2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. DRIVING DOWN A SHORT HILL, BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED COMPLETELY TO FLOOR WITH NO BRAKE RESPONSE OR STOPPING AVAILABILITY. DRIVING @ APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD LITTLE EFFECT AND HAD TO TURN INTO A DIRT HILL TO STOP THE TRUCK. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, 4 BRAKE LINES DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE CAB ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED WITH 2 LINES FAILING SIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASING BRAKE FLUID ONTO THE GROUND. THE 2 LINES FROM THE PROPORTIONING VALVE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO THE ABS AND THE 2 LINES FROM THE ABS TO THE 2 FRONT WHEELS RUN PARALLEL UNDER THE CAB AND ARE SEVERELY CORRODED IN 2 PLACES ONLY. THE 4 LINES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AT THE POINT OF THE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT SECURE THE LINES TO THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. THE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT HOLD THE BRAKE LINES HOLD MOISTURE AND SALT AND CAUSE ALL THE BRAKE LINES TO CORRODE AT THOSE POINTS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO RUST IN THE LINES TO THE REAR OF THE TRUCK OR AT BOTH REAR BRAKE CALIPERS. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR OR LACK OF MAINTENANCE. I CLEAN THE UNDERSIDE OF MY VEHICLE EVERY WINTER. THE LINES ARE RUSTING AS A RESULT OF THE CLIPS RETAINING SALT AND CORROSIVES AND CAUSING YEAR ROUND CONTACT TO THE BRAKE LINES. IS ANYONE READING OR INVESTIGATING HERE? THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS HERE REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE POST THAT LIST THE CORROSION IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT AS MY TRUCK. THESE LINES RUST NOT FROM NORMAL WEAR BUT BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE CLIP DESIGN. REPAIR ESTIMATE FROM CHEVROLET DEALER IS $1250 TO REPLACE ALL LINES. WHEN WILL GM CONSIDER THIS A DEFECT OR WRITE A SERVICE BULLETIN? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT HESITATED TO RESPOND BEFORE THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED. THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,340.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD PRIOR TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT ANOTHER VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT SHOULDER THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/08/16*LJ *TR

TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE ON 2 OCCASIONS, BOTH WITH TRAILER ATTACHED - BADLY RUSTED BRAKE LINES TO BOTH FRONT WHEELS BURST UNDER THE ADDED PRESSURE OF STOPPING WHILE TRAILERING. OTHER LINES TO THE REAR ARE ALSO BADLY RUSTED, BUT HAVE NOT YET FAILED. FRONT LINES (PROVIDING THE MAJORITY OF BRAKING) ARE HELD IN HORIZONTAL PLASTIC CLIPS THAT DO NOT READILY DRAIN, AND ACCELERATE CORROSION DAMAGE. BOTH INCIDENTS INVOLVED NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS AND POSSIBLE INJURIES. ONE, WHILE BACKING THE TRAILER INTO PARKING SPOT WITH SOMEONE BEHIND PROVIDING DIRECTIONS, AND THE OTHER JUST AFTER HOOKING UP THE TRAILER AND PROCEEDING INTO TRAFFIC (IF THAT FAILURE HAD BEEN ONE STOP LATER, IT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE STOPPING TO TURN ONTO A HIGHWAY). DUE TO A FEAR OF ADMITTING GUILT, GM HAS NOT OFFERED REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR PURCHASE, AND ALL NEW LINES MUST BE CUSTOM BUILT, WITH A COST ESTIMATE OF OVER $1000 TO REPLACE THE BUNDLE OF ALL 5 LINES. FINALLY, THIS TRUCK (1 OWNER) IS OTHERWISE TOTALLY RUST FREE - THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR THE FIRST 2 THINGS TO RUST OUT ON AN OTHERWISE RUST-FREE TRUCK TO BE BRAKE LINES. WITHOUT TRAILERS OR HIGH LOADS, THE HALF SYSTEM FAILURE LEAVES THE VEHICLE WITH LIMITED RESERVE STOPPING CAPABILITY, BUT UNDER THE HIGHER LOAD CONDITIONS (EXACTLY WHEN THE COMPROMISED BRAKE LINES FAIL) THE RESERVE CAPABILITY IS GREATLY REDUCED. ONE OF THE REASONS THERE LIKELY HAVE NOT BEEN MORE INJURIES AND FATALITIES, IS THAT ONCE THE OWNER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, THERE IS LITTLE OR NO TRUST IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. WHY MUST THERE BE A DEATH COUNT BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT A PROBLEM REPORTED HUNDREDS OF TIMES OVER MANY YEARS ON BOTH GM AND CHRYSLER TRUCK (BOTH USING THE SAME LINES)? AT LEAST ORDER THE OEMS TO PROVIDE KITS OF ALL BRAKE LINES AT REASONABLE COST TO OWNERS.

PICKUP IS ALWAYS GARAGED . AT 30000 MILES HAD TO CHANGE THE FRONT BRAKE SENSORS AS THE ANTI-LOCK WAS ACTIVATING AS THE TRUCK CAME TO A STOP ON DRY PAVEMENT. OCCURRED AT APPROX 5 MPH. HUBS AND SENSORS CHANGED ($600 COST). NOW AT 58000 MILES PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED. IT APPEARS A RECALL (#05V379000) HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SILVERADO PICKUPS FROM 1999-2002. I WILL BE CONTACTING DEALER. TRUCK LOCATED IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.