2004 Chevrolet Suburban 2500

BRAKE LINES BETWEEN THE AREA OF THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR AND ABS MODULATOR HEAVILY CORRODED. ONE OR MORE LINES FAILED ON 7/10/2016 REQUIRING VEHICLE TOW. VEHICLE WAS OPERATIONAL ASIDE FROM THE FAILURE OF BRAKING SYSTEM. WHEN DEPRESSED, VEHICLE BRAKE PEDDLE HAD LITTLE RESISTANCE AND TRAVELED COMPLETELY TO FLOOR PANEL UNDER NORMAL PRESSURE FROM FOOT. THE INCIDENT/FAILURE OCCURRED DURING NORMAL TRAVEL AND DURING AN ATTEMPTED STOP AT RED LIGHT. BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE PREVENTED A SAFE STOP AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION RUNNING A RED LIGHT. FORTUNATELY, THE INTERSECTION WAS CLEAR AND NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS AND A TOW VEHICLE CALLED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED UNTIL REPAIRS CAN BE APPLIED. TOWING EXPENSE- 125.00 PARTS EXPENSE- 85.00 (REPLACING ALL AFFECTED LINES, FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM.) LABOR- 100.00 APPROX.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT IDLE I NOTED EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AFTER PLACING MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BOARD AND WAS VERY SLOW IN RETURN. I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND VISUALLY CHECKED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND CONNECTIONS. I NOTED THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS NOT COMPLETELY AT THE FULL MARK. I CONTINUED TO OBSERVE THE HYDRAULIC CONNECTIONS AND FOUND NO ACTIVE LEAK AND NO FLUID ON THE GROUND BENEATH THE VEHICLE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP IN TOWN (OUT OF STATE VISIT) ADVISING THE SHOP OWNER OF THE PROBLEM INVOLVING BRAKE TRAVEL. A MECHANIC DETERMINED THE BRAKE LINES ON MY VEHICLE WERE ROUTED ALONG THE VEHICLE FRAME, MADE OF STEEL, AND UNPROTECTED RESULTING IN CORROSION, HOLES, AND ACTIVE LEAKS. TWO OF THE LINES WERE REPAIRED AND NOW THE REMAINING TWO LINES REQUIRE REPAIR. I OBSERVED AND NOTED CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ALONG THE VEHICLE FRAME RUNNING TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND CROSSING OVER THE RIGHT SIDE. I BELIEVE THE BRAKE LINE CORRODED AND FAILED IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOCATED IMMEDIATELY NEXT TO THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION TAG. THIS LOCATION WAS OBSCURED FROM VIEW BECAUSE A PLASTIC WIRING HARNESS IS ROUTED BETWEEN THE BRAKE LINES AND EXTERIOR OF THE FRAME. I BELIEVE THE PLACEMENT OF THE PLASTIC CONDUIT CONCEALS VISION / INSPECTION OF CORRODING BRAKE LINES. I BELIEVE UNPROTECTED STEEL BRAKE LINES ARE SUBJECT TO PHYSICAL ABRASION AND MOISTURE BETWEEN THE UNPROTECTED BRAKE LINE AND THE VEHICLE FRAME RESULTING IN BRAKE LINE FATIGUE AND WATER BASED CORROSION RESULTING IN HOLES AND FAILURE OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM. I NEVER OBSERVED THE OPERATION OF THE "BRAKE" ICON LOCATED ON THE VEHICLE MESSAGE PANEL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH UP AN INCLINE, THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND SUDDENLY THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE FOUR BRAKE LINES RUPTURED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. AT LOW SPEEDS, HE WOULD DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND ACCORDINGLY. IT SEEMED THAT THE ABS WOULD ACTIVATE AND CAUSE HIM TO MOVE A FEW FEET FORWARD. THE ABS ALSO INCREASED THE STOPPING DISTANCE AND ALMOST CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH ON TWO OCCASIONS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THERE WERE NO CODES PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED TO-DATE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND ASKED IF THEY COULD INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE IN RECALL 05V379000 BUT WAS INFORMED THAT HIS MODEL YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 80,300. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000. UPDATED 2/22/10 *CN UPDATED 05/17/10.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUSTER IN THE VEHICLE WAS FAULTY AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW HOW FAST SHE IS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, WHICH WOULD COST BETWEEN $500-$600. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED ON THE VEHICLE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.