2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE PARTICULAR MODEL HOWEVER, A RECALL HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

WHEN COMING TO A STOP A SPEEDS OF 10 MPH OR LESS, BRAKE PEDAL GOES TOWARDS THE FLOOR AS IF THE ABS IS ACTIVATING, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING. IT OCCURS ON ALL TYPES OF DRIVING SURFACES AND IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE WITH TIME. DEALERSHIP SAYS THERE IS NO KNOWN PROBLEM... HOWEVER THE INTERNET SAYS DIFFERENTLY! PROBLEM OCCURS ALMOST EVERY TIME YOU ARE MAKING A SLOW APPROACH TO A STOP, WHICH IS USUALLY WHEN OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS ARE IN FRONT OF YOU. *TR

I PURCHASED 2006 SILVERADO NEW AND AFTER THE 1ST YEAR NOTICED RUSTING. JUST BEFORE IT CAME OFF WARRANTY (2009) THE COOLANT LINE FROM THE RADIATOR AND THE BRAKE ROTORS (FRONT AND REAR) HAD RUSTED THROUGH. HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE ROTORS AGAIN AND NOW MY BRAKE LINE BURST OPEN AS I WAS DRIVING HOME. ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE IS RUSTED (FRAME IS PEELING UP IN LAYERS), THERE IS RUST COMING THROUGH THE BUMPERS, ON THE WHEELS, IN THE BED, INSIDE THE DRIVER'S DOOR - BASICALLY EVERYWHERE I LOOK (I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH CHEVROLET IN 2010 ABOUT THE EXCESSIVE RUSTING AND WAS TOLD, AFTER INSPECTION BY LOCAL DEALER, THAT THERE WAS "NO ABNORMAL RUSTING FOUND"). I BABY THIS TRUCK (IT ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES AND IS NOT DRIVEN ON THE ROADS WHEN THEY ARE SALTED) AND KEEP IT VERY CLEAN. I AM AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AS I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO FAIL NEXT. TODAY I SPOKE WITH CHEVROLET AGAIN ABOUT THE BRAKE LINES, AGAIN INSPECTED AT THE LOCAL DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" AND CAUSED BY ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, I WAS TOLD THAT THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS ARE RUSTED THROUGH AND MUST BE REPLACED. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONCLUDE THAT THE CORROSION IS DUE SOLELY TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND NOT AT ALL DUE TO MATERIAL CHOICE AND LACK OF APPROPRIATE COATING? I AM ONLY ASKING THAT THEY COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE LINES AND THEY DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO DO SO. THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS POOR DESIGN OR SUBPAR MATERIALS. (NEITHER OF MY OTHER TWO VEHICLES, 1993 TOYOTA PICKUP AND 2004 VOLVO, SHOW RUSTING OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE TO THE SAME DEGREE AS THE SILVERADO AND THE BRAKE LINES OF BOTH OTHER VEHICLES ARE COMPLETELY INTACT. ALL THREE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.) *TR

WE BROUGHT OUR 2006 CHEVROLET SILVERADO WITH AROUND 73,000 MILES ON IT TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR A TUNE UP AND WE WERE TOLD THE FOLLOWING: 'THE FUEL LINES ARE VERY RUSTED (STARTING TO SEEP BACK BY THE TANK AREA) THE BRAKE LINES ARE VERY RUSTED, THE TRUCK WILL NEED REAR BRAKES VERY SOON, ALL BRAKE HOSES WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED, THE BLEEDERS ON CALIPERS ARE RUSTED OUT, THE SHIMMY SHOCK IN THE FRONT END IS BLOWN APART, HAS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE IDLER ARM, FRONT SHOCKS RUSTED & LEAKING, REAR SHOCKS RUSTED, REAR END COVER RUSTED, THE TRANSFER CASE TAIL SHAFT IS LEAKING, THE FRAME IS RUSTED & GETTING THIN IN SPOTS, HAS AT LEAST THREE BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS' WE UNDERSTAND THAT BRAKE PADS AND CALIPERS ARE USUAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS ONLY SIX YEARS OLD AND THE TRUCK SHOULD NOT BE VERY RUSTED. WE CALLED CHEVROLET AND OPENED A CASE TO REVIEW THE RUST ISSUES. WE BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO A DEALERSHIP AS REQUESTED BY CHEVROLET FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION. USING DOCUMENT ID #2758961, THE TECHNICIANS DETERMINED 'NO REPAIR OR CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN FOR THIS CONCERN - SURFACE CORROSION ON UNPROTECTED COMPONENTS WILL VARY WITH AGE AND EXPOSURE. CORROSION ON THESE COMPONENTS WILL VARY WITH AGE AND EXPOSURE. CORROSION ON THESE COMPONENTS HAS NO DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS, EITHER IN SHORT OR LONG TERM DURABILITY." HOWEVER, THEY EXPLAINED THAT IF THEY WERE US, THEY WOULD REPLACE THE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES. THE CHEVROLET CASE WORKER CALLED THE DEALER AND CONFIRMED THE FINDINGS. HE EXPLAINED TO US THAT THE RUST WAS DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. WE TRIED TO GET A DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, HOWEVER THE WORKER WOULD NOT EXPLAIN FURTHER. . THE TRUCK RESIDES IN THE NORTH EAST; IT IS SUBJECTED, AS ALL VEHICLES ARE, TO MANY ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS EVERY DAY. *TT

I WAS LEAVING THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, AND I WAS IN THE LANE TO GET ONTO 77 SOUTH. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, THE 4-5 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME STARTED GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, THE FIRST ACCELERATED INTO THE ADJACENT LANE TO REVEAL CONSTRUCTION CONES IN OUR LANE. THE REMAINING VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES AND I SLAMMED ON MINE. AT THAT INSTANT, MY BRAKE PEDAL SUNK TO THE FLOOR. I REACTED QUICKLY (THANK GOD) AND SWERVED LEFT TO AVOID THE COLLISION. MY TRUCK CAME TO REST ABOUT 10 FEET PAST THE SMALL SEDAN IN FRONT OF ME. I WOULD HAVE WRECKED THE BACK OF THAT CAR AND CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION IN FRONT AND BACK OF ME HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACT AS QUICKLY AS I HAD. THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL THE BRAKE LINES (THE ONE LEAKING IS AS CORRODED AS THE OTHERS) PLUS FRONT BRAKE WORK IS GOING TO COST ME AROUND $3800. NOT SOMETHING I WAS EXPECTING FROM A 6 YEAR OLD TRUCK, NOR ANYTHING I CAN AFFORD RIGHT NOW. IT IS MY WORK TRUCK, I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE, AND IT'S MORE OF A REPAIR THAN I FEEL COMFORTABLE TACKLING ON MY OWN. CHEVY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND SHOULDER SOME RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE HAD TWO OTHER TRUCKS IN THIS CLIMATE AND NEVER SAW THE LINES CORRODE LIKE THIS. *TT