1996 Chevrolet S10

AT AROUND 45,000 MILES, THE ABS LIGHT WENT ON DURING TRAVEL. I WENT TO A BRAKE SHOP AND THEY INFORMED ME OF A PROBLEM WITH S-10 BRAKES. I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL YET. THEY DID TELL ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH S-10 BRAKING SYSTEMS AND I SHOULD WAIT UNTIL I RECEIVE A LETTER. I USED THE INTERNET TO CHECK AND SEE IF THERE WAS RECALL ON MY TRUCK. THE INFORMATION I READ WAS THE FINAL LETTERS WOULD BE SENT IN DEC. 2000. AS OF NOW, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING. I CALLED THE DEALED AND THEY GAVE ME A PRICE OF $350.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I DO KNOW THERE IS A ABS PROBLEM WITH 2,400,000 TRUCKS. HOW DO I FIND OUT IF MY TRUCK IS PART OF THE RECALL. THE TRUCK STOPS FINE, EXCEPT IN WET WEATHER. IF THE ROAD IS WET, THE BRAKES LOCK UP.*AK

RECALL 99 V 193 000/ABS: ABS SYSTEM ENGAGES INTERMITTENTLY AND CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, RECALL 98 V 150 001/WINDSHIELD WIPERS: WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THIS CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, THUS, REDUCING DRIVER'S VISIBILTY, AND INCREASING RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

TODAY (11/21/00) WAS THE THIRD TIME I'VE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY 1996 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP. DURING CERTAIN, SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, THE ABS WILL "DECIDE" NOT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ROLL FORWARDS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THIS OCCURS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) SLOW SPEED; GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 MPH. 2) WET, SLICK PAVEMENT THAT ABRUPTLY CHANGES TO DRY PAVEMENT AND THEN BACK TO WET PAVEMENT. IN THESE SITUATIONS, THE ABS CAN BE HEARD AND FELT CYCLING BUT NO STOPPING POWER IS AVAILABLE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THIS SITUATION IN A "REASONABLE" DISTANCE IS TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE AND "LOCK UP" THE REAR WHEELS. THE FIRST TWO OCCURRENCES, WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, TOOK PLACE APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS AGO WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE S10 WAS TAKEN TO A CHEVROLET DEALER (GROTH BROTHERS, LIVERMORE, CA 94550) WHO CHECKED THE ABS SYSTEM AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE THIRD OCCURRENCE HAPPENED ON 11/21/00 AND RESULTED IN ME REAR-ENDING A VEHICLE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. --I APPROACHED THE RED LIGHT AT WHICH A VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. I WAS TRAVELING LESS THAN 10 MPH AND THE ROAD WAS WET BUT I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP (OR SO I THOUGHT); AT LEAST 50 FEET! AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES FOR A LEISURELY STOP (DIDN'T PUMP THEM, JUST AN EVEN, STEADY FIRM PRESSURE), I COULD FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM BEGIN TO CYCLE. AT THIS POINT, NO STOPPING POWER WAS AVAILABLE AT ALL AND I ROLLED INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME AT THE RED LIGHT. BECAUSE OF THE SLOW SPEED, NO DAMAGE WAS INCURRED. BEFORE YOU CHOCK THIS UP TO OPERATOR ERROR OR A DRIVER (ME) WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND ABS, CONSIDER THIS; I HAVE HAD MUCH PRACTICAL USE AND EXPERIENCE WITH ABS SYSTEMS. BESIDES HAVING AN ENGINEERING DEGREE AND BEING FAIRLY ADEPT AT OPERATING A VARIETY OF EQUIPMENT (CARS, TRACTORS, MOTORCYCLES, BOATS AND AIRPLANES), I AM A PILOT FOR A MAJOR US AIRLINE AND OPERATE AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH ABS S

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING WET ROAD CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE TAKES LONGER TO STOP THAN WHEN IT IS DRY. THE BRAKE SYSTEM MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. IT HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT AT THE DEALER AND THEY CANNOT SEEM TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE TIRES ARE ON A DIFFERENT VEHICLE BUT 1 TIRE THE TREAD CAME OFF DURING HIGHWAY OPERATION. DURING INSPECTION WE FOUND 2 OTHER TIRES WITH LOOSE TREAD AND READY TO PEEL OFF. WE HAD THEM REPLACED. THE TIRES HAD SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON THEM WITH A GREAT AMOUNT OF TREAD LEFT