2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN BRAKING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE ABS WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATE. THE FAILURE PROGRESSED OVER TIME AND WOULD OCCUR SEVERAL TIMES WHILE IN TRANSIT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE ABS WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SENSORS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

AFTER AN INITIAL FAILURE OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE (LINE RUPTURED ABOUT TWO FEET BEHIND THE ABS VALVE) WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING, AND AFTER THIS LINE WAS REPLACED, I INSPECTED THE REAR WHEEL BRAKE LINES AND NOTICED EXTREME CORROSION ON BOTH LINES THAT RUN FROM A JUNCTION CONNECTION ABOVE THE DIFFERENTIAL TO THE HOSES ON EACH CALIPER. WHILE CHECKING THE FITTINGS AND INSPECTING THE LEFT LINE IT LITERALLY CRUMBLED, BROKE AND STARTED LEAKING. I REPLACED BOTH LINES AND BLEED THE SYSTEM. THE CAR HAD BEEN INTO THE DEALER WITHIN LAST YEAR (APPROX.) FOR BRAKE LINE INSPECTION AFTER OBSERVING A LOT OF RUST. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT LINES WERE OK AND THAT A LOT OF RUST WAS NORMAL AND OK. I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS INSPECTION. *TR

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, THE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. NO ABS, NO PARTIAL PEDAL, STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CHEVROLET DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKE LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO BRAKE LINE CORROSION. DEALER PROVIDED ROUGH ESTIMATE OF $1500 PLUS TAX TO REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD ENGAGE UNNECESSARILY AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD FALL TO THE FLOORBOARD. WHENEVER THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD FAIL TO STOP. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

ABS WOULD INCORRECTLY ENGAGE WHEN STOPPING AT LOW SPEEDS (< 5 MPH). INCREASES STOPPING DISTANCE SINCE ABS STARTS PUMPING INSTEAD OF JUST APPLYING BRAKES. THIS HAPPENS ON IDEAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND AT LOW SPEED/NON SKIDDING STOPS. *TR MECHANIC REPLACED WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY ON BOTH FRONT LEFT AND FRONT RIGHT WHEELS (WHEEL HUB INCLUDED NEW ABS SPEED SENSOR). PROBLEM WAS FIXED. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE. GM HAS ALREADY RECALLED 99 - 2002 (MINE IS A 2003) SUBURBANS FOR THIS. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT ABS SENSORS WERE BADLY CORRODED (PRESUMABLY) FROM SALT GETTING INTO CONTACT WITH THE SENSOR. MECHANIC ALSO INDICATED THAT HE HAS FIXED THIS IN *MANY* SUBURBANS AND IN MANY CASES THAT CAME AFTER OWNERS HAD UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO GET DEALERS TO FIX THE ISSUE. MECHANIC SAID DEALERS WERE REPLACING THE ABS COMPUTER, AT A COST OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND PROBLEM STILL WASN'T FIXED. IMPORTANT NOTE: IT APPEARS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER A RECALL IS DONE, DEALERS SHOULD AT LEAST BE AWARE OF THIS COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM WITH SUBURBANS FROM THIS TIME PERIOD. *TR

BASED ON NHTSA #05V379000, OUR 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN HAS EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM OF ENGAGING THE ABS SYSTEM WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A LIGHT OR INTERSECTION. THIS ONLY HAPPENS ON A SLOW STOP. THE REFERENCED RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDE YEAR 2003 AND CHEVROLET WILL NOT REPAIR AT NO CHARGE. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, SOMETIMES THREE TIMES IN ONE DAY AND THEN NOT AT ALL FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. MY AUTO MECHANIC HAS CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM IS A CORROSION OF FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR. *TR