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1999 GMC C/K Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

4 reports
121,000 miles · Mar 8, 2014
Service Brakes

I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW IN 1999 AND HAVE WATCHED IT RUST AWAY. WHY THEY DIDN'T USE BETTER METAL OR EVEN STAINLESS STEEL. MY BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED SO BAD THAT ONE OR MORE IS LEAKING ALONG FRAME RAIL UNDERNEATH DRIVERS SEAT. MANY OTHER OWNERS IN THIS REGION SEEM TO HAVE SAME PROBLEMS. I'M GLAD IT WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN IT BE…

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I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW IN 1999 AND HAVE WATCHED IT RUST AWAY. WHY THEY DIDN'T USE BETTER METAL OR EVEN STAINLESS STEEL. MY BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED SO BAD THAT ONE OR MORE IS LEAKING ALONG FRAME RAIL UNDERNEATH DRIVERS SEAT. MANY OTHER OWNERS IN THIS REGION SEEM TO HAVE SAME PROBLEMS. I'M GLAD IT WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN IT BECAME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. ALSO THE ABS MODULE STOPPED WORKING AND HAD TO PULL THE 60 AMP FUSE TO DISCONNECT AT 60,000 AND TRUCK NOW HAS 121,000 MILES. GMC SIERRA 1500 4WD BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTING AWAY WHAT A SHAME. DRIVESHAFT GOING TO REAR AXLE IS MADE OF ALUMINUM AND LOOKS BRAND NEW STILL. AGAIN STAINLESS STEEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR IMPORTANT BRAKE LINES. JUST WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THAT IS ALL AND HOPE FOR A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10567900

220,000 miles · Sep 13, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BLEW A BRAKE LINE WHILE BACKING A BOAT INTO THE WATER..... THANK GOODNESS NO ONE WAS IN THE WATER AND THAT THE TRUCK STOPPED BEFORE COMPLETELY SUBMERGING. THE BRAKE LINES ALL LOOK TERRIBLE.... I'M NOT A MECHANIC BUT I DO MOST OF MY OWN MECHANICAL WORK ON MY TRUCKS ALL MY LIFE.... ONCE I PAID ATTENTION TO THEM, ALL OF MY BRAKE…

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BLEW A BRAKE LINE WHILE BACKING A BOAT INTO THE WATER..... THANK GOODNESS NO ONE WAS IN THE WATER AND THAT THE TRUCK STOPPED BEFORE COMPLETELY SUBMERGING. THE BRAKE LINES ALL LOOK TERRIBLE.... I'M NOT A MECHANIC BUT I DO MOST OF MY OWN MECHANICAL WORK ON MY TRUCKS ALL MY LIFE.... ONCE I PAID ATTENTION TO THEM, ALL OF MY BRAKE LINES ARE IN HORRIBLE SHAPE!! BAD NEWS HERE.... PEOPLE ARE GONNA DIE FROM THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10425177

22,329 miles · Apr 27, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

LOSS OF BRAKES DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES. HAPPENED TWICE. SECTIONS OF BRAKE LINE REPLACED. (ALTHOUGH I INDICATED 15 MPH AT TIME OF "INCIDENT", THE BRAKES WERE ALREADY NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WHEN, ON THE WAY TO THE SERVICE STATION, I BUMPED A CAR WHICH CUT IN FRONT OF ME.) REPORTED ISSUE TO YOU SINCE I SAW ARTICLE IN 4/11…

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LOSS OF BRAKES DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES. HAPPENED TWICE. SECTIONS OF BRAKE LINE REPLACED. (ALTHOUGH I INDICATED 15 MPH AT TIME OF "INCIDENT", THE BRAKES WERE ALREADY NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WHEN, ON THE WAY TO THE SERVICE STATION, I BUMPED A CAR WHICH CUT IN FRONT OF ME.) REPORTED ISSUE TO YOU SINCE I SAW ARTICLE IN 4/11/10 HARTFORD COURANT. HAVE NOT REPLACED ENTIRE BRAKE LINE DUE TO DIFFICULTY IN ACCESSING IT AND RELATED EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10327697

64,000 miles · Oct 10, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

MY 1999 GMC SUBURBAN WAS TAKEN IN FOR BRAKING PROBLEMS TO A GMC DEALERSHIP. UPON BACKING AT SLOW SPEEDS A SPRING TENSION RELEASE IS HEARD AND LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITIES OCCUR FOR THREE TO FIVE SECONDS. WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT FORWARD SPEEDS A FORWARD IMPULSE OCCURS AFTER HAVING FULLY STOPPED WHILE FOOT REMAINS UPON THE BRAKE. YE…

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MY 1999 GMC SUBURBAN WAS TAKEN IN FOR BRAKING PROBLEMS TO A GMC DEALERSHIP. UPON BACKING AT SLOW SPEEDS A SPRING TENSION RELEASE IS HEARD AND LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITIES OCCUR FOR THREE TO FIVE SECONDS. WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT FORWARD SPEEDS A FORWARD IMPULSE OCCURS AFTER HAVING FULLY STOPPED WHILE FOOT REMAINS UPON THE BRAKE. YES, AN INVOLUNTARY LURCH FORWARD. DEALERSHIPS RESPONSE? MASTER CYLINDER. SAME CONDITION ON LEAVING DEALERSHIP. RETURNED. MECHANICS RESPONSE. "CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM." GMC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE RESPONSE? ABS RECALL DOESN'T FALL WITHIN YOUR YEAR. I INSIST THIS IS HAPPENING WITH MY VEHICLE. PLEASE DIRECT MY PATH TO GET GMS ATTENTION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10139225

Official recalls

1

00V097000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

Mar 28, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS. THE SEAT BELTS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SEAT BELTS MAY NOT RESTRAIN AN OCCUPANT PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS WITH NEW SEAT BELTS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

3

EA04011 · Parking Brake Failure

Opened Apr 9, 2004 · Closed May 10, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake; Parking Brake:conventional; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical; Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Additional source detail variants (4)

Parking Brake:conventional

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage And Cable

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Parking Brake

IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

PE03057 · Parking Brake Failure

Opened Dec 8, 2003 · Closed Apr 9, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake

ODI OPENED PE03-057 TO ASSESS PARKING BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKES THAT INCORPORATE A SINGLE-SHOE DRUM-IN-HAT PARKING BRAKE INDEPENDENT OF THE SERVICE BRAKES.COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA INDICATE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE LININGS TEND TO WEAR OUT EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (AT AN AVERAGE OF 24 MONTHS IN SERVICE), REDUCING THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM'S TORQUE BELOW THAT NEEDED TO IMMOBILIZE THE VEHICLE.GM HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS ACCELERATED WEAR TO FOREIGN MATERIAL INTRUSION AND A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SHOE TO PROPERLY SELF-CENTER WITHIN ITS BRAKE DRUM.EFFECTIVE WITH THE START OF MY 2003 PRODUCTION, A NEWER REDUCED FORCE HOLD-DOWN CLIP WAS INTRODUCED TO FACILITATE BRAKE SHOE DISENGAGEMENT FROM THE DRUM SURFACE.THIS PART IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE SERVICE LEVEL FOR THE MY 1999-2002 VEHICLES.GM HAS INDICATED THAT THE PAKING BRAKE IS INTENDED TO OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION TO IMMOBILZE PARKED VEHICLES, AND THAT IN MANY CASES, ACCELERATED PARKING BRAKE LINING WEAR IS CAUSED BY ROUGH USE, VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AND DRIVING WITH THE PARKING ENGAGED. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING PARKING BRAKE USAGE FACTORS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SEVENTEEN REPORTED VEHICLE CRASHES.

PE99003 · Brake Hose Abrasion

Opened Jan 12, 1999 · Closed Jul 22, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

FRONT BRAKE HOSE ABRASION BY TIRE/WHEEL RIM MAY LEAD TO RUPTURE UNDER PRESSURE AND DIMINISHED BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.