NHTSA complaint: 2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
VEHICLE WITH FAILURE - MY 2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2D HARDTOP 6MT MILEAGE - 35,972 (AFTER ACCIDENT) (1) PANIC STOP IN CENTER LANE OF CONGESTED TRAFFIC. DRIVER APPLIES BRAKES WITH MAXIMUM EFFORT AND CLUTCH IS DISENGAGED. IMPACT WITH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AHEAD WAS AVOIDABLE GIVEN THE INITIAL VELOCITY AND DISTANCE FOR SEPARATION. (2) DRIVER FEELS A NOTICEABLE "POP" THROUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WITH MAXIMUM EFFORT APPLIED, THE PEDAL DROPS QUICKLY TO THE VEHICLE FLOOR. THE BRAKE SYSTEM UP TO THIS POINT HAD DECREASED VEHICLE SPEED TO AT MOST 10 MPH. DRIVER MAINTAINS PEDAL EFFORT BUT THE REMAINING MOMENTUM CAUSES AN IMPACT WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD DUE TO THE NEARLY 100% LOSS OF BRAKE PERFORMANCE. POST-IMPACT DRIVING AND INSPECTION LEADS TO THE DISCOVERY OFA RUPTURED FLEXIBLE BRAIDED HOSE, 1 OF 2 HOSES ROUTED ALONG THE DRIVER-SIDE FRAME RAIL, ADJACENT TO THE FRONT DRIVER-SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THESE TWO HOSES CONNECT THE STEEL TUBING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS CONTROLLER AND ARE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THE STEEL TUBING. (3) THE COMPLETE BRAKE TUBING AND HOSE ASSEMBLY (WITH THE RUPTURED HOSE) FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS CONTROLLER WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE FAILED COMPONENT, DESPITE THE VEHICLE OWNER REQUESTING OTHERWISE, WAS NOT KEPT FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. DIGITAL PICTURES AND VIDEO ARE AVAILABLE FROM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE RUPTURE AS ABRASION BE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation