IllustrationTOWING A SMALL LANDSCAPE TRAILER, PUSHED BRAKES, PEDAL GOES LOW. GOT HOME, ENTIRE FRAME ON DRIVERS SIDE SOAKED WITH BRAKE FLUID. HAD MY 2 GIRLS IN THE CAR. NOT HAPPY. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR HAVE THE BRAKE LINE RUST OUT BEFORE.
2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Avalanche 1500 years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 38.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Avalanche 1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
70–25K
1525–50K
3650–75K
3775–100K
39100–150K
20150K+
154 reports with mileage · 28 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
Service Brakes complaints
28 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ATTEMPTING TO APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LINE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE BRAKE LINE INDEPENDENTLY. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIR…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ATTEMPTING TO APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LINE FRACTURED. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE BRAKE LINE INDEPENDENTLY. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
DRIVING HOME THE BRAKES WENT TO FLOOR WHEN STOPPING. BREAK FLUID WAS EVERYWHERE. FRONT BRAKE LINE BROKE. ALL BRAKE LINES EXTREMELY RUSTY AND NEED REPLACED. LIVE IN NORTH CAROLINA VERY LITTLE SALT ON ROADS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL TRAFFIC MY SON BRAKE THE VEHICLE AND THE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. HE PULLED IT HOME AND INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE DRIVE. TURNS OUT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LINE BURST. *TR
I WAS COMING DOWN THE HILL AND SAW 2 VEHILES STOPPED ONE WAS GOING TO TURN ONCE TRAFFIC WAS CLEAR. AND I STARTED SLOWING DOWN ALMOST TO A STOP ON A HILL AND I GOT ABOUT 2 CAR LENGHTS AWAY STILL STEPPING ON MY BRAKES AND ALL THE SUDDEN MY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. A WARNING CAME UP AND SAID SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM WHEN I SLAMBED INTO THE…
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I WAS COMING DOWN THE HILL AND SAW 2 VEHILES STOPPED ONE WAS GOING TO TURN ONCE TRAFFIC WAS CLEAR. AND I STARTED SLOWING DOWN ALMOST TO A STOP ON A HILL AND I GOT ABOUT 2 CAR LENGHTS AWAY STILL STEPPING ON MY BRAKES AND ALL THE SUDDEN MY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. A WARNING CAME UP AND SAID SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM WHEN I SLAMBED INTO THE REAR END OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHO INTERN HIT THE CAR INFRONT OF THEM. I HAD JUST REPLACED MY BREAKS AND ROTERS 45 DAYS BEFORE THIS. I BLEW THE BRAKELINE ON THE FRONT. JULY 2012 I BLEW A BRAKELINE. NOONE WAS INJURED THAT TIME AND ALSO BLEW A BRAKE LINE AUGUST 2013. SO FOR THE 3 TIME BLOWING A BRAKELINE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. I LIVED IN THE NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL MOVING TO WEST VIRGINIA IN 2012 AND THIS HAS HAPPEN EVERY YEAR SINCE I MOVED NORTH. *TR
LOSS OF BRAKES OCCURRED WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDDLE. INSPECTION BY LOCAL MECHANIC SHOWED BOTH FRONT BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH. FURTHER MECHANIC INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE REMAINING REAR LINES WERE ALSO CORRODED TO THE POINT WHERE FAILURE WAS IMMINENT. LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT INDICATED COST OF REPAIR WO…
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LOSS OF BRAKES OCCURRED WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDDLE. INSPECTION BY LOCAL MECHANIC SHOWED BOTH FRONT BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH. FURTHER MECHANIC INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE REMAINING REAR LINES WERE ALSO CORRODED TO THE POINT WHERE FAILURE WAS IMMINENT. LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT INDICATED COST OF REPAIR WOULD BE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND THAT THERE WERE NO OEM PRE-SHAPED LINES PRODUCED BY ANY MANUFACTURER FOR SUCH REPAIRS. HENCE, THIS WOULD REQUIRE CUSTOM BRAKE LINE BENDING AND SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED REPAIR COSTS. SECOND OCCURRENCE RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOST OF ALL BRAKING ABILITY. THIS VEHICLE IS OFTEN USED TO HAUL HORSES WITH A HORSE TRAILER. WE ARE EXTREMELY LUCKY WE WERE NOT HAULING HORSES AT THE TIME OF THE BRAKE LINES RUPTURED AND FAILED. RESEARCH ON VARIOUS CHEVY AND AVALANCHE INTERNET SITES / BOARDS AS OF THIS DATE SHOWS THIS HAS BECOME AN INCREASINGLY COMMON PROBLEM FOR CHEVY TRUCKS OF THIS VINTAGE. THE TRUE INCIDENCE OF THIS PROBLEM IS LIKELY HIDDEN BY FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO SEEK REPAIR ALTERNATIVES OTHER THAN AT CHEVY DEALERS AS THE DEALER QUOTED REPAIR COSTS ARE OUTRAGEOUS. IT IS INCREDIBLE THAT WITH ALL THE PRESS ABOUT RECENT RECALLS ON LARGE NUMBERS OF CHEVY VEHICLES, AND THE GOVERNMENT AND TAXPAYER MONEY THAT WENT INTO BAILING OUT CHEVY, THAT SOMETHING AS SERIOUS AS INCREASINGLY FREQUENT CHEVY TRUCK BRAKE FAILURES, WHICH COULD PUT PEOPLE'S LIVES AT RISK, HAVE BEEN IGNORED. *TR
I WAS DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON OLD US 23 IN BRIGHTON, MI AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE. THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BARELY GOT THE TRUCK STOPPED. ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUPTURED. POLARCHIOS AUTO REPAIR (BRIGHTON, MI) IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE DUE TO CORROSION. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF BRAKE LINE…
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I WAS DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON OLD US 23 IN BRIGHTON, MI AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE. THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BARELY GOT THE TRUCK STOPPED. ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUPTURED. POLARCHIOS AUTO REPAIR (BRIGHTON, MI) IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE DUE TO CORROSION. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF BRAKE LINES CORRODING AND WHILE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE APPROX. $350 REPAIR DID NOT THINK TOO MUCH OF THE INCIDENT THINKING THIS WAS NOT A COMMON PROBLEM. POLARCHIOS TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM AND HAD REPAIRED SEVERAL OTHER TRUCKS FOR THIS PROBLEM. I SAW THAT THIS AGENCY WAS INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM AND WAS ENCOURAGING GM TO RECALL AND REPAIR THESE VEHICLES AND WANTED TO PROVIDE MY EXPERIENCE. I WOULD THINK A RECALL IS IN ORDER AS I ONLY HAD ONE LINE FAIL, THERE ARE 3 MORE......WHEN WILL THOSE FAIL? AS SERIOUS AS THE GM IGNITION KEY ISSUES ARE, I WOULD THINK THE ABILITY TO STOP WOULD BE AT LEAST AS IMPORTANT. PLEASE CALL ME AT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS - THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO! *TR
SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND BRAKE FLUID GUSHED FROM BRAKE LINE UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT. ALSO LEAKED ON DRIVER'S REAR PASSENGER SIDE. TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. *JS
BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND WAS GETTING NO BRAKING AT ALL UNLESS EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED...LUCKILY WAS AT A STOP IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND NOT TRYING TO STOP ON AT AM INTERSECTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY...WAS ABLE TO LIMP HOME USING EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP...AREN'T THESE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SPLIT SYSTEM …
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BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND WAS GETTING NO BRAKING AT ALL UNLESS EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED...LUCKILY WAS AT A STOP IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND NOT TRYING TO STOP ON AT AM INTERSECTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY...WAS ABLE TO LIMP HOME USING EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP...AREN'T THESE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SPLIT SYSTEM SO YOU CANNOT LOSE ALL BRAKES AT ONCE...PADS ARE NOT WORN LOW...AND FLUID IS SPRAYING FROM BRAKE LINE DIRECTLY UNDER DRIVERS SIDE DOOR... *JS
WHILE DRIVING MY TRUCK IN A CURVE I NOTICE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RESPONSIVE AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. I REGAINED CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN THE N DRIVE ATTEMPTING TO LET THE VEHICLE COAST TO A STOP. I DID A MAINTENANCE CHECK FOR LOW BRAKE FLUID, I FOUND THAT THE LEVEL…
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WHILE DRIVING MY TRUCK IN A CURVE I NOTICE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RESPONSIVE AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. I REGAINED CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN THE N DRIVE ATTEMPTING TO LET THE VEHICLE COAST TO A STOP. I DID A MAINTENANCE CHECK FOR LOW BRAKE FLUID, I FOUND THAT THE LEVEL WAS GOOD. THAT'S WHEN I WAS INFORMED THAT MY BRAKE LINE HAD BROKEN. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BRAKE FLUID WAS SHOOTING OUT FROM THE BRAKE LINE. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME THAT MY LIFE AND OTHERS HAS BEEN ENDANGERED. THE FIRST INCIDENCE WAS A FEW YEARS AGO I WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, THE SECOND TIME WAS NOVEMBER 2013 AND NOW THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN 2006 WITH ONLY 47,000 MILES ON IT FOR THIS TO OCCUR THREE TIMES IS TO OFTEN. I NOW HAVE 150000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND CANNOT AFFORD A NEW CAR OR NEW CAR PAYMENT. PLEASE LOOK INTO TO SO THAT I AND OTHER LIVES WILL NOT BE FURTHER ENDANGERED. RECALL AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE BRAKE LINES BREAKING SO THAT WE ARE SAFE. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA11001 · Brake Line Corrosion Failure
Opened Jan 5, 2011 · Closed Apr 8, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The subject vehicles represent the first five MY's of GM's GMT800 platform production, of which approximately 2,038,504 vehicles were sold in salt states (the subject vehicles).The GMT800 platform includes the following vehicles:1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 series pick-up trucks; 2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles; and 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Avalanche sport-utility vehicles.General Motors produced a total of approximately 10,427,062 GMT800 vehicles for sales in the United States, including almost 5 million that were sold in salt states.Although there are over 60 different brake pipe routing configuration used in GMT800 vehicles, with the exception of the rear crossover pipes in MY 200x-2007 vehicles that changed from rear disc to drum brakes, all of the vehicles use brake pipes from the same supplier with a common double-wall, brazed steel pipe design with a combination of hot dip Zinc-Aluminum corrosion protection coating and Aluminum paint outer layer known in the industry as AlGal (ASTM-B750). ODI analysis of field data regarding GMT800 vehicles identified a total of 3,645 complaints of brake pipe corrosion failures, including 107 alleging crashes, and 40 injuries.Though only 20% of total GMT800 production, due to age and region the subject vehicles account for a disproportionate share of the failure experience; with 2,702 of the complaints (75%), 88 of the crashes (82%) and 20 of the injuries (50%) reported in those vehicles.Analysis of the complaints showed strong correlations to vehicle age and region.For vehicles with less than 8 years of service, the complaint rates were minimal for all regions.In the salt states the failure rates begin to climb as the vehicles advance in age, particularly in the Northeast corner of the United States.The complaint rates in the salt states go from less than 0.1 incident per thousand vehicles (IPTV) at 7 years in service to over 1.0 IPTV after the 12th year of service for the subject pickup trucks and utility vehicles.Most of the failures reported to ODI occurred in vehicles with more than 10 years in service.ODI?s investigation did not identify any specific defect conditions that were causing or contributing to the brake pipe failures.Nor did the analysis isolate the problem to any subject vehicle sub-populations when analyzed by vehicle type or production range.The investigation found that vehicles experiencing brake pipe corrosion failures were likely to have general patterns of excessive corrosion on the majority of the brake pipe assembly and appear to be occurring due to expected wear out for the brake pipe coating material used in the subject vehicles and the environmental conditions in severe corrosion states.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor t
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The subject vehicles represent the first five MY's of GM's GMT800 platform production, of which approximately 2,038,504 vehicles were sold in salt states (the subject vehicles).The GMT800 platform includes the following vehicles:1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 series pick-up trucks; 2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles; and 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Avalanche sport-utility vehicles.General Motors produced a total of approximately 10,427,062 GMT800 vehicles for sales in the United States, including almost 5 million that were sold in salt states.Although there are over 60 different brake pipe routing configuration used in GMT800 vehicles, with the exception of the rear crossover pipes in MY 200x-2007 vehicles that changed from rear disc to drum brakes, all of the vehicles use brake pipes from the same supplier with a common double-wall, brazed steel pipe design with a combination of hot dip Zinc-Aluminum corrosion protection coating and Aluminum paint outer layer known in the industry as AlGal (ASTM-B750). ODI analysis of field data regarding GMT800 vehicles identified a total of 3,645 complaints of brake pipe corrosion failures, including 107 alleging crashes, and 40 injuries.Though only 20% of total GMT800 production, due to age and region the subject vehicles account for a disproportionate share of the failure experience; with 2,702 of the complaints (75%), 88 of the crashes (82%) and 20 of the injuries (50%) reported in those vehicles.Analysis of the complaints showed strong correlations to vehicle age and region.For vehicles with less than 8 years of service, the complaint rates were minimal for all regions.In the salt states the failure rates begin to climb as the vehicles advance in age, particularly in the Northeast corner of the United States.The complaint rates in the salt states go from less than 0.1 incident per thousand vehicles (IPTV) at 7 years in service to over 1.0 IPTV after the 12th year of service for the subject pickup trucks and utility vehicles.Most of the failures reported to ODI occurred in vehicles with more than 10 years in service.ODI?s investigation did not identify any specific defect conditions that were causing or contributing to the brake pipe failures.Nor did the analysis isolate the problem to any subject vehicle sub-populations when analyzed by vehicle type or production range.The investigation found that vehicles experiencing brake pipe corrosion failures were likely to have general patterns of excessive corrosion on the majority of the brake pipe assembly and appear to be occurring due to expected wear out for the brake pipe coating material used in the subject vehicles and the environmental conditions in severe corrosion states.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor t
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The subject vehicles represent the first five MY's of GM's GMT800 platform production, of which approximately 2,038,504 vehicles were sold in salt states (the subject vehicles).The GMT800 platform includes the following vehicles:1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 series pick-up trucks; 2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles; and 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Avalanche sport-utility vehicles.General Motors produced a total of approximately 10,427,062 GMT800 vehicles for sales in the United States, including almost 5 million that were sold in salt states.Although there are over 60 different brake pipe routing configuration used in GMT800 vehicles, with the exception of the rear crossover pipes in MY 200x-2007 vehicles that changed from rear disc to drum brakes, all of the vehicles use brake pipes from the same supplier with a common double-wall, brazed steel pipe design with a combination of hot dip Zinc-Aluminum corrosion protection coating and Aluminum paint outer layer known in the industry as AlGal (ASTM-B750). ODI analysis of field data regarding GMT800 vehicles identified a total of 3,645 complaints of brake pipe corrosion failures, including 107 alleging crashes, and 40 injuries.Though only 20% of total GMT800 production, due to age and region the subject vehicles account for a disproportionate share of the failure experience; with 2,702 of the complaints (75%), 88 of the crashes (82%) and 20 of the injuries (50%) reported in those vehicles.Analysis of the complaints showed strong correlations to vehicle age and region.For vehicles with less than 8 years of service, the complaint rates were minimal for all regions.In the salt states the failure rates begin to climb as the vehicles advance in age, particularly in the Northeast corner of the United States.The complaint rates in the salt states go from less than 0.1 incident per thousand vehicles (IPTV) at 7 years in service to over 1.0 IPTV after the 12th year of service for the subject pickup trucks and utility vehicles.Most of the failures reported to ODI occurred in vehicles with more than 10 years in service.ODI?s investigation did not identify any specific defect conditions that were causing or contributing to the brake pipe failures.Nor did the analysis isolate the problem to any subject vehicle sub-populations when analyzed by vehicle type or production range.The investigation found that vehicles experiencing brake pipe corrosion failures were likely to have general patterns of excessive corrosion on the majority of the brake pipe assembly and appear to be occurring due to expected wear out for the brake pipe coating material used in the subject vehicles and the environmental conditions in severe corrosion states.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor t