If you had a metal brake line corrosion failure or have a Chevrolet SUV or truck, read this. The metal brake lines used during manufacturing were not stainless steel, but were inferior quality and corrode easily leading to loss of braking and collisions.

Report Date: January 26, 2011 at 10:34 AM
NHTSA Action Number: EA11001

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NHTSA Action Number: EA11001 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number: N/A
Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
CADILLAC / ESCALADE 2002-2003
CHEVROLET / 1500 2003
CHEVROLET / AVALANCHE 1500 2002-2003
CHEVROLET / AVALANCHE 2500 2002-2003
CHEVROLET / SIERRA 1999-2003
CHEVROLET / SILVERADO 1999-2003
CHEVROLET / SUBURBAN 1999-2003
CHEVROLET / TAHOE 2000-2003
CHEVROLET / YUKON 2000-2003
CHEVROLET / YUKON XL 2000
Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Component(s):
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Date Investigation Opened : January 5, 2011
Date Investigation Closed : Open
Summary:
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received Defect Petition DP10-003 on March 2, 2010, requesting the investigation of model year (MY) 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD pickup trucks for corrosion failures of the vehicle brake lines.

DP10-003 was granted and on March 30, 2010, Preliminary Evaluation PE10-010 was opened on more than six million model year 1999 through 2003 light trucks and sport utility vehicles manufactured and sold by General Motors Corporation (GM).

On July 2, 2010, ODI received GM's response to an information request, which included GM's assessment of the frequency and safety consequences of the alleged defect.

GM stated that: (1) the brake system of the subject vehicles is split front/rear and should a brake pipe suddenly fail for any reason, the affected vehicle would be capable of stopping with the pressure supplied by the remaining circuit; (2) the subject vehicles were designed to meet the hydraulic circuit partial failure requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 105 and 135, Light Vehicle Brake Systems; and (3) should a brake fluid leak occur for any reason, the brake system malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) would illuminate and warn the driver before the brake fluid level was low enough to cause a loss of line pressure.

Of the 890 total complaints for brake pipe corrosion identified, 761 were located in Salt Belt states (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin).

The complaint rate per 100, 000 vehicles sold is significantly higher in the Salt Belt, 43.0, compared with 3.0 for the remaining states. In approximately 25 percent of the complaints, the brake pipe failure has allegedly occurred suddenly, with no warning to the driver (i.e., no brake warning light), and resulted in extended stopping distances.

In 26 of these incidents, the increase in stopping distance that resulted was alleged as a factor in a crash and in 10 others the vehicle was intentionally steered off the road or into another lane of travel in order to avoid a crash.

An Engineering Analysis has been opened for subject vehicles sold or currently registered in Salt Belt states to further assess the scope, frequency and safety risks associated with sudden failures of corroded brake pipes that can result in decreased brake effectiveness. ODI will continue to gather information on subject vehicles outside the Salt Belt as well.

If you have any additional facts/complaints, contact NHSTA. They still have an additional investigation open on this. As of now, GM is not doing a recall because no one has been killed.