1996 CHEVROLET LUMINA Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

UPON DEPRESSION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE COMING TO A STOP, THE LOW TRACK AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON . WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKE POWER. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP. THE CONSUMER THEN PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES RE-ENGAGED THEMSELVES. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN 14 MILES. *JB

Mileage: 70,000

ON 7/20/03 THE BATTERY WAS GETTING WEAK SO I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAR. ON THE FIRST START WITH THE NEW BATTERY THE CAR BEHAVED NORMALLY. HOWEVER, WHEN I STARTED IT THE SECOND TIME AND WAS BACKING UP A SLIGHT SLOPE OF A DRIVEWAY, THE CAR DIED. I PUT THE CAR BACK IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE CAR. WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY FOOT, THE GAS PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE CAR RACED FORWARD WITH THE GEAR SHIFT STILL IN PARK. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. I STEERED THE CAR TRYING TO LOCATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES BUT THEY WERE TOO FAR AWAY FOR ME TO REACH AND STILL MAINTAIN THE RACING CAR. I THOUGHT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE WOULD STOP THE CAR SINCE THE BRAKES HAS FAILED BUT EVEN TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, IT RACED EVEN FASTER AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW I HAD CRASHED INTO A TREE TOTALLING OUT THE CAR. I CRACKED MY HEAD INTO THE WINDSHIELD BREAKING MY NOSE. LUCKILY, THE VISOR WAS DOWN AND PROTECTED MY FACE. I ALSO SUSTAINED BRUISING AND BACK INJURIES ALONG WITH THE CONCUSSION. ALSO, THE AIR BAG DID NOT ACTIVATE. THANKFULLY, AS I AM SHORT AND IF IT HAD, THEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN DECAPITATED OR KILLED FROM IT. MY INSURANCE ONLY GAVE BLUE BOOK VALUE TO THE CAR AS IT WAS UNREPAIRABLE AND HAD TO BE TOTALLED. I AM WANTING TO SEEK LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER. IS THERE ANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM ON THE LUMINA'S? I FEEL IT WAS COMPUTER PROBLEM THAT SHUT DOWN THE CAR MADE IT BEHAVE LIKE IT WAS POSSESS. NO LIGHTS CAME ON INSIDE THE CAR TO INDICATE THERE WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM OR ANY OTHER PROBLEM. THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO PUT IN A BATTERY SO IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE BATTERY. DEBRA K. OLIVER

Mileage: 102,000

WHEN YOU START THE CAR IN THE MORNING, AND BACKUP THE BRAKES MAKE A HUMMING SOUND- THEN WORK FINE. *NLM

Mileage: 82,000

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED, CONSUMER HIT THE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. *SLC

ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE SYSTEMS. *AK

BRAKES KEEP FAILING PREMATURELY. ROTORS AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED 4 TIMES WITHIN A 1 1/2 YR. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

BRAKES KEEP FAILING PREMATURELY. ROTORS AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED 4 TIMES WITHIN A 1 1/2 YR. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

BRAKES OCCATIONALLY REQUIRE EXCESS DISTANCE FOR STOPPING. BRAKES SQUEAL, LOUDEST AT BEGINING OF DAY AND WHEN DAMP OR HUMID, WORST IN REAR. (MECHANICS SAY 'ALL 4 WHEELS ARE FINE')

BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO ROTORS BEING CORRODED WHICH CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ROTORS RESURFACED, BUT PROBLEM STILL REOCURRED. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL AND BRAKES WIOULD MAKE NOISE. NOISE INCREASED WHEN IT WAS RAINING OR DURING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

I TOOK CAR BACK SEVERAL TIME WHERE I PURCHASED IT THEY SAID EVERYTHING OK. STILL HAVING PROBLEM I TOOK CAR TO BRAKE CENTERS OF AMERICA IN STFD, CT. I STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEMS PAID ALMOST $600.OO FOR COMPLETE BRAKE JOB AND I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE GETTING WORSE. I SENT LETTER TO BRAKE CENTER AND TO BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU BACK IN 12/1999 AND HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE MEAN WHILE BRAKES ARE GETTING WORSE - THANK YOU. *AK

SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY OF 1997, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES REPAIRED OR REPLACED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS TWO WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR, I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE THE BRAKE FLUID KEPT LEAKING, AND THE FRONT DISC PULLED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A RECALL PROBLEM, AND THEY CLAIMED TO FIX IT. NINE MONTHS LATER I HAD TO HAVE THE THE FRONT BRAKES REPLACED, AND THE REAR BRAKES ADJUSTED, DUE TO PULLING AND SQUEAKING, (AT SEARS AUTO CENTER). LATER IN OCTOBER OF 1998, I HAD TO REPLACE FRONT DISCS AGAIN. THIS WAS WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR ITS 60000 MILE SERVICE. THE MECHANIC AT KAUFFMAN TIRE IN HIRAM, GA SHOWED ME THE WEAR ON THE PADS AND BRAKES, THEY REPLACED THE PADS AND MACHINED THE ROTORS. IN JUNE OF 1999, THE BRAKES STARTED SQUEAKING AGAIN, AND IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT. I HAD THE BRAKES FIXED AT MID-STATE MOTORS, IN MANCHESTER, TN, AND THEY WORKED FINE UNTIL ABOUT MID-FEBRUARY 2000. NOW WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. I FEEL THAT THE BRAKES ARE WEARING AND GOING BAD MUCH SOONER THAN THEY SHOULD. *AK

SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY OF 1997, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES REPAIRED OR REPLACED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS TWO WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR, I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE THE BRAKE FLUID KEPT LEAKING, AND THE FRONT DISC PULLED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A RECALL PROBLEM, AND THEY CLAIMED TO FIX IT. NINE MONTHS LATER I HAD TO HAVE THE THE FRONT BRAKES REPLACED, AND THE REAR BRAKES ADJUSTED, DUE TO PULLING AND SQUEAKING, (AT SEARS AUTO CENTER). LATER IN OCTOBER OF 1998, I HAD TO REPLACE FRONT DISCS AGAIN. THIS WAS WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR ITS 60000 MILE SERVICE. THE MECHANIC AT KAUFFMAN TIRE IN HIRAM, GA SHOWED ME THE WEAR ON THE PADS AND BRAKES, THEY REPLACED THE PADS AND MACHINED THE ROTORS. IN JUNE OF 1999, THE BRAKES STARTED SQUEAKING AGAIN, AND IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT. I HAD THE BRAKES FIXED AT MID-STATE MOTORS, IN MANCHESTER, TN, AND THEY WORKED FINE UNTIL ABOUT MID-FEBRUARY 2000. NOW WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. I FEEL THAT THE BRAKES ARE WEARING AND GOING BAD MUCH SOONER THAN THEY SHOULD. *AK

WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND, THEN BRAKES RELEASE AND VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO ROLL WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

DEALER TOLD CONSUMER TO THROW AWAY FRONT WHEEL ROTORS BECAUSE THE WERE TOO THIN TO GRIND. NLM

STATE SAFETY INSPECTION MECHANIC NOTED THAT BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE DEEPLY RUSTED AND/OR PITTED AND SHOULD BE INSPECTED BY A GM SERVICE CENTER. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT DAGLEY CHEVROLET GEO INFORMED THAT BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE RUSTED AND PITTED SO DEEP THAT THEY COULD NOT BE RE-SURFACED, THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY GM. I LOOKED AT THE ROTORS MYSELF AND FIND THAT THE INSIDE BRAKE ROTOR FRICTION SURFACES ARE RUSTED OR PITTED AWAY, APROX. 1/3 OR LESS OF THE FRONT INSIDE BRAKE PADS ARE ACTUALY MAKING CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR SURFACE. IN MY OPINION, THIS RESULTS IN A VERY SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF BRAKING EFFICENCY.

STATE SAFETY INSPECTION MECHANIC NOTED THAT BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE DEEPLY RUSTED AND/OR PITTED AND SHOULD BE INSPECTED BY A GM SERVICE CENTER. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT DAGLEY CHEVROLET GEO INFORMED THAT BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE RUSTED AND PITTED SO DEEP THAT THEY COULD NOT BE RE-SURFACED, THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY GM. I LOOKED AT THE ROTORS MYSELF AND FOUND THAT THE INSIDE BRAKE ROTOR FRICTION SURFACES ARE RUSTED OR PITTED AWAY, APROX. 1/3 OR LESS OF THE FRONT INSIDE BRAKE PADS ARE ACTUALY MAKING CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR SURFACE. IN MY OPINION, THIS RESULTS IN A VERY SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF BRAKING EFFICIENCY. *AK

BRAKES SQUEAL WHEN APPLIED.

BRAKE PADS WEAR EXCESSIVELY.

HAVE A KNOCKING OR CLICKING ON BOTH REAR TIRES WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS, LEES THAN 10MPH THE NOISE HAPPENS IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS VERY SPONGY WHILE BRAKING, HOWEVER THE CAR HAS BEEN STOPPING WHEN NEEDED TO. IT JUST SEEMS ODD TO HAVE TO PUSH THE PEDAL SO FAR DOWN TOWARD THE FLOOR, AND STILL FELL MUSHY.

BRAKES CONTINUALLY FAILING TO ENGAGE ALMOST RESULTING IN COLLISION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

SINCE OWNERSHIP CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED BRAKING PROBLEMS, NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY.

WHILE APPLYING ABS BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS DONE ON BRAKE SYSTEM AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. VEHICLE HAS AN EXTREME EXTENEDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

SLOAN CHEVROLET HAS HAD VEHICLE FOUR TIMES ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE LOW PEDAL. BRAKE ROTORS WERE CUT WHICH DID RAISE THE PEDAL SLIGHTLY; BRAKE SYSTEM WAS BLED. *AK

SLOAN CHEVROLET HAS HAD VEHICLE FOUR TIMES ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE LOW PEDAL. BRAKE ROTORS WERE CUT WHICH DID RAISE THE PEDAL SLIGHTLY; BRAKE SYSTEM WAS BLED. *AK

BURNING ODOR WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED.

ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT FAILED.

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED.

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE A GRINDING NOISE COMES WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKING SYSTEM AT ALL TIMES AND THE PEDAL, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT AT 20 MPH THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN MAKING SUDDEN OR NORMAL STOP CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES ARE BURNING, CAUSING A VERY BAD ODOR AND EXCESSIVE FRONT BRAKE WEAR. *AK

FRONT BRAKES DEFECTIVE.

COMPUTER/BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THREE WARNING LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH, AS WELL AS AN ACCIDENT.

IN WET AND DRY WEATHER THE BRAKES DON'T STOP CAR, IT SLOWS IT DOWN . *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE GLIDES TO A STOP. STARTER MAKES STRANGE NOISE. MOUNTING BOLT MISSING FROM RADIO CAUSING RATTLING NOISE. DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY WORKS IMPROPERLY. WINDOW STICKING, DEALER ADJUSTED UPPER DOOR AND WINDOW MOLDINGS ALONG TRACK. *SLC

FAILURE ON THE BRAKE SHOES AND PADS OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE BRAKES FAILED. *AK

EXPERIENCING NOISE, BURNING SMELL AND BRAKE FLUID LEAK; CAUSES JERKING/LOCKING FEELING ON OCCASION. *AK