While driving my 2004 chevy silverado 1500 4x4 around town i encountered my first ever brake failure. fortunately, no accident occurred. i was in traffic, needing to apply braking. the brake pedal felt normal at first and then suddenly it, the pedal, began softly and mushingly headed toward the floorboard. i was able to slow the truck down eventually but the distance required for breaking had now tripled or quadrupled. definitely a safety issue. then, low and behold, and just a bit too late there came the idiot light telling me to check the brakes. imperfect timing to say the least. luckily i was able to pull over and into an auto shop. thankfully, the shop had lots of chevy experience and was able to confirm that chevrolet is aware of the rusted brake line problem as it is been in the investigation pipeline for a while. *tr
The vehicle had a brake failure due to a brake line rusting out. further inspection revealed that the brake lines are of poor quality. and all the brake lines are rotted out. these are sized too small diameter to save weight .3/16th cheap steel, and thin wall tubing, uncoated, unpainted, non galvanized, or any other type of protected brake line. it is a chronic problem with these vehicles. gm decided to use these cheap thin wall brake lines. and all the brake lines and fuel lines , and power steering cooler lines, for that matter are rotted beyond safe use. while the rest of the vehicle looks beautiful. it is just blatent irresponsible behavior. to use these lines without rust protection. paint at least. or better yet, they should of been stainless or cad or galvanized plated lines. gm should replace them for free, and the fuel lines and my rotted out cooler lines. the vehicle has 54,000 miles on it and is parked in my drive. i owe 3 years on it. i drove it 4000 miles . the brakes failed, the airbag lights on, the brake lights on, lines rotted all over, and its a piece of [xxx] . i hope gm rots in [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr
The brake lines were severely corroded and they busted. the brake pedal went all the way to the floor and i was only able to stop the truck by using the emergency brakes. on 8/31/13, lang chevrolet dealership service department performed the 75000 mile service on my truck and they did not say anything about the corroded brake lines. the service invoice shows that the brakes were checked and were about 20-30% worn. on 2/27/12 lang chevrolet service department replaced the rotors and pads on all four wheels because they were severely corroded and charged me $1253.00. they did say anything about the corroded brake lines. i believe that the company is purposely not warning customers about corroded brake lines. this is putting us chevrolet owners at risk of being seriously injured or killed. i was very lucky that i was only traveling at about 10 mph when by brakes failed. there were no prior warning signs prior to complete failure of my brakes. *js
Lost brakes due to brake line rust thru. *ln
To whom it may concern at gm, where do i start on the issues at hand on my 2004 chevrolet silverado? n. i contacted gm on the issue of the rusted out rear brake line, and of course it fell on deaf ears at gm. as you know, i lost my brakes in rush hour traffic after being cut off and almost slamming into the vehicle that cut me off. i had the truck towed, and the bottom line was, it cost me $240.00 and not to say someone could have been terribly hurt. the fact that i have a 2004 and it is 9 years old doesn't change the fact that the brakes rusted out premature. please note, this rust didn't happen overnight i'm sure it started many years ago. so please don't tell me about taking pride. gm should have taken the bull by the horns on this issue (recall) of rusted out brake line, but you chose to bury your heads in the sand hoping it went away. *tr
I entered the truck depressed the brake pedal and started the vehicle as i always do. the pedal then went to the floor. i tried to apply the brake again and pressed it completely to the floor, at that point the service brakes light came on so i shut off the vehicle and inspected it. i noticed brake fluid coming out from under the drivers door area. upon closer inspection i noticed a cluster of brake lines that all appear very rusty and in very bad shape. at least one of these lines is leaking. thankfully i was parked. *tr
Got cut-off in traffic, stepped on the brakes it held for a second then went to the floor. got the truck home only to find that the brake line was rusted thru and leaking, and with that i was checking the other lines found them to be rusted as well. *jb
I was reversing from ta parking spot and the brake pedal pushed all the way to the floor. i was in reverse and had to quickly apply the parking brake to stop. after inspection i found that the steel brake line had rusted through. *js
Coming home from work around 5:00 in the afternoon and went to slow down for traffic slowing down and brake pedal went to floor as i eased down on the brake pedal. to keep from hitting the truck in front of me i hit the emergency brake pedal and went to the right side of my lane and hit a guard rail slightly damaging my fender and bumper before coming to a full stop. i got out and looked under the truck and found brake fluid leaking from above the fuel (gas tank) along the inside of the frame rail. i called aaa road service and had my truck towed to my house so i could further inspect the truck for repairs needed. i am a diesel truck technician and have been working on cars and truck for years. i also have a 1989 chevy truck with 368,000 and never have had a brake line replaced or a brake failure like this, as i inspected the brake lines i found all steel brake lines are corroded and rusted and need replaced. i know this is going to be a costly repair! i pull a boat, travel trailer and a utility trailer. if i had been pulling one of these items and the brakes had failed like they did only god! would know the out come. gm needs to make a recall and have this issue fixed. i am back driving my 1989 step side until i can afford to make repairs! i sure could use some help!!
I was approaching an intersection on nj state route 10 when the light turned yellow. i applied the brakes and the peddle went to about one to two inches off the floor. the truck could not stop, and went though the light as is turned red. i was able to slow down and pull into a parking lot and stop. i found fluid leaking under the truck and could see it was from a failed brake line. i called a tow truck and a mechanic. i found out that the brake line were all rusted and needed to be replaced. the rotors, calipers, brake pads, e brake cable and shocks where replaced. *tr
When i was backing my truck out of my driveway my brake pedal hit the floor and the service brake light came on. upon further checking i realized that my brake lines rusted out and broke. while looking under truck i realized a lot of lines and truck is rusted. don't feel a nine year old truck should be that rusted. if you need to contact me my email is [xxx]or [xxx] my name is [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr
Brakes failed due to rusted brake lines. *tr
While braking for a left hand turn 55 mph down to 25mph my brake pedal went to the floor !!!! my brake line busted just like everyone else , i hand no brakes , i had my daughter in the truck with me .thank goodness i wasn't on the freeway. i cant believe gm hasn't done something yet . it must b/c there hasn't been enough crashes or injuries.this is complete bs !!! i only have 83k miles on my 04 silverado 4x4. (something needs done) !!!!! *tr
Was driving 15 mph in a parking lot when a person stepped in front of my truck. when i hit the brake pedal, the pedal went to the floor requiring me to pump the brake pedal rapidly (many times) with the emergency brake to avoid hitting the person. very scary! i purchased this truck new and has always been garaged! there are so many times i or someone else would have been killed if the brakes had failed at another time. this is a very serious issue (brake line rust) for a 9 year old vehicle with only 89,100 miles. chevrolet should be held responsible!. *tr
Stop light changed, applied brakes and pedal went to floor. blew brake line. lucky no one was in front of me!!!!!!! when are you going to recall this problem! *tr
I was moving my truck into the driveway and went to push the brake down and it went all the way to the floor. the break lines are rusted and one sprang a leak. luckily i wasn't going real fast. i took it to the shop and just to replace the back brake lines cost $800. the service guy told me if i wanted to replace the front break lines they would have to remove the front clip and take the cab off the frame for a total cost off $2,300.00. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the brake pedal abnormally traveled to the floor board as the service brake light illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis. the technician stated the brake lines would have to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 40,100. *tr
While driving a deer ran out in front of my truck, i applied the brakes and the truck stopped and then the brake peddle went to the floor. i pulled over and checked the fluid only to find it leaking on the ground. i had the truck towed and called a chevy tech i know and was told this is common problem. replacement parts as an assembly are no longer available! you buy the lines and have to have them bent to fit..a rough price $1,000 to $1,600.00. *tr
Depressed brakes and pedal right to floor. no brakes. had to use parking brake and even with that slowing me down was unable to stop at a red light on a 4-lane highway. luckily the light just changed and on-going traffic not yet into intersection. steered off of road and stopped into a field. had to be towed to garage where discovered that brake line blew out in both rear and front, thus no brakes (so much for having time to stop because both front and rear brakes wont fail at same time). investigation was that severely corroded tubing and also discovered that gas tank brackets also corroded ...one completely failed already. then it gets worse...the lines are custom made/bended with molded in rubber sections etc. and gm not offering replacements. *tr
The front brake lines busted while coming to a stop while pulling my 20ft enclosed trailer, i had to run off the side of the road into the ditch to avoid hitting multiple vehicles, once stopped i found brake fluid leaking from the drivers side front behind the wheel. i found the front brake lines had rusted out and busted. *tr
Brake pedal went to floor, and vehicle was hard to stop. upon inspection, brake line had ruptured. *tr
Truck was sitting in a parking lot when a leak was noticed. after looking under the truck, it was determined that the brake lines had ruptured because of rust. vehicle had all brake lines replaced for $1000.00. *tr
When i came to a stop at the pa state inspection station the brake peddle went to the floor and a large amount of brake fluid appeared on the shop floor at the left front wheel. upon inspection we found all of the brake lines were very corroded and must be replaced. i checked the internet for any information about this safety problem and i found that this is a major, common problem and gm should be accountable for installing inferior brake lines. *tr
Coming to a stop sign at a busy intersection, my vehicle brake pedal went to the floor and had previously never done that. i almost did notstop and in fact over shot the stop sign before being able to stop the vehicle. i had my three children in the car and was lucky that other vehicles were able to avoid hitting us. at the mechanics i was told all my lines will need to be replaced as all are corroded to a dangerous condition. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that when the ignition was turned to the on position, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floor board as the brake warning light illuminated. the failure recurred three times. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 160,000. the vin was unavailable.
While approaching the intersection of a state highway, i went to apply the brakes and the pedal went to the floor. only by using the emergency brake and by going at a slower speed was i able to stop. the front brake line from the proportioning valve to the module had blown and the second brake line was rusted out. the remaining lines show some rust and will need replacing in the future. also the o2 sensor went at the same time, total cost almost $600.00. not bad for a truck with only 37k miles on it, right? *tr
Brakes failed completely , had to stop vehicle with the emergency brake. brake lines on the truck were completely rusted and corroded to the point that they ruptured. seems as though the lines on the vehicle are made of a very poor quality steel and not properly coated to prevent corrosion. vehicle is only 8 years old with 23,000 miles. *tr
Started vehicle. brake pedal went to floor. checked brake line. rusted through. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet silverado c 1500. the contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed, the brakes would become stuck to the floor board. the contact inspected the vehicle and found that brake fluid on was leaking and the brake lines were corroded. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for further inspection. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 68,000.
Driving north on i-79 was in stop and go traffic and my brake pedal went to the floor. had to flatbed it home . my brake line blue out. *tr
spontaneous front and rear brake failure on a 2004 chevrolet silverado 1500 lt pickup truck. i was pulling up to my driveway and applied the brakes. the pedal went to the floor and i tried to pump the brake with no success. no prior brake level or abs or proportioning valve warning lights were indicated. i applied the emergency brake and came to a stop. once i parked the truck i noticed brake fluid dripping down below the driver's door. i crawled under to discover that all four steel brake lines were completely rusted and fluid was steadily coming out. a large puddle under the truck had accumulated over a short time. i noticed that the fuel lines were also severely rusted in the same area. i am 65 years old and have owned many vehicles over my lifetime (including classic cars), but i have never had a brake line rust as bad as these. i am extremely lucky that i wasn't on an interstate highway and had to make a quick stop for traffic ahead. more seriously than the rusted lines is the fact that no prior warning was given before total failure. dual master cylinders and isolated front and rear lines did not perform as designed. i have been on the internet today and understand that this is not an isolated problem. i can just imagine other people/families who will not be as lucky as me if this continues without something being done to warn and correct the situation. this should be on the news and gm should be involved and resolving the issue. thanks *tr
2004 chevy silverado std cab, 1500 long bed, 4x4, 73k miles. brakes failed when shifting to drive pedal went to floor. was due to corroded brake lines. lost brake fluid. all brake lines had to be replaced. *tr
My wife was nearing our house when the brake pedal went to the floor. she almost crashed into the garage. *tr
Occasionally, the brake were would become spongy and depress lower. there was never any warning lights. on the 15th of september 2013, i went to pick up my boat for a day at a lake. the speed limit is 70mph along the stretch of interstate to the lake. i stopped by the storage office then proceeded to back up to go to the storage yards entrance gate. the brakes did their usual random lower than usual depression. just as i rolled up to the security keypad the brakes failed. at this point all the brake and the service brake system lights came on. unbelievable!!! i do thank above i became ill that weekend and skipped the boat fishing tournament to lake huron hours away. it would have been a disastrous and taken my life!!! i put fluid in it but it did not help. i made it 1/2 mile down the road to the auto store for more fluid. it did not help. i made it another 1/2 mile home by using the poorly adjusted emergency brake (previous owners neglect probably) and the 1 inch of brake pressure left in the regular brakes. i was in utter shock to see the amount of rust. not only the brake line but the other lines, also. that is completely unacceptable even for a 2004 truck. i have older vehicles than this with very little or no rust on component lines. this was intentional by gm? maybe to make sure to make service money on such a dependable vehicle? i can not make up excuses or think of one good reason to jeopardize consumers lives this way. an inch of brake use is not going to stop the truck at regular speeds let alone a truck with a payload or a trailer. i usually think people who sue others are out for money. now i am thinking of suing gm for endangering my life. that should wake them up to this situation. there are some really good class action lawyers out of tennessee that successfully filed against a major drug store chain. i am calling them.
2004 silverado 1500 z71: previous owner lived in philidelphia- where i believe most of the rust came from. while on my way to visit my father in the hospital, my brake line to the rear wheels burst. i have a tendency to begin braking early, which kept me from running a red light into a busy 4-lane intersection. realizing that something had happened to my brakes, i continued to the hospital driving carefully so that i had excessive braking distances and/or an available run off area. upon arriving at the hospital i turned off the engine, waited about ten seconds and restarted it to test if the brakes had managed to pressurize. upon depressing the brake, the pedal traveled to roughly an inch above the floor and the driver information console displayed a warning, accompanied by a chime, indicating that the brake system needed to be serviced. so i sent my mother inside to visit with my father while i called my roadside assistance and had the vehicle towed to a local dealership. the mechanic at the dealership showed me where the break line had rusted through and wondered about where all of the rust had come from (not as much snow here in the deep south). i later had my truck towed from the dealership to a pep boys down the road because the dealership was lying to me about what needed to be replaced and inflating the cost of the parts. having taken some time to look around the internet for information regarding these lines, i see that there are many many complaints of precisely what happened to my vehicle. i am sorely disappointed with general motors unwillingness to acknowledge the issue and do something about it. the majority of the reports i have read the driver had no warning beforehand and the brake line that had rusted through was the one going to the rear (routed above the gas tank) three quarters of the time, or the front right brake the rest of the time. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph during inclement weather, the brakes were depressed and abnormally traveled to the floorboard. the contact stated that the brakes failed to engage and caused the vehicle to crash into a snow embankment. there were no injuries reported. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the brake hose was fractured and caused all of the brake fluid to leak as a result, the brake hose needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 65,000. ..updated 08/11/14 *bf updated 08/19/2014 *js
While traveling on wet/snowy road depressed brake pedal to stop the truck and pedal went to floor. had to pump pedal several times to maintain pressure and stop. once home, i saw brake fluid leaking from underneath vehicle on driver's side at approximately door location. brake lines severely corroded. $1700 emergency repair on new year's weekend. calipers replaced also due to corroded bleeders. abs has also stopped working/malfunctioned on this truck. *tr
leaving a parking lot, i attempted to brake at the stop sign. the brakes initially worked, then the pedal quickly went to the floor. i began pumping the brakes, but the vehicle rolled out into the street. i swerved to the right, and another vehicle coming from the left swerved left to avoid an accident. i backed into the parking lot and tested the brakes. each time i applied the brakes, the brakes would engage a minimal amount, but the pedal would very quickly go to the floor. without constant pumping, the brakes would not engage at all. upon further investigation, i found the brake lines under the hood severely corroded, and a significant leak from a line directly below the master cylinder. my mechanic replaced all the brake lines except the two running to the back brakes. contrary to what gm advertises, this brakeline rupture resulted in a complete failure of both front and rear brakes. in older systems, the front and rear brakes were operated from two completely separate hydraulic systems. i understand that newer braking systems use some type of metering valve between front and rear brakes. it is clear to me that this system does not work as expected. this is a significant issue, and i am fortunate that this did not result in a severe accident. three factors prevented an accident. my slow speed, my ability to swerve to the right, the other drivers ability to swerve to the left. without all three, a severe accident would have occurred. *tr
The truck's brakes unexpectedly failed while attempting to take an exit ramp from a major highway onto city streets. the brake lines from master cylinder to the rear and front brakes were all corroded with brake fluid gushing from the system with each pedal depression. this was a serious life-threatening event. we were traveling with our family in the truck at the highway speed of 65 mph when the incident occurred. if it had been daylight hours with more traffic, we could quite easily hit another vehicle as the truck's stopping capability became non-existent. we've paid more than $2000.00 to have all the lines, hoses, bleeders, fittings replaced. every piece of tubing was corroded. this should not have occurred in a vehicle with only 53k miles on it. please investigate, and if reimbursement is possible we would appreciate it. *tr
I had parked my truck at a christmas tree farm. upon returning to my truck, i restarted it, shifted into reverse to back up in the field when it appeared to have slid in the mud while applying the brakes. i continued up the hill and had rounded the top of the farm continuing back down a moderate slope when the brakes were applied but provided very little stopping power. the brake light in the dash illuminated and a note in the dash indicated to have the brake system serviced. the truck was taken to a gmc dealer for repairs. i was told by the dealer that all of my brake lines were rusted out and repairs would cost between $1200.00 and $1300.00. i will contact the dealer tomorrow to save all of the old brake lines for inspection. *tr
On 12/14/2012, i was driving home from work in my 2004 chevy silverado z71 when i began to hit the brake to stop for a red light when the brake pedal push entirely to the floor. i was able to slow down to 35 mph and turn into a hotel parking lot and use the emergency brake to come to a complete stop. the brakes failed with no notice just a few minutes earlier, i was traveling high speeds on a busy highway. this issue could have killed me or someone else. i had the vehicle towed to the local chevy dealership and they told me the brake lines were rusted through. time for chevy to issue a recall before someone dies... *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph and depressing the brakes, the vehicle did not stop and he crashed into another vehicle. the police were contacted and a report was filed. the vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic where they advised him that the brake lines were rusted and was the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were approximately 100,000. the vin was unavailable.
At approximately 30mph driver stepped on brake to stop vehicle for stop sign and brake line blew a hole out resulting in brake fluid draining from lines and leaving truck unable to drive due to no brakes. gm dealership said brakes lines were rusted and rotted in various places. dealership commented that they are seeing this happen in multiple gm pick models from 1999-2006. dealership replaced lines with new lines made of alloy component. gm should have used this component in the brake line in the first place as there are many drivers out there not knowing when their brake line could burst. *tr
I was stopped at a traffic light and the service brake pedal light went to the floor and the vehicle began to roll. there was no warning signs of an issue at this point. due to the light turning green i was able to avoid an accident with the vehicle in front off mine at the traffic light. i proceed to a safe location carefully testing the brakes and noticed the pedal to be soft. i pulled into a area quickly and the pedal went to the floor again and was able to put the vehicle in park before the vehicle moved more than a foot or two. i opened the hood and the fluid was above the min mark on the reservoir then noticed fluid on the ground under the cab. the brake lines appeared to be leaking and severely corrroded with holes in the lines from the engine compartment to the rear of the vehicle. *tr
When to stop at red light brakes fail could not stop. i used the emergency brake to finally stop after i when threw the red light. it is a good thing their was any coming the other way. the brake pedal when the whole way to the floor. i had all brake lines repaired and the rubber hoses too. the metal line where rusted out. *tr
Bought the truck new. at 112,160 miles the brake lines failed causing the pedal to go completely to the floor while putting the truck into "drive". i quickly put the transmission into "reverse" to get the truck stopped. brake lines corroded. *tr
After towing my trailer to my sons and backing it into the barn the brake pedal went to the floor as i pulled out. i had just went about 5 miles at about 50mph with a 20 foot trailer. luckily the brake line didn't let go on the major road i was on. the brake fluid was running out of a rusted brake line under the cab. this truck has 58,000 miles on it and is kept in a garage in the winter. after inspecting the underside of the truck i am quite surprised at the amount of rust on the frame and suspension parts. the underside of the floor looks like new but the brake lines look about 50 years old. i have a hard time believing the government would leave a safety issue just continue on our highways. what will it take to get this problem addressed and save lives. *tr
First incident: upon leaving work, i merged onto the highway, traveled around the circle, stopped, crossed onto another highway, stopped again, accelerated normally, reached approximately 40 mph and had to hit the brakes hard to stop because of traffic in front of me stopping short. the next time i depressed the brake pedal, it traveled nearly to the floor. the line from the abs unit to the rear brakes had cracked. i was able to get the vehicle to my garage where i removed(and saved) and replaced the line. second incident: tuesday, february 19th. on my way to work, normal driving and braking, approaching a traffic light, light changed to yellow, i was going approximately 50 mph, depressed brake pedal, pedal continued to travel and i was able to stop in the middle of the intersection after the light had turned red. no accident or injury. i will most likely receive a ticket as the light has a camera that photographs anyone running the light and sends them a ticket in the mail. this time, a line going to the passenger side front caliper broke. i was able to get the vehicle back to my garage where i cut out and began the difficult task of replacing this line. i also noticed the line going to the driver side front caliper was equally rusted, but had not broken yet. it is now thursday, february 21st. i have missed 3 days of work and now i will have to have my truck towed to the dealership i work at where i will most likely have to remove the body of the truck from the frame to properly install new brake lines to the front calipers. i have saved the old brake lines as evidence. they look more like rotten twigs than they look like steel brake lines. it's disgraceful that a vehicle only 9 years old would need all new brake lines when i have had several old vehicles from the 70's and 80's which had original brake lines that did not break. only surface rust appeared on them. *tr
While exiting interstate 89 in swanton vermont, i applied the brakes and the pedal went completely to the floor with nearly no braking occurring. there were no warning lights or previous problems. vehicle was towed to a repair facility. an inspection revealed the brake line burst very close to the master cylinder. the inspection also revealed the entire brake-lines were rusted and corroded beyond any normal wear. the repairman stated that he has seen this on a number of silverado's and that their is obvious problems with the quality of the lines. this vehicle is garage kept and shows no body wear or engine wear. *tr
Put foot on brake pedal to start vehicle and the pedal went to the floor. the brake system warning light illuminated. pumped pedal and there was little increase in pressure. turned off vehicle and starting visual inspection of the brake components. fluid chamber was full and clean. abs module was clean and all wires in place. the brake line above the left rear frame rail had a severe hole and fluid running out. lines and fittings in other areas are also corroded but no leaks readily identified. *tr