1997 Chevrolet Tahoe

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS ENGAGES WHEN THE GROUND IS DRY AND PULSATES VERY HARD WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. HE STATED THAT THIS SHOULD ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND OR WHEN IT IS WET. IN NOVEMBER OF 2000, THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL AND CHEVROLET REPAIRED THE BRAKES. THERE WERE NO FAILURES FOR 18,000 MILES. CURRENTLY, AT 40,500 MILES, THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,500. UPDATED 10/16/08. *LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT HUB. UPDATED 10/17/08. *JB

FOR ABOUT A YEAR I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATES INTERMITTENTLY ON DRY PAVEMENT AT SLOW SPEEDS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ISSUE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY PROBLEMATIC, ACTIVATING NEARLY EVERY TIME I APPLY THE BRAKES (MANY TIMES EVEN IF I DON'T APPLY THE BRAKES!) AND I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR FEAR THAT I MAY NOT COMPLETELY STOP BEFORE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE ABS SYSTEM ON CHEVY TAHOES, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN 1997. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE NHTSA WEB SITE HAD POSTED A REMEDY: REMOVE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND CLEAN THE WHEEL SPEED SURFACE, GREASE THE MOUNTING SURFACE, REINSTALL THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND CHECK THE PEAK-TO-PEAK OUTPUT VOLTAGE TO ENSURE THE WHEEL SPEED SIGNAL IS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. I TOOK A COPY OF THE REMEDY TO MY MECHANIC, WHO PROMPTLY FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTIFIED ME THAT THE REMEDY FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED AN NHTSA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND ASKED IF AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED REGARDING THIS DEFECT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS NO INVESTIGATION AS OF YET. WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE BEEN READING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, MY QUESTION IS: WHY HASN'T THIS ISSUE OF ABS SYSTEM FAILURE IN 1997 TAHOES BEEN ADDRESSED? IF THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING IN VEHICLES (REGARDLESS OF THE YEAR MODEL) AND THE RECALL HAS BEEN LIMITED TO ONLY A FEW YEAR MODELS, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE ABS SYSTEM FAILURE ON THE 1997 TAHOE IS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN REGARDING SAFETY? I AM REQUESTING THE BOARD TO LOOK AGAIN AT THE ABS COMPLAINTS AND INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION SO THAT GM WILL TAKE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS SYSTEM. THANK YOU. *TR

ABS ACTIVATION DURING SLOW MOTION, UNDER 10MPH. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM. BOTH TIMES ONE OF THE HUBS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS TIME I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO CLEAN THE SENSORS (AS SUGGESTED BY CHEVY SERVICE UPDATES) TO TRY AND SAVE MONEY. IT DIDN'T WORK ALONG WITH TRYING TO REPLACE THE SENSOR. NOW I HAVE TO HAVE A HUB REPLACED AGAIN. I'VE BEEN LUCKILY SO FAR BECAUSE I KNOW OF THE PROBLEM, BUT I'VE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS WITH HITTING CARS IN PARKING LOTS. *TR

DEAR NHTSA: I AM A SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND OWNER OF A 1997 CHEVY TAHOE 4WD VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE MID-2001. A FEW MONTHS AGO I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT PERIODICALLY, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN PULLING TO A STOP. I CAN HEAR AND FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM PULSING THE BRAKES RAPIDLY, BUT IT PROVIDES EXTREMELY POOR STOPPING ABILITY. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WITH CARS IN FRONT OF ME, NOT TO MENTION PEDESTRIANS IN CROSSWALKS. THIS IS NOT CORRECT. I AM A FORMER ENGINE DESIGNER AND HAVE WORKED FOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I UNDERSTAND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND CAN TELL YOU THIS ISN'T GOOD...OR SAFE. I NOTICED IN THE PAPER THAT THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE REGARDING GM TRUCK ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEMS. ADDITIONAL INTERNET RESEARCH CONFIRMED THIS. I AM LOGGING THIS COMPLAINT SO THAT NHTSA IS AWARE OF MY PROBLEM IN THE HOPES THAT GM WILL FIX THE PROBLEM FOR ME. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR YET, AS I WAS RESEARCHING TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. IS NHTSA AWARE OF THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION? I LIVE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN...LAND OF A LOT OF SALT AND METAL CORROSION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. SINCERELY, TIM HIGGINS. *NM