2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Complaints

A GUY PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I ALMOST T BONED HIM IF HE DIDN'T GET OUT OF THE WAY, SINCE I DIDN'T GET IT STOPPED FOR ANOTHER 40 YARDS PAST WERE THE ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION THE BRAKELINE EXPLODED CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKEPEDDLE PRESSURE. ALL OF THE BREAK LINES, ESPECIALLY IN THE BACK, ARE ROTTED AND SCALING, AND ROTOR SPLASH GUARDS HAVE ROTTED AWAY COMPLETELY. I'M SURE GM WILL POINT TO MILEAGE AS A EXCUSE, BUT THERE REALLY ISN'T ANY RUST ON OR UNDER THE EXCEPT ON THE BRAKELINES AND MY NONE EXISTENT SPLASH GUARDS. I DRIVE 600 HIGH WAY MILES A WEEK AND EXPECT NORMAL PAD/ROTOR/BEARING WEAR AND TEAR BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A FAULTY PART. *TR

DURING A RECENT BRAKE JOB DONE BY A DEALER, ON MY FRONT AXLE, A BRAKE LINE THAT RUNS FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT WAS FOUND TO BE RUSTED OUT AND LEAKING. ON FURTHER INSPECTION, OTHER LINES WERE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING RUST ON THEM. THE TWO LINES COMING DIRECTLY FROM THE BRAKE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY SHOWED HEAVY RUSTING WHERE THEY BEND TO GO BACK UNDER THE CHASSIS. IF ONE OF THESE WOULD HAVE RUSTED THROUGH, HALF OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD BE INOPERABLE. WITH BOTH OF THESE LINES, BEING INSTALLED DURING MANUFACTURE AND BEING IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF BOTH FAILING AT THE SAME TIME OR SHORTLY AFTER THE OTHER ONE. IF THAT WOULD HAPPEN, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE NO WAY TO BRAKE AND STOP THE VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS PARKING AND WHEN I STEPPED ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT THE WHOLEWAY TO FLOOR. LUCKILY THERE WAS A CURB IN FRONT OF ME OR I WOULDHAVE CRASHED INTO A STORED LOADED WITH PEOPLE. AFTER INVESTIGATION FOUND OUT BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH. FOUND OUT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING. HOW MANY YEARS IS IT GONNA TAKE OR HOW MANY MUST DIE BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION. *TR

DRIVING WITH MY CHILDREN ON THE HIGHWAY.. WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKE TO STOP.. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WON'T STOP... THEN WENT TO APPLY E-BRAKE AND THAT FAILED AS WELL... (I UP KEEP THE TRUCK VERY WELL SO THIS WAS NOT ISSUE)... I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO AVOID A SERIOUS WRECK... UPON INVESTIGATION I HAVE FOUND ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT.. I ALSO HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AS A MAJOR ISSUE... WITH THESE TRUCKS.... ARE WE REALLY GONNA WAIT TILL SOMEBODY IS KILLED? *TR

BRAKE LINE BURST WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH. HAD TWO BRAKE LINES REPLACED. THEN THREE WEEKS LATER ANOTHER BRAKE LINE POPPED. HAD TWO MORE BRAKE LINES REPLACED. TOTAL COST $900. *TR

WIFE DRIVING HOME WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN SHE APPLIED BRAKES. VEHICLE CONTINUED THROUGH STOP SIGN EXPOSING MY WIFE AND 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO POSSIBLE INJURY FROM CROSS TRAFFIC. WIFE HAD TO PULL VEHICLE ONTO GRASSY MEDIAN TO GET IT TO STOP COMPLETELY SINCE (BY HER ESTIMATE) BRAKES BARELY WORKED AT ALL (MAYBE 20%). THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ONLY CAME ON AFTER I HAD THE VEHICLE ALMOST TO THE REPAIR FACILITY. THERE WAS NO OTHER WARNING OR INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES BEFORE THEY FAILED. I MANAGED TO GET THE TRUCK TO A REPAIR FACILITY AFTER NOTING SEVERE LEAKAGE FROM ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES AND TOPPING OFF THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR. WAITING ON CONFIRMATION FROM REPAIR SHOP BUT IT APPEARS THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED TO A GREAT AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED TO ENSURE SAFETY OF VEHICLE OPERATORS. I AM SHOCKED AND DISMAYED THAT THE NHTSA HAS ALLOWED THIS ISSUE TO GO ON WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF NOTIFICATION FROM CHEVY OR THE NHTSA REGARDING THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WHY WOULD CHEVROLET BUILD THIS TRUCK WITH A STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST SYSTEM YET USE INFERIOR MEATL ON THE BRAKE LINES? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 7 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS WAS ACTIVE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT THEN PUMPED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED RUST AROUND THE ABS AND BRAKE DRUM. THE MECHANIC STATED THE ABS SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE BRAKE DRUMS AND MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT DUE TO THE STATE THE VEHICLE WAS REGISTERED IN, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

TWICE IN A ROW WHEN FILLING, GAS BACKED UP AND SPILLED. I ATTRIBUTED THIS TO A FAULTY PUMP. LATER THAT EVENING WHILE PARKED I DISCOVERED A FUEL LEAK. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED THE FUEL PUMP HAD RUSTED AND CORRODED AWAY. THE NEXT DAY I BEGAN MY DRIVE HOME FROM FLORIDA TO CHICAGO. I MADE IT ABOUT 200 MILES BEFORE WE CHANGED DRIVERS, AND DISCOVERED THE TRUCK HAD STARTED LEAKING FUEL AGAIN. THANKFULLY, WE MADE IT SAFELY TO A REPAIR SHOP (A NATIONAL COMPANY THIS TIME). THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS THE FUEL TANK, LOCATED A REPLACEMENT TANK, AND I WAS UNDER WAY. I DID MAKE IT HOME TO CHICAGO, SMELLING GAS THE WHOLEWAY, BUT NOT SEEING A SIGNIFICANT LEAK (PROBABLY DUE TO THE CONSTANT DRIVING, I DID KEEP CHECKING) UNTIL I WAS ALMOST HOME. I MADE IT HOME, AND TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL SHOP. THE DIAGNOSED IT AS FUEL LINES, WHICH HAD RUSTED AND CORRODED. I PICKED UP MY TRUCK LAST NIGHT, DROVE IT TO WORK TODAY, THEN DROVE IT RIGHT BACK TO THE MECHANIC, SINCE IT WAS LEAKING GAS AGAIN. I HAVE SPENT OVER $1500 SO FAR IN LABOR AND PARTS, LOST ALMOST A FULL TANK OF GAS WITH ALL THE TANK DROPS, AND STILL DO NOT HAVE MY TRUCK BACK. IM PRETTY SURE MY, MECHANIC IS READY TO GIVE UP. *TR

2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH. WE BOUGHT THE CAR TWO YEARS AGO IN PA. WITH THE CARFAX SHOWING IT HAS BEEN HOUSED ONLY IN NJ AND PA SINCE 2002. WE CURRENTLY LIVE IN NC MOVING HERE ONLY LAST OCTOBER. YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY GOING 45 MILES PER HOUR, A CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN AND AS PER PROPER PROCEDURE I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR BOARD OF THE TRUCK WITH NO RESISTANCE, AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP MYSELF. I ENDED UP IN THE DITCH TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, AND HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE ISSUES WITH NO RESISTANCE ON THE BRAKES. MY HUSBAND ORIGINAL THOUGHT THE ISSUE WAS THE CYLINDER. BUT AS HE WAS STARTING TO REPLACE THAT PART HE NOTICED A FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE TRUCK. AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS BRAKE FLUID. HE BOUGHT ALL NEW BRAKE LINES AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF THE LONG JOB OF REINSTALLING THEM. *TR

AT 95,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION EXPLODED, REPLACED. 1 YEAR LATER, BRAKE LINE EXPLODED, LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID, ALL 4 BRAKE LINES REPLACED AS THEY WERE NOT MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL AND HAD RUSTED. 6 MONTHS LATER, DIFFERENTIAL BEARINGS ALL WORN, AFFECTING STEERING, DIFFERENTIAL AND RELATED PARTS ALL REPLACED. ALL EXPLOSIONS TOOK PLACE WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS, NOT ON THE HIGHWAY, THANK GOD! MECHANIC (FRIEND OF MINE) SAYS HE NEVER SAW ANY CAR WITH AS MANY BAD PARTS AS MY AVALANCHE! I ALSO THANK GOD I BOUGHT IT USED. AMERICAN ENGINEERED CARS HAVE SUCH BAD ENGINEERING DESIGN THAT I NEVER BUY THEM NEW. *TR