2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear brakes needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic who replaced the parking brakes and the brake fluid; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the brake pedal would hesitate to respond when depressed, causing a 100-feet in stopping distance delay. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V045000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) since the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 178,000.

Mileage: 178,000

REAR METAL BRAKE LINE BURST WHILE MANEUVERING IN PARKING LOT, LOSING REAR SERVICE BRAKES. BRAKE FLUID WAS GUSHING FROM BURST LINE ONTO GROUND. A QUICK EXAMINATION REVEALED BURST BRAKE LINE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED. VEHICLE PASSED STATE INSPECTION AND 27 POINT SAFETY INSPECTION PERFORMED BY GM DEALER THIS PAST JULY. DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST, I TOWED MY SON'S DISABLED VEHICLE BACK FROM CENTRAL PA.(140 MILES). WITH THE TOW DOLLY AND HIS CAR - I WAS PULLING CLOSE TO 4000 POUNDS. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THIS LINE BURST ON INTERSTATE 80 AT 55 MPH? WHEN DOES THIS HORROR END? THIS VEHICLE HAS PREVIOUSLY ENCOUNTERED SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO METAL BRAKE LINES RUSTING TO THE POINT OF SUDDEN FAILURE. SEE NHTSA ODI NUMBER: 10268917. ADDITIONAL DETAIL AND PICTURES REGARDING RUSTING BRAKE LINES ON MY VEHICLES CAN BE SEEN AT: HTTP://SITES.GOOGLE.COM/SITE/GMBADBRAKES/. *TR

Mileage: 46,442

ANTI LOCK BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY BUT SUDDENLY ENGAGING AT LOW SPEED STOPS, ON DRY PAVEMENT, SUCH AS WHEN SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 44,800

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE ABS ACTIVATES ALMOST AT EVERY STOP, EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON-LINE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR EARLIER MODEL YEARS BUT NOT FOR 2004. IT SEEMS APPARENT THAT THE 2004 MODEL YEAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED. I HAVE ALREADY PAID A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY TO HAVE THE BRAKES, WHEEL BEARINGS AND SPEED SENSORS REPLACED. AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. I HAVE TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION EVERY TIME I STOP FOR FEAR OF REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE WILL CERTAINLY BE APPRECIATED BY MYSELF AND ALL THOSE AFFECTED. *TR

Mileage: 115,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,500.

Mileage: 69,500

A FEW WEEKS AGO THE ABS AND BRAKE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. IT STAYED ON FOR ONE DAY AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN A WEEK LATER. IT HAS GRADUALLY HAPPENED MORE FREQUENTLY AND MORE RANDOMLY AS WELL. THE SHOP HAS NOT FOUND ANY STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTED THAT THE ABS MODULE BE CHANGED. THE PROBLEM IS RANDOM WITHIN THE SAME KIND OF DRIVE. SOMETIMES, IF I STOP THE TRUCK AND RESTART IT, ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT THE ABS LIGHT DOESN'T COME UP. THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS FOR THE 2002 MODELS BUT NOT THIS YEAR. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS WITH OTHER MODELS. *TR

Mileage: 74,974

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN CARNEY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE HIS CONCERNS ABOUT RUSTED BRAKE LINES IN GM VEHICLES. *NJ THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO A METAL BRAKE LINE THAT HAD RUPTURED AND WAS RUSTED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY, THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SLOW AND SAFE STOP. AN INSPECTION REVEALED ALL THE BRAKE LINES UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND WERE LEAKING BRAKING FLUID. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BRAKE LINES TO THE FRONT BRAKES, THE MASTER CYLINDER, ABS CONTROL MODULE AS WELL AS THE REAR BACKING PLATES AND RIGHT REAR CALIPER THAT WERE SEVERELY RUSTED. *JB

Mileage: 38,916

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN CARNEY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE HIS CONCERNS ABOUT RUSTED BRAKE LINES IN GM VEHICLES. *NJ THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO A METAL BRAKE LINE THAT HAD RUPTURED AND WAS RUSTED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY, THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SLOW AND SAFE STOP. AN INSPECTION REVEALED ALL THE BRAKE LINES UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND WERE LEAKING BRAKING FLUID. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BRAKE LINES TO THE FRONT BRAKES, THE MASTER CYLINDER, ABS CONTROL MODULE AS WELL AS THE REAR BACKING PLATES AND RIGHT REAR CALIPER THAT WERE SEVERELY RUSTED. *JB

Mileage: 38,916

TL*CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE TRYING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE GRASS TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE C-CLIP WAS MISSING WHICH DISCONNECTED THE BRAKE SHAFT FROM THE PEDAL. THE C-CLIP HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK SINCE THE BRAKE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 53,000. UPDATED 10/06/09. *LJ UPDATD 10/08/09

Mileage: 57,500

WHEN I SLOW DOWN AT LOW RATES OF SPEED, OCCASIONALLY THE BRAKES BEGAN TO PULSATE AS IF IN THE ABS MODE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE CORROSION ON THE ABS SPEED SENSORS, LOCATED WITHIN THE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY, FORMED BY ROAD SALT. THIS PROBLEM JUST APPEARED WITHOUT WARNING OR PROVOCATION. WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND LOW SPEEDS, STOPPING DISTANCES ARE LENGTHEN BY 10 TO 30 PERCENT. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN OTHER STATES. FOR SOME INEXPLICABLE REASON, IT DOES NOT PERTAIN TO WISCONSIN. EVEN AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS, THE PART TO REPAIR MY TRUCK REMAINS ON BACKORDER. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER CAN ONLY PROVIDE THEM IF I PURCHASED THE WHOLE BEARING ASSEMBLY WHICH IS QUADRUPLE THE PRICE OF THE PART THAT I NEED. OF COURSE, I FEEL THAT THIS IS UNFAIR AND WHILE I WAIT FOR THE APPROPRIATE PART TO REPAIR MY TRUCK, I AM PUTTING MY SAFETY, AS WELL AS OTHERS, IN JEOPARDY (THIS IS SAD TO SAY BUT I AM NOT USING PRUDENT DECISION-MAKING SKILLS). I BELIEVE THAT IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT IF THERE WERE NOT OTHERS IN THE AREA HAVING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM, THE PART WOULD NOT BE ON BACKORDER THROUGHOUT THE DEALERSHIPS IN WISCONSIN. I BELIEVE THAT THIS MATTER SHOULD BE LOOK INTO AND ADDRESSED AND REFUNDS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE PAID THE ENORMOUS PRICE OF THIS REPAIR SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND BECAUSE THIS DEFECT IS A SAFETY HAZARDS. *TR

I HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM, AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CAME OUT FROM THE FROM FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH WAS BURNED OUT, MAYBE IT AN DEFECTED TRANSMISSION OR RECALL, IM NOT SURE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM ARE NOT IN SAFE CONDITIONS, NOR WORKABLE. NOT TO MENTION THE CRACKING NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE SUSPENSION, WHILE TURNING. *TR

Mileage: 69,124

WHEN REPLACING (FOR THE FIRST TIME) THE REAR BRAKES ON MY 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE AT 28,767 MILES, I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE REAR ROTORS HAD SEVERE CORROSION. THE ROTORS WERE PITTED SUCH THAT THEY WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. I ASKED ABOUT MY 3-YEAR BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING I DID TO CAUSE THE DEFECT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT GM WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE ROTORS. I CONTACTED GM TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE CORROSION AND THEIR WARRANTY AS PUBLISHED IN THE SALES BROCHURE AND WARRANTY BOOKLET. PLUS, I HAVE OWNED GM PRODUCTS FOR 30 YEARS AND NEVER HAD ANY CORROSION; BRAKES OR OTHERWISE. THEY REPLIED THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECT IN THE PARTS; AND THAT'S IT. AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED, CASE CLOSED.

Mileage: 28,767

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, A BRAKING SITUATION OCCURED, AND EXTRA EFFORT WAS NEEDED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER IS AT FAULT. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 04V045000. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

Mileage: 71,000

DT: THE CONSUMER NOTICED A BRAKE PROBLEM ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2005. NHTSA RECALL 05V379000 FOR THE SERVICE BRAKES WAS ISSUED. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. . WHEN GOING BETWEEN 1-10 MPH THE ABS SYSTEM WILL KICK AND COULD HEAR A NOISE, THE ABS WILL LET GO THEN CATCH AND LET GO AGAIN, THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL DOWN FURTHER. HAD TO STOMP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP, LIKE LOOSING THE BRAKES. *AK

Mileage: 46,000

DT: THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW, THE BRAKES WILL COME ON BY THEMSELVES. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THE BRAKE FLUID WAS CONTAMINATED. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO GMC, THEY GAVE THE CONSUMER A RUN AROUND AND THOUGHT THAT CONSUMER DID SOMETHING TO IT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH. NOW, TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS NOT CONTAMINATED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY, AND NOTICED THIS ON OCTOBER 1, 2004. *AK

Mileage: 41,675

DT: THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW, THE BRAKES WILL COME ON BY THEMSELVES. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THE BRAKE FLUID WAS CONTAMINATED. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO GMC, THEY GAVE THE CONSUMER A RUN AROUND AND THOUGHT THAT CONSUMER DID SOMETHING TO IT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH. NOW, TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS NOT CONTAMINATED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY, AND NOTICED THIS ON OCTOBER 1, 2004. *AK

Mileage: 41,675

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, LOSING ABOUT 95% OF BRAKING POWER. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, NEITHER WAS WILLING TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER. *AK

Mileage: 5,000