STOP/HARD BRAKE, BRAKING IS INSUFFICIANT. WITH MULTIPLE HARD BRAKES IN A ROW, BRAKING POWER IS REGAINED, THOUGH RETURN TO PREVIOUS STATE OCCURS WHEN VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 6-12+ HOURS.*AK

Mileage: 40

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. THIS FORCED THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *NLM RETURNED USPS, 2ND ATTEMPT MADE 10/16/07 FAILED . *LJ