# 2013 GMC TERRAIN — SERVICE BRAKES
> NHTSA complaint `987352` · 2013-06-18 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** GMC
- **Model:** TERRAIN
- **Year:** 2013
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** SERVICE BRAKES
- **Miles at failure:** 5,000
- **Speed:** 5 mph
## Narrative
PURCHASED 2013 GMC TERRAIN DENALI BRAND NEW; VEHICLE HAD APPROX 5000 MILES WHEN THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE.  WHILE OUT TO MOUNTAINS AND JUST STARTING TO HEADING DOWN A STEEP GRADE ON A DIRT/GRAVEL ROAD (JUST STARTED MOVING AND WAS TRAVELING LESS THAN 5MPH), ABS KICKED IN AND WOULDN'T STOP, PREVENTING THE BREAK FROM BEING PRESSED.  THIS CONTINUED FOR ABOUT A HALF MILE DOWN THIS STEEP GRADE ROAD WITH A CLIFF ON ONE SIDE AND A MOUNTAIN FACE ON THE OTHER.  THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN PICKING UP SPEED THE ENTIRE TIME.  I TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD THINK OF TO GET THE ABS TO RELEASE THE BREAKS SO THAT I COULD USE THEM AGAIN.  I TRIED TO PUMP THE BREAKS, SHIFTED FROM M1 TO DRIVE, THEN TO NEUTRAL, THEN TO REVERSE, ALL TO NO AVAIL.  I ALSO TRIED TO JUST NOT DO ANYTHING, NOT TOUCH THE BREAKS, AND SEE IF THE BREAKS WOULD RELEASE AND I STILL CONTINUED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO STOP.  AFTER TRAVELING APPROX 1/2 MILE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN I HIT THE EMERGENCY BREAKS WHICH DID STOP THE VEHICLE.  ONLY AFTER THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP DID THE BREAKS BECOME FUNCTIONAL AGAIN.  THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED DURING THE RAPID DECENT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SIDE.  MY FAMILY AND I  CAME VERY CLOSE TO DEATH THAT DAY AND ALL COULD'VE BEEN KILLED DUE TO THIS DEFECT. BUYERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE.  *TR
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*