2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I LOST ALL POWER. IT SAID (REDUCED ENGINE POWER) ON THE DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND I HAVEN'T FOUND A MECHANIC WHO CAN FIX IT. I'VE LOOKED ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. IT COMES OUT OF NOWHERE AND FOR THIS TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT'S GOING TO CAUSE SOME DEADLY CRASHES. *TR

WAS DRIVING BEHIND A SCHOOL BUS WHEN IT STOPPED TO LET KIDS OFF. I APPLIED MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD NO BRAKES, I AM NOT REALLY SURE HOW I MANAGED TO STOP WITHOUT HITTING THE BUS. I PULLED OVER IN A PARKING LOT. GOT OUT OF MY 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN WENT INTO THE BANK TO CALL MY HUSBAND TO COME GET ME. BY THE TIME I GOT BACK OUT TO MY TRUCK THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. MY BRAKE LINES WHERE SHOOT. *TR

APPLIED BRAKES AND HAD TO PRESS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. ONCE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO ROLL AGAIN UNLESS I APPLIED FURTHER PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND THE NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE CAR. *TR

WAS TRAVELING IN CITY DOWN A SLIGHT HILL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNINGS WENT ON AND SOUNDED. IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO A LOW GEAR AND PUMPED BRAKES. WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP OFF THE ROAD. UPON EXAMINATION IT WAS OBVIOUS THERE HAD BEEN A CATASTROPHIC BRAKE LINE FAILURE AS BRAKE FLUID WAS ALL ON THE GROUND AND COVERING THE SPARE TIRE. REPAIR SHOP CONFIRMED THIS WAS DUE TO RUSTING OF THE BRAKE LINES. *TR

WENT TO STOP WHEN TRAFFIC STOP AND FELT THE BRAKE PEDAL GO TO THE FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER TO STOP. HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS THE CAR IN FRONT. I LIMPED HOME WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER AND WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECK THE OIL RESOLVE, IT HAD ALMOST NO OIL. LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND FOUND A LEAKING BRAKE LINE. THE LINE WAS RUSTED OUT. *TR

RE: LOSS OF BRAKES. THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES FAILED AND LEAKED BRAKE FLUID. THE BRAKE SYSTEM SUFFERED A LOSS OF LOSS HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. THE BRAKE LINES SHOWED HEAVY CORROSION. CORROSION CAUSED THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES TO FAIL. *TR

I CAN UNLOCK TRUCK WITH KEY OR REMOTE PUT KEY IN START AND DASH LIGHTS COME ON BUT NO START. AFTER BEING TOLD IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, THE STARTED, AND KEY I KNOW IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ANTI-LOCK. I HAVE REPROGRAMMED IT SEVERAL TIME BUT EACH TIME A DIFFERENT WAY. I HAVE RESEARCH IT ON LINE AND IT IS A ON GOING PROBLEM WITH GM CARS AND TRUCKS. HOWEVER I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS A RECALL. I AM RECENTLY THE SECOND CAR OWNER OF THIS TRUCK AND EXPERIENCING THIS MAJOR PROBLEM. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR ME AT NIGHT OR DURING THE DAY IF AT A SHOPPING CENTER. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY HOME THEN THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED. IF ANY ONE CAN HELP ME PLEASE EMAIL [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ONE OF THE TWO REAR PLASTIC WINDOW HINGES HAS SNAPPED. I FIRST NOTICED ON 10/11 AS I WAS ACCESSING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BY UNLATCHING THE WINDOW. I WENT ONLINE TO CHECK THE ISSUE AND NOW REALIZE THIS ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD, THAT GM IS AWARE OF IT, AND ACTUALLY RE-DESIGNED THE HINGES STARTING IN 2005. WHAT THEY HAVEN?T DONE (AS I KNOW IT) IS ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I'M WRITING TO ASK WHETHER THE NHTSA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND IF IT AND/OR GM HAVE ALREADY DECIDED THIS DOES NOT WARRANT FURTHER ATTENTION. THE CONCERN IS IT?S EASY TO LATCH THE WINDOW IN PLACE, EVEN WITH 1 OF THE 2 HINGES BROKEN, AND THEREFORE DELAY OR SIMPLY IGNORE THE REPAIR NEED (AS THE REPAIR COST IS SIGNIFICANT), ASSUMING IT?S SAFE AS LONG AS YOU DON'T USE THE WINDOW FURTHER FOR ACCESS. BY CONTINUING TO USE THE VEHICLE W/OUT REPAIR, THE ONE WORKING HINGE AND WINDOW LATCH ITSELF ARE FORCED TO KEEP THE WINDOW IN PLACE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. UNDER THE ADDED STRESS, THE SINGLE HINGE WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL, AND LIKELY AT SPEED AS THE VEHICLE HITS THE LAST BUMP THE HINGE CAN WITHSTAND, OR AS REPORTED BY OWNERS ONLINE, A WINDOW IS SIMPLY ROLLED DOWN, INCREASING WIND FORCE ON THE REAR WINDOW. IF EITHER HAPPENS THE RESULT IS ALWAYS THE WINDOW IS JETTISONED FROM THE FRAME AND LANDS ON WHATEVER IT LANDS ON BEHIND THE VEHICLE. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THIS WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, AS THE WINDOW IS 4-5 FEET WIDE AND LARGE AND HEAVY ENOUGH TO POTENTIALLY CAUSE DISASTER TO TRAFFIC TRAVELING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. I'VE CALLED 2 CHEVY DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA SO FAR AND ASKED THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IF THIS ISSUE IS BEING ADDRESSED AND THEIR RESPONSE HAS BEEN THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THE PART FAILING. THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT IN MY OPINION NOT LIKELY. I WORRY THIS IS A TRAINED RESPONSE, SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO MINIMIZE ATTENTION ON THE MATTER. *TR

WHILE TRANSITING THE PARKING LOT AT THE END OF THE WORK DAY LAST THURSDAY, I WAS APPROACHING THE STREET ENTRANCE WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW MY VEHICLE. WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDDLE, I ENCOUNTERED NORMAL BRAKING RESISTANCE FOR ABOUT A HALF SECOND BEFORE RESISTANCE STOPPED AND THE PEDDLE FLOORED. I PUMPED THE PEDDLE SEVERAL TIMES TO ATTEMPT TO BUILD PRESSURE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. I ABANDONED THE HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEM AND DEPLOYED THE PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE ENTERING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE CROSS STREET. THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT ENTERED TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES. THE HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEM APPEARED TO HAVE SUFFERED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IN FACT, THE "BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE" INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT COME ON UNTIL SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ON SITE INSPECTION SHOWED RUSTED BRAKE LINES AND NO BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIRS. THERE WERE LARGE PUDDLES OF BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND AT BOTH THE LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR WHEELS AND A TRAIL OF BRAKE FLUID LEADING BACK UP THE PARKING LOT. THERE WAS ALSO A SMALL PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID BY THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW, CONFIRMS THAT ONE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO CORROSION AND THAT THE OTHERS WERE ALSO CORRODED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. PLEASE NOTE: THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN AND HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY GARAGED IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND HAS NEVER BEEN OPERATED FOR SIGNIFICANT PERIODS OF TIME IN TRADITIONAL "SALT BELT" STATES OR IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS WHICH WOULD ACCELERATE CORROSION. WERE "STAINLESS" OR CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS MANDATED OR USED IN THESE BRAKE LINES? *TR