NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Service Brakes complaints
126 reportsClear category filter149,510 miles · Sep 1, 2014
Service BrakesCrash
I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK AND WHEN I TO PUT ON THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I INSTANTLY HAD NO BRAKES, NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANYTHING. THERE WAS A CAR STOPPED IN THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME AND WAS NOTHING I COULD DO SO I ENDED UP REAR ENDING THEM, TOTALING THEIR CAR. WHEN LOOKING UNDER THE TRUCK I REALIZED THE BRAKE LINES …
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I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK AND WHEN I TO PUT ON THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I INSTANTLY HAD NO BRAKES, NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANYTHING. THERE WAS A CAR STOPPED IN THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME AND WAS NOTHING I COULD DO SO I ENDED UP REAR ENDING THEM, TOTALING THEIR CAR. WHEN LOOKING UNDER THE TRUCK I REALIZED THE BRAKE LINES HAD BUSTED DUE TO RUST. I HAVE NEVER HAD AS MUCH AS A SPEEDING TICKET AND NOW HAVE A WRECK ON MY RECORD DUE TO FAULTY LINES THAT HAS HAPPEN TO MANY PEOPLE. AFTER I LOOKED INTO IT I SEEN ITS BEING INVESTIGATED BUT SOMETHING NEEDS DONE, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND IS GONNA KILL PEOPLE IF NOT FIXED AND RECALLED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10629824
197,000 miles · Aug 29, 2014
Service Brakes
THE BRAKE LINE WENT OUT AND JUST ABOUT CAUSED US TO WRECK. IT WAS FINE ONE MINUTE THEN THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. PIONEER CHEVY IN ABINGDON VA SAID THE LINES HAD RUSTED. THAT COST US OVER $1300. THAT WAS IN APRIL AND NOW IT'S AUGUST AND IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN WITH A DIFFERENT BREAK LINE. PIONEER NOW SAID IT'S GOING T…
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THE BRAKE LINE WENT OUT AND JUST ABOUT CAUSED US TO WRECK. IT WAS FINE ONE MINUTE THEN THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. PIONEER CHEVY IN ABINGDON VA SAID THE LINES HAD RUSTED. THAT COST US OVER $1300. THAT WAS IN APRIL AND NOW IT'S AUGUST AND IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN WITH A DIFFERENT BREAK LINE. PIONEER NOW SAID IT'S GOING TO COST OVER $800 THIS TIME. I'M SO FURIOUS WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY TO SPEND ON FIXING THE TRUCK WHICH WE REALLY NEED. FROM WHAT I'VE READ AND RESEARCHED APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10629445
126,000 miles · Aug 14, 2014
Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control
I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK GOING 45MPH WHEN I SAW A CAR A SHORT DISTANCE AHEAD PULL OUT ONTO THE ROAD. I TRIED TO APPLY MY BRAKES AS THE CAR AHEAD DID NOT REACH THE SPEED LIMIT FAST ENOUGH. MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND ALL BRAKING ABILITY WAS LOST. I LIFTED MY FOOT TO TRY TO APPLY THE PEDAL AGAI…
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I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK GOING 45MPH WHEN I SAW A CAR A SHORT DISTANCE AHEAD PULL OUT ONTO THE ROAD. I TRIED TO APPLY MY BRAKES AS THE CAR AHEAD DID NOT REACH THE SPEED LIMIT FAST ENOUGH. MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND ALL BRAKING ABILITY WAS LOST. I LIFTED MY FOOT TO TRY TO APPLY THE PEDAL AGAIN AND AGAIN THE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. I NEARLY CRASHED INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME AND HAD TO SWERVE OFF OF THE ROAD TO AVOID CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS ONLY AFTER A LONG DISTANCE OF RIDING ON THE SHOULDER AND DOWNSHIFTING THAT I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A STOP. ONLY JUST AS I WAS STOPPING DID THE BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH. I HAD NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN OR THAT I HAD LOST MY BRAKES, OTHER THAN THE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. BEFORE THIS, THE BRAKES WORKED PERFECTLY. HAD I NOT HAD THE ROOM TO SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A POTENTIALLY LETHAL ACCIDENT AND ONE OR MORE LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN LOST. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10622395
147,040 miles · Aug 1, 2014
Service Brakes
I HAPPENED TO NOTICE MY BRAKE LINE GOING TO THE REAR BRAKES WHERE WET, I CHECKED IN FOUND THE LINE HAD RUSTED THRU. UPON CHECKING THE OTHER LINES I FOUND THEY ALL WHERE EXTREMELY RUSTED. LUCK WOULD HAVE IT I HAD JUST PARKED. I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE ALL THE BRAKE LINES WITH NEW LINES. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVROLET T…
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I HAPPENED TO NOTICE MY BRAKE LINE GOING TO THE REAR BRAKES WHERE WET, I CHECKED IN FOUND THE LINE HAD RUSTED THRU. UPON CHECKING THE OTHER LINES I FOUND THEY ALL WHERE EXTREMELY RUSTED. LUCK WOULD HAVE IT I HAD JUST PARKED. I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE ALL THE BRAKE LINES WITH NEW LINES. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVROLET TRUCKS FROM 1999-TO THE EARLY OR MID 2000'S. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH RUSTED BRAKE LINES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10618065
86,540 miles · Jul 23, 2014
Service Brakes
REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE BURST DURING BRAKING AT 40 MPH. SWERVED TO AVOID A COLLISION. EXTREMELY CORRODED BRAKE LINES UPON INVESTIGATION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10615866
135,000 miles · Jul 20, 2014
Service Brakes
I WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AT STOP SIGN, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND BY LUCK NO ONE WAS COMING FROM OTHER DIRECTION. I WASN'T ABLE TO STOP. I SPENT OVER 700 DOLLARS TO HAVE NEW BRAKELINES INSTALLED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10614859
182,166 miles · Jul 18, 2014
Service Brakes
LEAVING DRIVEWAY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE. NO ABS LIGHT OR ANY OTHER LIGHT VIEWABLE ON DASHBOARD. EVEN AFTER PARKING THE TRUCK, STARTING IT UP, AND DEPRESSING PEDAL, AGAIN WENT TO FLOOR, NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THIS IS A 4WD TRUCK WITH ABS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10611415
102,456 miles · Jul 13, 2014
Service Brakes
THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED THRU AND LEAKED OUT ALL THE BREAK FLUID CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL. BRAKE LINES SHOULD NOT RUST THRU SO EASILY AND SO SOON. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A 1991 SILVERADO WITH CLOSE TO 300,000 MILES AND THE BRAKE LINES ON IT NEVER RUSTED THRU. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS IS A VIT…
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THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED THRU AND LEAKED OUT ALL THE BREAK FLUID CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL. BRAKE LINES SHOULD NOT RUST THRU SO EASILY AND SO SOON. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A 1991 SILVERADO WITH CLOSE TO 300,000 MILES AND THE BRAKE LINES ON IT NEVER RUSTED THRU. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS IS A VITAL SAFETY COMPONENT. FOR SOME REASON THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN CHEVROLET SILVERADOS FROM 1999 TO 2003. I HAD TO PAY $610.50 TO GET WHAT I CONSIDER A GM DEFECT FIXED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10610194
155,000 miles · Jul 8, 2014
Service Brakes
MONDAY JULY 7TH, 2014, I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, TRAVELING WEST ON HWY 290 W., AUSTIN, TX JUST PASSED CIRCLE DR. (INTERSECTION HAS BEEN CALLED DEATH TRAP). DEADLY CRASHES ON THIS STRETCH OF HIGHWAY OCCUR FREQUENTLY. STARTED TO SLOW FOR NEXT INTERSECTION WHEN BRAKES FAILED - PEDAL WAS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. THE HILL HELPED ME SLOW A …
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MONDAY JULY 7TH, 2014, I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, TRAVELING WEST ON HWY 290 W., AUSTIN, TX JUST PASSED CIRCLE DR. (INTERSECTION HAS BEEN CALLED DEATH TRAP). DEADLY CRASHES ON THIS STRETCH OF HIGHWAY OCCUR FREQUENTLY. STARTED TO SLOW FOR NEXT INTERSECTION WHEN BRAKES FAILED - PEDAL WAS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. THE HILL HELPED ME SLOW A BIT, BUT SWITCHED TO MIDDLE TURNING LANE TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THANK GOD THE LIGHT WAS GREEN. ONE SMALL CAR PASSED IN FRONT OF ME WHILE I WAS TURNING IN FRONT OF TWO LANES OF EASTBOUND TRAFFIC. PROCEEDED INTO LONE STAR BANK'S PARKING LOT MISSING A MOVING CAR. TURNED RIGHT TO AVOID ROW OF PARKED CARS, DRIVE UP BAYS AND CURB THAT LED TO A POSSIBLE RAVENE. TURNED INTO PARKING SPACE, WENT UP OVER CURB & STOPPED IN FRONT OF LANDSCAPING ROCKS AND A TREE. IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST - HAD NO BRAKES WHATSOEVER. AS WENT UP OVER CURB, I DEPRESSED EMERGENCY BRAKE. WITH ONLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, SLOWLY ALLOWED TRUCK TO ROLL BACK DOWN OVER CURB. CALLED FOR AAA SERVICE. LOOKED UNDERNEATH TRUCK & IDENTIFIED TWO BRAKE FLUID LEAKS ON CONCRETE. HAD TRUCK TOWED TO DAVIS AUTO AND WAS TOLD TODAY THAT ALL BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED, WITH NO WAY TO SPLICE, AND ALL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY WEREN'T SURE OF WHAT ELSE WOULD NEED REPLACING, SUCH AS ABS PUMP, BUT MASTER CYLINDER WAS OKAY. I CALLED BEN WHITE AUTOMOTIVE & WAS TOLD ABOUT ANOTHER MAN WITH A SIMILAR SITUATION, AND THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AT GM. I SAW ON INTERNET, AN ARTICLE DATED JULY 7, 2014 (HOW IRONIC) WHERE GM IS RESISTING RECALL OF BRAKE LINES ON 1999-2003 CHEVY SILVERADO PICKUPS. SERIOUSLY, ALMOST REAR ENDING A SMALL CAR WITH CARS ALL AROUND, SWERVING IN BETWEEN TWO LANES OF ONCOMING EASTBOUND TRAFFIC TRAVELING 65 MPH, HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD'VE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. THE BRAKE LINES ON THESE TRUCKS HAVE GOT TO BE RECALLED BY GM! *TR UPDATED 03/19/2015 *JS
NHTSA ODI #10608903
111,000 miles · Jul 7, 2014
Service Brakes
WHILE DRIVING, I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH MINIMAL STOPPING POWER, I PULLED OVER AND SAW A POOL OF BRAKE FLUID. AFTER CHECKING FURTHER NOTICE THE CORRODED BRAKE LINE HAS RUPTURED. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10608746
NHTSA investigations
2EA04011 · Parking Brake Failure
Opened Apr 9, 2004 · Closed May 10, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake; Parking Brake:conventional; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (4)
Parking Brake:conventional
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Parking Brake
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
PE03057 · Parking Brake Failure
Opened Dec 8, 2003 · Closed Apr 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake
ODI OPENED PE03-057 TO ASSESS PARKING BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKES THAT INCORPORATE A SINGLE-SHOE DRUM-IN-HAT PARKING BRAKE INDEPENDENT OF THE SERVICE BRAKES.COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA INDICATE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE LININGS TEND TO WEAR OUT EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (AT AN AVERAGE OF 24 MONTHS IN SERVICE), REDUCING THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM'S TORQUE BELOW THAT NEEDED TO IMMOBILIZE THE VEHICLE.GM HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS ACCELERATED WEAR TO FOREIGN MATERIAL INTRUSION AND A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SHOE TO PROPERLY SELF-CENTER WITHIN ITS BRAKE DRUM.EFFECTIVE WITH THE START OF MY 2003 PRODUCTION, A NEWER REDUCED FORCE HOLD-DOWN CLIP WAS INTRODUCED TO FACILITATE BRAKE SHOE DISENGAGEMENT FROM THE DRUM SURFACE.THIS PART IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE SERVICE LEVEL FOR THE MY 1999-2002 VEHICLES.GM HAS INDICATED THAT THE PAKING BRAKE IS INTENDED TO OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION TO IMMOBILZE PARKED VEHICLES, AND THAT IN MANY CASES, ACCELERATED PARKING BRAKE LINING WEAR IS CAUSED BY ROUGH USE, VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AND DRIVING WITH THE PARKING ENGAGED. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING PARKING BRAKE USAGE FACTORS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SEVENTEEN REPORTED VEHICLE CRASHES.
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