2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

WHEN I HAD THE OIL CHANGED I HAD THE GARAGE CHECK THE BRAKE LINES SINCE I HAD HEARD OF MANY FAILURES. THEY DETERMINED AND SHOWED ME THAT THE LINES WERE CORRODED AND THE CONNECTIONS TO THE CALIPERS WERE ALSO SO CORRODED THAT THEY BROKE WHEN THEY TRIED TO REMOVE THEM. I HAD EVERYTHING REPLACED TO PREVENT A FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO DISPLAY A CORRECT READING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAULTY INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER. IN 2007, THE MANUFACTURER SENT A LETTER TO ALERT THE CONTACT OF A DEFECT WITH THE SPEEDOMETER HOWEVER, NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 03/14/12*LJ UPDATED 04/10/12 UPDATED 05/03/12

DRIVING ON I-95 IN FLORIDA EXIT 289 AS I WAS EXITING I APPLIED BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR USED E-BRAKE TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN WHICH TOOK SOME DISTANCE LUCKY FOR ME EXIT RAMP VERY LONG, I NOTICED NO TRAFFIC ON RT.1 SO I WENT THROUGH STOP SIGN. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ON DASH OR ANY OTHER WARNING. I FINALLY STOPPED GOT OUT AND FOUND A MAJOR LEAK BEHIND LEFT FRONT TIRE ALONG SIDE FRAME I NOTICED 4 BRAKE LINE STACKED 2X2 AGAINST FRAME RAIL.THEY WERE TOTALLY RUSTED AND RUBBING FRAME TRUCK NOW AT DEALER. I HAVE OWNED MANY CHEVY TRUCKS WITH MORE MILEAGE AND AGE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN OR BRAKE LINES RUSTOUT SO BAD. *TR

AFTER RETURNING TO THE TRUCK FROM AN ERRAND I STARTED THE ENGINE AND, UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO WARNING LAMPS OF ANY SORT WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING OF THE PEDAL DID NOT PRODUCE ANY RESISTANCE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WARNING LAMP CAME ON. BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED BUT DID NOT RESULT IN ANY RESISTANCE FROM THE PEDAL. HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED HOME WHERE IT THEN SAT OVER-NIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING I OBSERVED A LARGE WET SPOT ON THE DRIVEWAY JUST BELOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. I LOOKED UNDERNEATH AND SAW THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES GOING INTO OR OUT OF THE ABS MODULE WERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND AT LEAST ONE HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALER. I ARRIVED AS THEY WERE RAISING THE TRUCK ON A LIFT. EVIDENTLY THEY ALSO ADDED SOME BRAKE FLUID BECAUSE QUITE A LARGE PUDDLE WAS FORMING ON THE SHOP FLOOR BELOW WHERE THE BRAKE LINES ENTER THE ABS MODULE. THE TECHNICIAN, THE SERVICE CONSULTANT, AND I ALL OBSERVED THE RUSTED BRAKE LINES, AND FLUID WAS LITERALLY DRIPPING FROM ONE THAT HAD OBVIOUSLY BURST. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT GM DOES NOT MAKE REPLACEMENT STEEL BRAKE LINES SO ALL THE LINES WOULD NEED TO BE HAND FABRICATED BY THE TECHNICIAN. DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT THE ABS MODULE MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF HOW CORRODED THE BRAKE LINE FITTINGS ARE (FITTINGS ARE STEEL, ABS MODULE IS ALUMINUM) WHERE THEY SCREW INTO THE MODULE. WE ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES FAR OLDER AND WITH FAR MORE MILEAGE AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE STEEL BRAKE LINES. I BELIEVE THE DESIGN IS FLAWED (THE ROUTING AND PLACEMENT OF LINES AND MODULE) OR THE BRAKE LINE MATERIAL (STEEL, INSTEAD OF STAINLESS STEEL) IS INSUFFICIENT. I HAVE PHOTOS AND THE OLD PARTS. *TR

DOOR LATCH PASSENGER SIDE FAILED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE DOOR TO SWING OPEN AND PASSENGER TO ALMOST FALL OUT. PASSENGER WAS KEPT IN VEHICLE BY SAFETY BELT. NO INJURIES BUT QUITE A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST LATCH FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ALSO HAD A LATCH FAILURE APPROX. A YEAR EARLIER. THIS IS CAUSED BY THE LATCH SPRINGS RUSTING THOUGH AND THE LATCH RELEASING. SPOKE WITH OTHER OWNERS THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, ALSO SPOKE WITH THE DEALERS REPAIR SHOP, NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AS WELL, THE PART IS $175 PLUS LABOR FOR EACH LATCH. *TR

I OWN A 04 1500 4X4 SILVERADO. AS I WAS STOPPING BEHIND A CAR THAT WAS WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN I PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD TO PUMP THE PEDAL AND GO OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHAT A RIDE!!!!! TO STOP.BY THE WAY I'M A MECHANIC TOO. I LOOK UNDER THE TRUCK TO SEE IF THERE WERE LEAKS. FOUND THAT 4 BRAKE LINES UNDER THE CAB ON THE DRIVER SIDE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME WAS VERY VERY RUSTED AND LEAKING AS WELL RESTED UNDER THE TRUCK ALL UNDER HOW MANY IS BAD I DON'T KNOW. I JUST HAS IT TOW TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. I DON'T DRIVE THE TRUCK MUCH BECAUSE I HAVE A 98 S-10 P/U THE BRAKE LINES ON THAT IS HOLDING UP SO FAR. *TR