1996 Chevrolet Suburban

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT 35 MPH, THE POSTED SPEED, WE LOST BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE SERVICE BRAKE WAS APPLIED APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WITH A STOP SIGN. WE WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHICH ENTERED THE INTERSECTION AND PASSED ALL OF THE WAY THROUGH IT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND NOT WORKING PROPERLY. FORTUNATELY FOR ALL THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES ( OR PEDESTRIANS) IN THIS INTERSECTION AS WE WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY HIT THEM. IT APPEARS THE BRAKE LINE(S) ON THE K2500 SUBURBAN HAVE RUSTED THROUGH IN AN AREA THAT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHERE THEY GO THROUGH THE FRAME AND BLEW OUT AT THIS CRITICAL MOMENT. THE DEALER IS UNWILLING TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR AS THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THEY DID NOT TELL US THE BRAKES COULD ONLY BE RELIED UPON FOR THE TIME THE TRUCK IS UNDER WARRANTY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS, POSSIBLY DEADLY OUTCOME SINCE WE TOW A TRAILER WITH THE TRUCK ON THE HIGHWAY. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS ACTUALLY A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THESE CHEVROLET AND GMC TRUCKS. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL GIVEN THE POTENTIAL DEADLY POSSIBILITIES? TOYOTA WAS IN THE NEWS ABOUT THEIR UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION ISSUE BUT WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THIS UNEXPECTED LOSS OF BRAKING ISSUE? WHY IS THAT? IS NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP NOT A PROBLEM FOR THE NHTSA? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ABS SENSORS WERE CORRODED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO DISABLE THE ABS. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS PRESENT. THE CONTACT DOES NOT PLAN TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 191,700. UPDATED 4/2/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED CAN PROVIDE A LIST OF WITH OTHER CONSUMERS WITH SIMILAR DEFECTS. UPDATED 04/02/08 *TR

DT: 1996 GMC SUBURBAN , WHILE PULLING OUT FROM THE POST OFFICE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT GO DOWN. CONSUMER PUSHED DOWN VERY HARD, DID NOT PUMP THE BRAKES. FINALLY, THE BRAKES STARTED WORKING, THE BRAKE PEDAL JERKED/ WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE STOPPED. THE BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON . HEARD A REAL STRANGE NOISE, AND BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DEALER HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. THIS ONLY HAPPENED THIS TIME AND HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES.

ABS FAILURE. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES COMING TO A STOP, THE ABS STARTS ENGAGING MAKING THE VEHICLE PULL TO ONE SIDE AND MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET VEHICLE STOPPED IN TIME BECAUSE OF THE ABS ENGAGING. THIS IS HAPPENING SPORADICALLY. AND HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES WITH MY WIFE DRIVING. VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF OTHER SUBURBANS. *JB

DRIVING FROM WORK-SNOWY/ICY CONDITIONS. SMELLED A STRANGE ODOR IN VEHICLE GOING FROM I-270S TO I-370W ~ 1/4 MILE FROM RAMP. TRAFFIC MODERATE. TRAVELING 45 MPH I TAPPED BRAKES, THEY WENT ALL WAY TO FLOOR. TURNED OFF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. USED ENGINE BRAKING SELECTING 3-2-1 TO SLOW VEHICLE. VEHICLE SLOWED, APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKE - DROVE TO BRAKE DOWN LANE. VEHICLE STOPPED-WHITE SMOKE COMING AROUND EDGES OF HOOD. LOWER PORTION OF WINDSHIELD HAD COUPLE OF HEAT DISCOLORATION MARKS ABOUT 1/4 SIZE OF A PENNY IN THE MIDDLE LOWER PORTION. AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. DASH DID NOT FEEL HOT, NOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL - NO SMOKE INSIDE VEHICLE. HOOD WOULD NOT OPEN BY HOOD RELEASE. POWER WINDOWS WORKED. EGRESSED VEHICLE AND DRIVER SDIE AIR BAG INFLATED. CALLED 911 AWAITED FIRE/POLCIE DEPT. OPENED DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER DOORS. FLAMES COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHERE IT ENTERS FIRE WALL. FLAMES UNDERNEATH VEHICLE FROM ENGINE NEAR SKID PLATE/TRANSFER CASE. USED SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON FLAMES IN CABIN AND UNDER VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FROM CENTER CONSOLE TO DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR MELTED AWAY AT ABOUT 45 DEG ANGLE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM OF CONSOLE. INSIDE ENGINE THE THYDRAULIC DRIVE UNIT AND BARKE MASTER CYCLINDER HAD MELTED. SIGNIFICANT BURN DAMAGE FROM FIRE IN ENGINE. VEHICLE-TOTAL LOSS. VERY FORTUNATE TO RECOGNIZE BAD SMELL, ID BRAKE MALFUNCTION, USE ENGINE BRAKING TO CONTROL VEHICLE; USE EMERGENCY BRAKING TO STOP - MODERATE TRAFFIC. MINIMIZED POTENTIAL HAZARD TO SINGLE VEHICLE-NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES. *JB