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2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN — SERVICE BRAKES

crash · 1009426 · 2013-09-13

Vehicle

Make
CHEVROLET
Model
SUBURBAN
Year
2000
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
SERVICE BRAKES
Miles at failure
97,000
Speed
50 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

MY FAMILY AND I (2 ADULTS AND 2 CHILDREN) ALONG WITH 2 OTHER BOYS (AGE 14) WERE DRIVING DOWN A HILL AND EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. MY HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A LIGHT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKES WERE INACTIVE. THE ROAD DECLINED STEEPLY FOR SOME TIME AND IT WAS A NIGHTMARE AS HE TRIED EVERYTHING (E.G., SHIFTING TO LOWER GEAR, EMERGENCY BRAKE, PARK) TO STOP THE CAR. AS WE WERE CLOSE TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND RIVER, MY HUSBAND HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO STOP THE CAR BY CRASHING INTO AN EMBANKMENT. GIVEN THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS A HORRIFIC CRASH. I'M STILL RECOVERING FROM MULTIPLE BROKEN BONES. MY SON HAD TO HAVE EXTENSIVE SURGERY ON HIS FACE. WE ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. IT APPEARS BRAKE FAILURE IN THIS AGE AND MODEL OF CHEVY IS NOT UNCOMMON AND THE COMPANY IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. HOW CAN THEY STAND ASIDE AND RISK SO MANY LIVES? ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THE CRASH, OUR CAR HAD PASSED ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION AT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP. NO BRAKES ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED. BETWEEN THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CHORES OF RECOVERING, IT HAS TAKEN ME THIS LONG TO GATHER THE ENERGY TO WRITE THIS COMPLAINT. OWNERS SHOULD BAND TOGETHER TO SUBMIT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. CHEVY NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. OUR FAMILY IS LUCKY TO BE HERE. WE WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER CHEVY VEHICLE AGAIN. *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10543415
Machine
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