NHTSA complaint: 1996 CHEVROLET S10 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TODAY (11/21/00) WAS THE THIRD TIME I'VE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY 1996 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP. DURING CERTAIN, SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, THE ABS WILL "DECIDE" NOT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ROLL FORWARDS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THIS OCCURS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) SLOW SPEED; GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 MPH. 2) WET, SLICK PAVEMENT THAT ABRUPTLY CHANGES TO DRY PAVEMENT AND THEN BACK TO WET PAVEMENT. IN THESE SITUATIONS, THE ABS CAN BE HEARD AND FELT CYCLING BUT NO STOPPING POWER IS AVAILABLE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THIS SITUATION IN A "REASONABLE" DISTANCE IS TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE AND "LOCK UP" THE REAR WHEELS. THE FIRST TWO OCCURRENCES, WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, TOOK PLACE APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS AGO WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE S10 WAS TAKEN TO A CHEVROLET DEALER (GROTH BROTHERS, LIVERMORE, CA 94550) WHO CHECKED THE ABS SYSTEM AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE THIRD OCCURRENCE HAPPENED ON 11/21/00 AND RESULTED IN ME REAR-ENDING A VEHICLE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. --I APPROACHED THE RED LIGHT AT WHICH A VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. I WAS TRAVELING LESS THAN 10 MPH AND THE ROAD WAS WET BUT I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP (OR SO I THOUGHT); AT LEAST 50 FEET! AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES FOR A LEISURELY STOP (DIDN'T PUMP THEM, JUST AN EVEN, STEADY FIRM PRESSURE), I COULD FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM BEGIN TO CYCLE. AT THIS POINT, NO STOPPING POWER WAS AVAILABLE AT ALL A
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation