2006 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

WHILE TOWING THE FAMILY BOAT ON SECONDARY ROADWAYS, I ATTEMPTED TO STOP IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, WHEN I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND BOTH THE TRUCK AND BOAT CONTINUED ROLLING TOWARDS STOPPED TRAFFIC. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY MANUALLY OPERATING THE PARKING BRAKE. HAD I NOT HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO UTILIZE THE PARKING BRAKE I WOULD HAVE COLLIDED WITH THE TRAFFIC STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED A LARGE MOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL. I TRANSPORTED THE VEHICLE TO MY SERVICE STATION WHERE THEY PLACED IT ON A LIFT AND SHOWED ME THE EXTENSIVE CORROSION ON ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES AND TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES. THE LINE WHICH HAD FAILED RESULTED IN NO BRAKING CAPABILITIES WHATSOEVER. THERE IS NOT ONE SERVICEABLE BRAKE LINE LEFT ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS 75K MILES ON IT AND IS IMMACULATE BOTH INSIDE AND OUT AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED. THE BRAKE FAILURE RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES, CAME WITHOUT ANY WARNING.

ON DECEMBER 2, 2016, I WAS DRIVING THE SUV WITH MY FAMILY MEMBERS INSIDE. I WAS TRAVELING IN STATE HIGHWAY ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN A CAR IN FRONT OF ME BEGAN SLOWING DOWN. I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN AS WELL BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE. I THEN PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD WHICH FOR ABOUT 1 SECOND CAUSED THE WHEELS TO LOCK. AS THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUED TO BE PRESSED DOWN, THE PEDAL SANK TO THE FLOOR AND THE ACTUAL BRAKES DISENGAGED AND THE SUV ONCE AGAIN BEGAN FREE-ROLLING. I PUMPED THE BREAK PEDAL AND I GOT SOME BRAKING ACTION OUT OF THAT, ALTHOUGH NO SIGNIFICANTLY. I VEERED THE SUV INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THE REAR OF CAR IN FRONT OF ME, NEARLY CAUSING A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH THE ONCOMING CAR. I WAS ABLE TO VEER BACK INTO MY LANE AND SLOW DOWN TO GET OUT OF THE ROADWAY, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK EXCEPT ONCE THE CAR WAS MOVING AT MINIMAL SPEED. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, I EXAMINED THE ROTORS TO SEE IF THEY WERE HOT; THEY WERE NOT. I PUMPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, EACH TIME THE PEDAL SINKING TO THE FLOOR. AS I WAS PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL, LIQUIDS WERE SQUIRTING OUT FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE LIQUID CONTINUED LEAKING EVEN AS I STOPPED PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING FOR THIS BRAKE FAILURE, AND THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED PROPERLY UP TO THIS POINT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THIS WAS A SCARY EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND EVERYONE IN THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY, I CALLED THE DEALER TO REPORT THE INCIDENT TO GM, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE ME ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION HOW TO MAKE THE REPORT. *TR

CORROSION OF HARD BRAKE LINE AT DRIVER / LEFT SIDE REAR, PARTLY HIDDEN FROM VIEW. NOT SEEN DURING INSPECTIONS. CONDITION DISCOVERED FOLLOWING SURFACE ROADWAY INCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, IN DRIVE, POINTED DOWNHILL AT STOPLIGHT. BRAKE PEDAL SLOWLY STARTED GOING DOWN. PUMPING BRAKE HELPED A BIT, BUT SOON THE PEDAL STARTED FALLING AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE STARTED MOVING FORWARD. PUTTING VEHICLE IN PARK PREVENTED VEHICLE FROM STRIKING STOPPED VEHICLES IN FRONT. GOT OFF THE ROADWAY SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND DISCOVERED THE CORROSION AND LEAD MENTIONED ABOVE. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN REPAIR SHOP WITH $1800 SERVICE BILL. BODY IS REQUIRED TO BE LIFTED OFF FRAME FOR REPLACEMENT LINES TO BE INSTALLED AND THAT IS *VERY* LABOR INTENSIVE. RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND NHTSA HAS INVESTIGATED THESE VEHICLES DURING THEIR PRODUCTION RUN OF 1999-2006 ON C/K/SUBURBAN/TAHOE MODELS. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN WASHINGTON STATE, WHERE SALT IS NOT USED ON ROADWAYS.

WHILE APPROACHING EXIT RAMP IN DELAWARE (EXIT 1A) TRAFFIC SLOWED SO I BEGAN TO HIT MY BRAKES TO SLOW AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKE PEDAL HIT THE FLOOR AND I COULD NOT STOP I ALMOST HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FAST MANEUVERING OF WHICH MY DASH CAM CAUGHT, I SWERVED TO THE LEFT LANE TO AVOID A COLLISION THEN HIT THE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND GOT BACK INTO THE OFF RAMP THEN I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO BREAK PRESSURE AND SMOKE BELLOWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF MY VEHICLE I PULLED OVER TO INSPECT AND NOTICE BRAKE FLUID LEAKING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NATIONAL TIRE AND BATTERY WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT I HAD A DOUBLE FRONT BRAKE LINE RUPTURE - I AM HAVING THEM REPLACE (A $1000 JOB) HOWEVER I'VE ASKED TO RETAIN THE BRAKE LINES AS PROOF. *TR

DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND APPLIED BRAKES HARD TO AVOID HITTING DEER THAT CAME ON TO ROAD. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW THEN SUDDENLY LOST NEARLY ALL BRAKING POWER AS PEDDLE WENT TO FLOOR . WENT WELL PAST AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION THAT WAS THANKFULLY EMPTY OF TRAFFIC. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED TWO BURST BRAKE LINES WHERE 4 LINES ARE GROUPED ON FRAME NEAR BACK OF FRONT DRIVER DOOR. SEVERE RUST. *TR