1999 Chevrolet Cavalier

MY '99 CHEVROLET CAVALIER (Z24) SUFFERED BRAKE FAILURE IN DEC. OF 2003. THE ROADS WERE ICY--HAD BEEN SNOWING ALL DAY, AND IT WAS STILL SNOWING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH. I APPLIED THE BRAKES IN AN EASY MANNER, BUT THERE WAS NO BRAKING ACTION. THE CAR CONTINUED AT THE SAME RATE OF SPEED. MY FOOT FELT LIKE IT WAS STEPPING ON STEEL--THERE WAS NO BRAKE ACTION WHATSOEVER. I HAD PLENTY OF BRAKING DISTANCE, AS I WAS TRAVELING VERY CAUTIOUSLY IN THESE SNOWY CONDITIONS. (THERE WERE AN ABOVE AVERAGE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS THAT DAY DUE TO POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS.) I HAD BEEN TRAVELING THIS SAME STRETCH OF ROAD FOR MANY BLOCKS AND IT WAS A STOP AND GO 40 MPH STRETCH OF ROAD. A LEXUS SUV WAS PARKED AT A SEMAPHORE INTERSECTION WAITING AT A RED LIGHT. I DECLARED BRAKE FAILURE AT THE SCENE, AND AFTER THE OFFICER HAD CLEARED THE SCENE I NOTICED MY ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO HAVE THE BRAKES ANALYZED AND DOCUMENTED FOR BRAKE FAILURE. THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS DULY NOTED AND ANALYZED AND I WAS TOLD THE ABS MOTOR NEEDED REPAIR. WHEN I HAD THE REPAIRS DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT THAT NEEDED REPAIR. THE BRAKE FAILURE ITSELF WAS ALARMING, BUT WHAT IS ADDITIONALLY DISTURBING IS THAT I HAD MY BRAKES REPAIRED IN JAN. OF 2003, BECAUSE I COMPLAINED THE ABS SYSTEM WAS MAKING STRANGE, RATTLING NOISES --LIKE IT WAS FALLING APART. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE BRAKES, SAYING THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ABS SYSTEM AND THEY INSTEAD FIXED THE PADS AND ROTARS ON THE BRAKES. I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BILL AND THEY SAID "CUSTOMER COMPLAINS OF 'SQUEALING BRAKES'. I NEVER DESCRIBED THE NOISE AS SQUEALING. INSTEAD I COMPLAINED THE ABS NOISE WAS DIFFERENT THAN I HAD EVER HEARD--A SOUND LIKE NUTS AND BOLTS COMING LOSE AND FALLING APART. *AK