2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 Complaints

TODAY WHILE I WAS AT A STOP WITH MY TRUCK IN GEAR AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED WITH MINIMAL PRESSURE, I HEARD AIR RELEASE AND MY BRAKE PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. MY BRAKE LINES HAD RUPTURED CAUSING BRAKE FLUID TO SPILL OUT AND MY BRAKES BARELY WORKED AT ALL. I HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL INTO THE FLOOR WITH EXCESSIVE EFFORT JUST TO SLOWLY ROLL TO A STOP AT LOW SPEEDS. LUCKILY I WAS JUST A MILE OR SO AWAY FROM HOME AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE REST OF THE TRIP WITHOUT INCIDENT. HOWEVER, JUST MINUTES BEFORE THE FAILURE I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MILES PER HOUR DURING RUSH HOUR. AT THOSE SPEEDS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP QUICKLY, OR AT ALL, IF NEEDED HAD THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUPTURED THEN. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MULTIPLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH POTENTIAL INJURIES OR FATALITIES. I MAY NOT HAVE MADE IT HOME ALIVE IF THAT WERE THE CASE WHICH IS A VERY SCARY THOUGHT. THIS ISSUE REALLY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR

GETTING READY TO LEAVE HOME AND NOTICED A LEAK NEAR THE LEFT REAR TIRE. I CRAWLED UNDER THE TRUCK AND NOTICED A DRIP FROM THE BRAKE LINE. AT THIS TIME, MY WIFE WAS GOING TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FROM OUT IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE AND I ADVISED HER NOT TO HIT THE BRAKES TO HARD AS THERE WAS A LEAK. WHEN SHE HIT THE BRAKES TO START THE VEHICLE THE PETAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND FLUID SPRAYED EVERYWHERE. I FEEL FORTUNATE IT HAPPENED WHEN IT DID VERSUS OUT ON THE ROAD. *TR

IM GETTING READY FOR A TRIP, FROM TEXAS TO OHIO IN SEPT. PULLING ANOTHER VEHICLE. I DECIDED TO GET THE TRUCK READY BEFORE SUCH A LONG TRIP. IT STARTED FINE, NO SIGNS OF PROBLEMS, I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE BEFORE CHANGING GEARS, AND MY PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I COULD HEAR SQUIRTING AND AIR. I KNEW I HAD A LEAK. I INVESTIGATED THE ISSUE AND FOUND HYDRAULIC FLUID UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT. I FOUND ONE OF THE LINES HAD SPLIT ABOVE THE EHCU UNIT, SPITTING FLUID ALL OVER THE UNDER BODY. THIS LINE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE OTHER LINES HAVE SOME SURFACE RUST BUT NOTHING LIKE THIS LINE. IT IS NO LONGER TUBULAR LOOKING AND LOOKS MORE LIKE A WET STICK WITH A LOT OF MISSING BRANCHES, AND IS MUCH LARGER LOOKING THAN THE OTHERS. ALSO, I FOUND A LEAK ON A LINE THAT RUNS TO THE REAR AXLE, ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME THAT WAS SEVERELY RUSTED LIKE THE ONE DESCRIBED ABOVE. IM PRETTY SURE THIS IS THE LINE THAT IS SPLIT, BUT ITS HARD TO TELL, I CANT FIND A DIAGRAM TO HELP TRACE THE LINES. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE, I RECHECKED MY DASH LIGHTS TO SEE IF AN ABS OR A BRAKE LIGHT, NONE ARE ON. I HAVE CONTACTED DEALERS AND BRAKE MECHANICS FOR REPAIR, AND HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED AS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PRESSURE IN THE LINE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE TRUCK WAS PURCHASED IN OHIO. I WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT THEY WOULD BE COATED OR STAINLESS SINCE IT IS A SALT BELT STATE, AND IM NOT SURE WHY ONLY ONE LINE DEGRADED LIKE IT DID.. THIS IS A 2002 AVALANCHE 1500 4WD WITH Z71 OFF ROAD PACKAGE, IT IS EXPECTED TO GET DIRTY AND WET. I BELIEVE BETTER STANDARDS ARE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE SAFETY, AND THAT THERE SHOULD, WITH THIS MANY PEOPLE AFFECTED, DEFINITELY BE A RECALL ON THE LINES. HAD IT DECIDED TO HOLD UP UNTIL MY TRIP, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DISASTROUS. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLOWED DOWN TO TURN. I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AND THE PEDAL FELT SOFT THEN WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR. I BEGAN PUMPING THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER MANUALLY SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO 1ST GEAR AND PRESSING ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. WHEN I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, THE REAR WHEEL AND UNDERCARRIAGE WERE COVERED IN BRAKE FLUID FROM A CORRODED STEEL BRAKE LINE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES IN THE VEHICLE THAT WERE INSTALLED IN LOCATIONS UNABLE TO BE ROUTINELY CLEANED WERE SEVERELY RUSTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH GOOD YEAR WRANGLER HP TIRES, TIRE SIZE 265/70/17. THE DOT NUMBER WAS MKT6F00R1707. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY, FOLLOW BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE EXHIBITED UNEVEN TREAD WEAR AND SEVERE SEPARATION. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE TIRE TEMPORARILY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,240. UPDATED 08/03/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TOTAL MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS 131,207. THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END WAS ALIGNED ON 9/10/2011. THE TIRED WERE ROTATED FROM REAR TO FRONT ON 03/09/2012. THE TIRES WERE ALL MAINTAINED AT 32 PSI, WHEREAS THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED 30 PSI. NO DEBRIS WAS STRUCK IN THE ROADWAY. UPDATED 08/06/2012 *JS

I NOTICED THAT BY BRAKES FELT LIKE I WAS LOSING BRAKING POWER. I SUDDENLY WAS ABLE TO PUSH MY BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND MY BRAKING WAS REDUCED. I GOT HOME AN NOTICED THAT MY MAIN BRAKE LINE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND FLUID WAS SQUIRTING OUT OF A PINHOLE OF MY BRAKE LINE. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG CHEVROLET TRUCK OWNERS. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN A CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SHORT AND I WAS FORCED TO APPLY HEAVY BRAKE PRESSURE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR I WAS FORCED TO STEER OFF THE ROAD IN ORDER NOT TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, THE AVALANCHE HAD ALMOST TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD BURST DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION AND THE BRAKE FLUID WAS POURING OUT OF THE VEHICLE RIGHT ABOVE THE REAR AXLE. *TR

AVALANCHE 4WD SELECTORS STARTED FLASHING AND WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 4L. STOPPED AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE. RESTARTED AND SERVICE 4WD LIGHT LIT. HAD NO FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. DEALER SAID THE ENCODER MOTOR FAILED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT DOWN SHIFTED AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND A FIVE FOOT SECTION OF THE BRAKE LINES WAS REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE REMAINDER OF THE BRAKE LINES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,000. UPDATED 01/03/12*LJ UPDATED 01/04/12

CORROSION OF HARD BRAKE LINE FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE REAR DISTRIBUTION MODULE RESULTED IN LOSS OF BRAKING CAPACITY WHEN THE BRAKE LINE FAILED RESULTING IN FLUID LEAKAGE. *TR