2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 Complaints

ON 2/20/2017 MY 2003 SILVERADO HAD A TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKE SYSTEMS FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, DUE TO PREMATURE BRAKE LINE FAILURE, CAUSED BY BRAKE LINES THAT WERE NOT DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND ROAD SALT USED IN MICHIGAN, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD AND DRIVEN.

LUCKILY, I WAS ON MY STREET NEAR MY HOUSE WHEN MY BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR...I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE TRUCK. I FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINES AND WHEN I USED THE INTERNET I SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000. UPDATED 03/16/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. UPDATED 08/30/2017*JS

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND THE OIL READER IS ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE REDUCED SPEED WARNING COMES ON THE ENGINE REDUCES SPEED AND CANNOT GO OVER 30 IN A 30 MILE RADIUS IT HAS DONE THIS TO ME 4 TIMES JUST THIS MORNING TO WORK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND REDUCE ENGINE POWER WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON RESOLVED THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR PRODUCE A FAULT CODE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

OCT 29, 2016, 120,000MILES. TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE FROM RUSTED BRAKE LINES WHILE DRIVING ON RURAL HIGHWAY SLOWING DOWN FROM DRIVING 55MPH. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID CRASHING. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS HERE. THESE VEHICLES ARE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WITH SIMILAR VEHICLES, WARN THEM. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 SILVERADO AND UPON ARRIVING HOME I FELT MY BRAKE PEDDLE GO TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T STOP AND BACKED INTO MY TRAILER, I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND NOTICED A HUGE PUDDLE UNDER MY DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT THE STEEL HYDRAULIC LINE HAD RUSTED & BROKE. I AM DISABLED WITH 4 AUTO IMMUNE DISEASES AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT IT IN THE SHOP SO I ORDERED THE PART, REPLACED IT AND PROCEEDED TO BLEED THE LINE AND FOUND THAT 3 OTHER STEEL LINES HAD HOLES IN THEM OR HAD RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I ALSO HAVE RUST ALL UNDER THE TRUCK. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE TWO FRONT SUPPORT BRACES AS THEY HAVE RUSTED ALL THROUGH. AT $120 EACH. SO FROM FRONT TO BACK ALL THE STEEL LINES HAVE RUSTED. I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN MY DRIVE. HAD I DRIVEN ANOTHER MILE OR SO I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I NOW HAVE A FEAR OF DRIVING. BEING DISABLED IT IS TAKING ME SEVERAL DAYS TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE, AND STILL HAVE ONE LINE TO REPLACE. I PURCHASED MY SILVERADO BRAND NEW AND I LIVE IN KENTUCKY SO I DON'T HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF ROAD SALT OR SEA SALT. I HAVE OWNED CHEVROLET PRODUCTS MY HOLE LIFE. PRIOR TO THIS TRUCK I HAD A 1989 SILVERADO PURCHASED NEW AND PRIOR TO THAT I OWNED A 1971 MONTE CARLO HANDED DOWN TO ME AND NONE OF THESE VEHICLE HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH RUST LIKE THAT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO VEHICLE WITH THIS FEW OF YEARS. *TR

DRIVING ALONG AND WE APPROACHED A ROUND ABOUT CIRCLE, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING EXTREMELY FAST WHICH FORCED ME TO BRAKE HARD, MY TRUCK STARTED TO BRAKE AND THEN ALL BRAKING WAS LOST. I SLAMMED THE TRUCK INTO 1ST GEAR AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD. I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM BRAKE LINE. I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH BRAKES TO STOP THE TRUCK. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, I'M JUST GLAD I WAS DRIVING AND NOT MY SON OR WIFE.THE TRUCK IS STORED IN A GARAGE AND I FEEL THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THESE BRAKE LINES TO RUST.

WHEN I WENT TO OPEN THE CAR DOOR SMOKE CAME OUT. THE TRUCK HADN'T BEEN DRIVEN IN TWO DAYS AND NOTHING WAS PLUG IN TO THE CHARGING OUTLET. THE ENTIRE DASH HAD MELTED. THE HEAT WAS HOT ENOUGH TO CRACK THE WINDSHIELD AND POP OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW. THE VHELIHICLE WAS PARKED THE DRIVEWAY OF THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE.

BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND RUPTURED RESULTING IN TOTAL BRAKE LOSS AND A CRASH. THE LINES FAILED AT A POINT DIRECTLY UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. IT WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE ALSO DAMAGING THAT.