NHTSA complaint: 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 — SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STATE ROAD WHEN I NEEDED TO STOP FOR AN INTERSECTION STOP SIGN; MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKING POWER WAS REDUCED TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT I PASSED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION JUST BEING MISSED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING ON THE OTHER ROADWAY THAT DID NOT HAVE TO STOP. THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY IN THE FRONT SECTION AND ONLY SMALL AMOUNT IN THE REAR SECTION. I DROVE THE VEHICLE THE REST OF THE WAY AT 15 MPH BECAUSE THE BRAKING ABILITY WAS SO DIMINISHED IT WOULD NOT STOP FAST ENOUGH AT A HIGHER SPEED. MY FRONT BUMPER GUARD WAS DENTED AND BENT WHEN IT IMPACTED A CAR STOP BOLLARD AT A STOP ON THE WAY HOME. I COULD NOT CALL A WRECKER BECAUSE I HAD NO SIGNAL ON MY CELL PHONE AND I COULD NOT WALK FOR HELP BECAUSE I AM DISABLED AND CAN ONLY WALK VERY SHORT DISTANCES (I HAVE A STATE ISSUED HANDICAP PLACARD). UPON EXAMINATION A RUSTED THROUGH BRAKE LINE WAS FOUND TO BE THE CAUSE. THE OTHER BRAKE LINES ARE IN THE SAME RUSTED CONDITION. I SURE HOPE DOT WILL MAKE GM CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOME CHILDREN ARE HURT OR KILLED. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation