2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 Complaints

TRAVELING NORTH ON 95 JUST OUTSIDE OF WILMINGTON DELAWARE IN MIDDLE TRAVEL LANES WHEN STOPPING FOR TRAFFIC AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO FLOOR. HAD TO VEER TO THE LEFT AND TRAVEL ONTO MEDIUM TO AVOID ACCIDENT. I CHECKED UNDER TRUCK AND OBSERVED BRAKE LINE LEAKING FLUID UNDER DRIVERS SIDE. *TR

HAD TO MAKE QUICK STOP AND REQUIRED ME TO STEP ON BRAKES FAIRLY HARD. BLEW A BRAKE LINE AND LOST ALL BRAKES. WAS ABLE TO SERVE TO AVOID ACCIDENT, AND THEN USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP MYSELF. HAD TRUCK TAKEN TO SHOP, ALL BRAKE LINES WERE EXTREMELY RUSTED AND REQUIRED REPLACING. $1000+ JOB. *TR

DURING COMMUTE TO WORK ON 22 APRIL 2014, AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT AND PRESSED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE MAIN CONSOLE CHIMED, SHOWED A MESSAGE TO CHECK BRAKES, AND I WAS ABLE TO PRESS THE BRAKE LEVER TO THE FLOOR. I WAS STILL ABLE TO STOP PRIOR TO REACHING THE STOPLIGHT. I SLOWLY RETURNED HOME (ABOUT A MILE) AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK NEARBY, THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHILE IN DRIVE. WHEN PLACED ON THE FLATBED TOW TRUCK, THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING ONTO THE BED. AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE MECHANICS STATED THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND THE ENTIRE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BEHIND THE MASTER CYLINDER. ADDITIONALLY, I HAD ASKED THEM TO INSPECT WHY I SOMETIMES HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THIS COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE FUEL TANK (DUE TO CORROSION), AND I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TANK SYSTEM TO REPLACE THE PUMP. *TR

GIRLFRIEND WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WITH A 700 LB LOAD IN THE BACK ON RT. 44. SHE WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. SHE PUMPED THE BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF RT. 44 ONTO A SIDE STREET. WHILE PROCEEDING DOWN STREET THERE WERE LIMITED BRAKES. WHEN SHE CAME UPON OUR STREET SHE USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. SHE AGAIN APPLIED THIS METHOD TO TAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO OUR DRIVEWAY. ONCE IN THE DRIVEWAY SHE TOLD ME THERE ARE NO BRAKES IN THE TRUCK. I GOT IN THE TRUCK AND APPLIED THE BRAKES AND HEARD A SPRAYING SOUND COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT. I GOT OUT AND SAW BRAKE FLUID AROUND THE WHEEL WELL AND DRIPPING ON THE GROUND FROM THE BRAKE LINE. *TR

ON WED, JUNE 25TH APPROXIMATELY 11:30 PM I HAD TO STOP QUICKLY DUE A STOP LIGHT CHANGING ON ME AND I FELT MY BRAKE PEDAL GET "SQUISHY" WHEN TRYING TO STOP. I VERIFIED THIS WHEN I TRIED STOPPING AT THE NEXT LIGHT AND THE PEDAL SUNK EVEN FURTHER AND IT TOOK EVEN LONGER TO STOP. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME MY BRAKES WERE ABOUT USELESS FOR ANY SPEED OVER AN IDLE AS THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARDS WHEN PRESSED. LUCKILY IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND THERE WERE VERY FEW CARS ON THE ROAD, SO I DID NOT NEED TO STOP QUICKLY. I THEN LOOKED UNDER MY TRUCK AND FOUND BOTH OF THE BRAKE LINES HEAVILY CORRODED/RUSTED IN A SPOT JUST BEHIND MY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL. I HAD MY WIFE PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE I WAS WATCHING THE LINES AND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM HAD BLOWN OPEN AND WAS SQUIRTING FLUID. I SUBSEQUENTLY HAD TO GET MY TRUCK TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AS IT WAS NOT DRIVE-ABLE. AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THE REQUIRED PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED DIRECTLY FROM THE DEALER INCREASING MY REPAIR BILL. AND AFTER TALKING WITH MY MECHANIC, HE STATED THAT WHEN HE CALLED THE DEALER FOR THE PARTS, THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS NEEDED AS THEY HAVE HAD TO DO THESE SAME REPAIRS NUMEROUS TIMES. LUCKILY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS USING MY TRUCK TO HAUL HER HORSES AROUND AS I DO NOT THINK SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP AT ALL WITH THAT EXTRA WEIGHT BEHIND HER TRAILER BRAKES OR NOT. *TR

MY SON [XXX] WANTED A 4X4 TRUCK SO THIS GUY [XXX] SAID HIS WAS FOR SALE HE COULD TEST DRIVE IT,WELL THE 4X4 DID NOT WORK ON THE TRUCK THE MINUTE MY SON SHIFTED IT IN TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE THE TIRE ROD AND SOMETHING ELSE,SO MY DAUGHTERS FATHER [XXX] WORKS ON VEHICLES AND SALES THEM TOO. WELL I ASKED [XXX] TO HELP GET MY SONS TRUCK BACK FROM [XXX] AND FIX NICKS TRUCK SO WE COULD HAVE A VEHICLE BECAUSE WE WERE SHARING ONE VEHICLE. NICK WANTED AND [XXX] WANTED FINALLY [XXX] FIXED [XXX] TRUCK AND WHEN WE GOT MY SON TRUCK BACK IT WAS MAKING A NOISE,SO [XXX] SAID HE THINKS ITS THE FUEL PUMP NO BIG DEAL,I SAID OK. HE GAVE ME AND ESTIMATE TO FIX NICKS TRUCK OF 2000.00, WELL SOMEONE AT [XXX]"S WAS RIPPING ME OFF IT WAS ONLY 600.00 R AROUND THAT AMOUNT. WELL ME AND MY HUSBAND WERE GOING THROUGH A BAD DIVORCE HE HAD JUST SIGN OVER THE TITLE AND REGISTRATION TO ME,AND IT WAS LEFT IN GLOVE BOX MY FAULT,BUT HE FORGED THE DOCUMENTS PLUS CASH A 500.00 CHECK THAT I STOPPED PAYMENT ON. I MADE TO POLICE REPORTS PLUS THERE'S 2 911 CALLS WHERE WE R CHASING HIM BUT THE SPEED WAS GETTING OUT OF HAND I TOLD MY SON TO BACK OFF,WE PAID 1500.00 FOR THE TRUCK OUR LIFE IS WORTH MORE. I GOT THE COMPLAINT NUMBERS COPS DID NOTHING. WENT TO DMV HE TRIED TWICE THERE TO SWITCH IT THEY TURNED HIM DOWN,SO HE WENT TO A TITLE COMPANY IN LAFAYETTE,LA ON JOHNSTON STREET AND GOT IT DONE. PLUS I PAID MY INSURANCE FOR SIX MONTHS AHEAD, I REPORTED IT TO PROGRESSIVE THEY WERE MAILING MY REFUND CHECK,HE STOLE THAT AND APPLIED IT BACK I THINK HE R SOMEONE GOT IN A WRECK AND TRIED TO CLAIM A INSURANCE CLAIM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I EXPERIENCED LOSS OF BRAKING AND PARKED VEHICLE AND NOTICED FLUID UNDER LEFT REAR AXLE AREA. BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING. I DO NOT THINK A TEN YEAR OLD TRUCK SHOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AFTER LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE FAILED. BRAKE LINE FAIL DO TO RUST. TRUCK'S STOPPING DISTANCE HAD INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AND I WAS LUCKY WASN'T IN TRAFFIC. NO ACCIDENT OCCUR, TIMING WAS A FACTOR FOR THAT. OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF I WAS TOWING MY BOAT AND IN TRAFFIC. NOTE: I HAVE BEEN DRIVING CHEVROLET TRUCKS FOR OVER 39 YEARS, AND NEVER HAD BRAKE LINE FAIL, ESPECIALLY FOR RUSTING. TRUCK'S LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE WAS REPLACED BY GOODYEAR BARRY ROAD TIRE & SERVICE, COST OF $181.20. *TR

THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I HAVE LOST MY BRAKES. THANK GOD BOTH TIMES WERE AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS 2ND TIME OCCURRED IN A DRIVE THRU RESTAURANT. AS I APPLIED MY BRAKES THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME HAD JUST LEFT WITH THERE ORDER OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE REAR ENDED THEM. I THEN DROVE VERY SHORT DISTANCE USING MY EMERGENCY BRAKE. PLEASE RECALL AN FIX THIS PROBLEM. ..ITS THE RIGHT THING FOR GM TO DO. *JS

DRIVING ON I271 NORTHBOUND, HEADING TO 77N, LEFT LANE OF HIGHWAY. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, THE ROAD WAS DRY. I WAS DOING 70 -72 MPH. SPEED LIMIT ON 271 IS 70. DRIVER IN RIGHT LANE SUDDENLY DECIDED TO SWITCH TO LEFT LANE, CUTTING IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF CAR IN FRONT OF ME. DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES VERY HARD. I ALSO HAD TO HIT BRAKES, BUT NOT QUITE AS HARD, AS I HAD SOME SPACE. AS I HIT THE BRAKES, THEY IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE ONLY CHOICE I HAD TO AVOID SLAMMING INTO HER, WAS SWERVE LEFT INTO THE MEDIAN, ALL THE WHILE PUMPING THE BRAKES HOPING FOR SOMETHING. BUT THERE WAS NOTHING. I MANAGED TO KEEP THE TRUCK FROM FISHTAILING IN THE GRASS, STRAIGHTENED OUT, PASSED THE WOMAN WHO I ALMOST REAR ENDED, AND THANKFULLY WAS ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT STILL NO BRAKES. I EVENTUALLY GOT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND COASTED TO A STOP.I WAS VERY LUCKY---THERE WAS ROAD CONSTRUCTION COMING UP WITH SIGNS IN THE MEDIAN,AND TRAFFIC BARRELS IN THE ROAD, AND THIS ALL HAPPENED WITHIN A MILE OF THAT AREA. HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO FIRESTONE, AND THEY TOLD ME BOTH BRAKE LINES GOING TO THE ABS UNIT BLEW OUT. IF GM WANTS TO SAVE MONEY BY USING CHEAP MATERIAL, IT SHOULD BE ON NON SAFETY RELATED PARTS, NOT SOMETHING AS SERIOUS AS BRAKE COMPONENTS. AS THE AVERAGE AGE OF MOST VEHICLES ON THE ROAD TODAY IS 10 YRS., CAR MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE FORCED TO MANUFACTURE OR USE PARTS, ESP., PARTS AS BRAKES, THAT WILL LAST A LOT LONGER THAN THAT. *JS