2001 DODGE DURANGO — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

HELLO, I AM THE OWNER OF A 2001 DODGE DURANGO SLT 4X4 WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN FEBRUARY OF 2001. IT NOW HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT MAINTAINING THIS VEHICLE. ON 1-15-06 AS I APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION THAT IS AT THE BOTTOM OF A SLIGHT DOWNHILL GRADE I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30-35 MPH. AS I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL IMMEDIATELY WENT SOFT BECAUSE OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATING. THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY AND I DID NOT INITIALLY HIT THE BRAKES ANY HARDER THAN NORMAL. I KEPT FIRM PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THINKING THAT THE BRAKES WOULD COME BACK AS THEY HAVE IN THE PAST DURING SIMILAR SITUATIONS. HOWEVER THIS TIME THE BRAKES NEVER CAME BACK AND I ENDED UP REAR-ENDING THE VEHICLE STOPPED AT THE INTERSECTION. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP AND THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY SO. THE CLOSER I GOT TO THE STOPPED VEHICLE THE MORE PRESSURE I APPLIED TO THE PEDAL BUT EVERY TIME THE ANTI-LOCK MECHANISM WOULD COMPENSATE FOR THE ADDITIONAL PRESSURE AND NEGATE IT. THE INCIDENT TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO HAPPEN. I THINK THE LAST 3 SECONDS I WAS UNDER 10 MPH BUT STILL THE BRAKES COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CHECKED MY BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AND INSPECTED MY FRONT BRAKES AND COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THERE IS STILL ONE MORE THING THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. THIS DURANGO IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONLY REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES YET I LOST MOST OF MY BRAKING ABILITY TO MY FRONT BRAKES. THERE WAS ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE I HIT BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED I HAVE TO THIN