1995 Chevrolet S10

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

WHILE BRAKING THE BRAKES OF THE CONSUMER'S 1995 CHEVROLET S10 LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE INTO A STEEL POST. THE CONSUMER HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. *NM THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONING AS THEY SHOULD. *NM

WE ARE THE OWNERS OF A 1995 CHEVY S10 LS VIN NUMBER [XXX]. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL MINOR PROBLEMS AND A FEW MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK IN THE THREE YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM IS SERIOUS AND CAUSED A POTENTIALLY FATAL SITUATION, ALL WHICH HAVE MADE US UNHAPPY WITH THE TRUCK. I APPROACHED A STOPLIGHT, WHERE OTHER VEHICLES WERE STOPPED AND I PROCEEDED TO SLOW DOWN. THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY BRAKES WERE NOT RESPONDING AND THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN. I CONTINUED TO APPLY THE BRAKE IN DISBELIEF BUT STILL MY TRUCK CAREENED ON. THIS ALL OCCURRED IN LESS THAN 5 SECONDS. BEFORE I KNEW IT I WAS GIVEN A CHOICE OF EITHER SLAMMING MY TRUCK INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT 40MPH, OR TAKING MY CHANCES ON THE SIDEWALK, THAT TO MY BLESSING WAS EMPTY. DESPERATELY, I VEERED MY TRUCK TO THE RIGHT OVER THE SIDEWALK, OVER BLOCK BARRIERS ONTO A PARKING LOT PRAYING THAT THE IMPACT WOULD SLOW MY TRUCK DOWN. MY TRUCK FINALLY ROLLED TO A STOP. UPON INSPECTION OF THE TRUCK, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE A PLASTIC PART THAT CONNECTS A VACUUM LINE TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER BROKE. I AM SHOCKED AND OUTRAGED THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN. IF THIS PART FAILS AT ANY TIME, THERE ARE NO POWER BRAKES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER''S MANUAL, THE PART IN QUESTION NEVER NEEDS SERVICING AND HAS NO REPLACEMENT INTERVAL. WHAT EVEN SCARIER IS THAT WE HAVE HAD OUR BRAKES SERVICED TWICE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. QUESTION TO GM AND OTHER WHY DID THIS PART BREAK? WHAT COULD WE HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS INCIDENT? HAVE THERE BEEN SIMILAR INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE WITH OTHER GM TRUCKS? IS THIS A RECALL ITEM? OVER THE COURSE OF OWNING OUR GM TRUCK WE HAVE HAD OTHER MECHANICAL FAILURES, THE FIRST WAS WHEN THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL TO THE FLOOR AND NOW THIS''BRAKE FAILURE. WE HAVE BECOME MORE AND MORE DISSATISFIED WITH THIS GM TRUCK. IT HAS PROVEN TO BE UNRELIABLE AND UNSAFE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FAILURE #1-REAR BRAKES WOULD LOCK WHEN STOPPING. THIS WOULD ACTIVATE THE REAR ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AND RESULT IN EXTRA LONG STOPPING. FAILURE #2-THE AIR VACUUM HOSE THAT CONTROLS THE POSITION OF THE VENTS (IE HEATER OR VENT OR DEFROST) MELTED AND CONTROL OF THE DEFROST WAS LOST. WINDSHIELD FROSTED OVER AND REDUCED VISION THROUGH WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN DANGEROUS CONDITION. DT

THE ABS ANTILOCKING LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD CAME ON. WHEN I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO THE DELIVER I WAS TOLD THAT THE BPMV VALVE HAD FAILED AND THAT I HAD NO ABS BRAKES. THEN I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST ME $1400 TO REPLACE THIS VALVE. I FIND THIS COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE FOR A SAFETY SYSTEM REPAIR. SINCE THEN I HAVE FOUND OUT FROM OTHER SOURCES THAT THE RETAIL GM PRICE OF THE VALVE IS ONLY $108.63. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE CHEV S10 ABS SYSTEM. SHOULDN'T THIS BE REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL? IF NOT IT SHOULD AS LEAST BE REPAIRED AT A REASONABLE COST!*AK