I approached an intersection where my traffic light signal was red and I had sudden loss of braking in my 2003 silverado c1500, with no prior indication or warning lights. The brake pedal went very low and I could not stop my vehicle before entering the intersection. I steered to the right of two waiting cars in front of me and came to a stop in the intersection beyond the light. Fortunately there were no vehicles coming at that moment on the 4 lane highway crossroad so a crash was avoided. All of the brake and fuel lines were inspected after the incident and found to be heavily corroded (rusted), with the rear brake line leaking about 2 inches from where it exits the ABS unit under the cab. The master cylinder fluid level was normal and there were never any previous leaks, warning lights, or problems like this and I am the original vehicle owner. The visible level of corrosion seems extreme on the brake and fuel lines on this vehicle. Had I been in an accident, I would be concerned that fuel lines could also leak and increase the likelihood of a fire due to their likewise poor condition due to extreme rust.
2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 brakes complaints
Page 7 of 15: complaints 161 to 190 of 429, newest first, as owners wrote them.
While driving home on 5/1/2014 traffic stopped short. I hit the brakes to stop. The truck stopped ok. Traveled about another 2 blocks and when I hit the brake pedel to stop. It went to the floor and I ad no brakes. I hit the back of another car due to not being able to stop, after the truck was towed to repair shop it was found to have rusted, broken brake line. This caused the truck not to stop. The insurance company wound up totaling the truck due to the damage.
Brake lines failed due to rusting out. Brake fluid leaked out all over the ground. Fortunately I was in my driveway at the time. I lost brakes without warning.
Slowly losing brakes soft brake pedal no warning light. Drove to dealer, told me rusty leaking brake lines ' would cost me $991.00 to replace all brake lines. I told them I could not pay that, I ask about a recall with no avail, they let me drive it home, by the time I got there I had no brakes at all, the light finally came. I am the orginal owner. I can not drive this truck, it will have to be towed to dealer service dept. Now.
While driving, my brakes suddenly started going soft. I started pumping the brakes without any improvement. I was in a panic because I was about to pull into traffic with my bass boat. I wasn't sure I would be able to stop, I hit my park brake, then brake fail indicator alarms sounded, I used my gear shift jerking it into reverse but hit another car. I had no prior notice or problem. After getting out of emergency care. I opened my hood, and noted the brake fluid reservoir to be completely empty. I took my truck to the shop, and they noted my brake lines to be rusted. To replace it cost me $1270.43. Now I see where you investigated this and failed to order recall. Why have the federal safety agency if you are not going to protect us, the public.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the brake warning lamp and the check brake system warning message illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the brake lines were corroded and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 39,000. Updated 08/11/14*lj updated 08/18/2014
Went to back up and brake pedal went to the floor. Brake was corroded through and all the fluid leaked out.
Had a total brake failure while pulling into may driveway stopped vehicle with parking brake. Metal brake lines had failed all brakes lines were rusted/corroded and the entire system had to be replaced (all metal lines) at a substantial cost.
When brakes are applied at temperatures <32 degrees and pavement is wet or snowcovered, ice build-up stops the brakes from working. I have had too many close calls going through red lights or almost rear-ending other vehicles.
Abs light came on at start up did not go out, got back home noticed spongy pedal parked noticed brake fluid leak on ground appears to be leaking from line around ABS unit under truck, almost all brake lines are suffering from severe corrosion and need replaced, safety sensitive items such as brake lines need to be better protected from corrosion.
While parked, I put the vehicle into gear and pressed the brake. There was very little brake pressure and my service brake system message activated as well as the brake light. Brake fluid is squirting out of a metal brake line in the rear of the truck, just above the driver rear tire.
While driving, my brakes suddenly started going soft. I started pumping the brakes without any improvement. I was in a panic because as I entered my driveway, I wasn't sure I would be able to stop, and hit my home. As I entered the driveway, my pedal was against the floor, and my truck was able to stop just shy of my closed garage door. Once I put the truck in park, the brake fail indicator alarms sounded, which would have been nice to have when the brakes actually started to fail. I opened my hood, and noted the brake fluid reservoir to be completely empty. I took my truck to the shop, and they noted my brake lines to be rusted. I live in florida, and we don't use road salt, so I cannot explain why the lines are all completely rusted.
I started to leave my home and the rear brake line failed. No slow leak, brake pedal went to the floor. No sign of leakage. It completely failed and the line is very corroded. Dealer told me 2200.00 to repair.
After making a panic stop, the dashboard brake warning light came on alerting me to have brakes serviced. Pulled in to parking lot (after the light) and found brake fluid dripping from under the truck from the brake lines leading into the ABS controller and from a sharp bend in the line that operates the rear axle. Lines had rusted and leaked brake fluid.
My 2003 chevrolet silverado has now had two brake line failures (one in 2010 and one in 2013) resulting in no braking ability. In both cases the emergency brake was quickly used to avoid a possible accident. Both incidents occurred while driving within city driving conditions. Both brake line failure were due to corrosion according to the auto repair shop. I have also had to replace a brake caliper and a front wheel hub assembly (due to ABS sensor failure).
Went to park my truck and the brake pedal went to the floor, tried to pump the pedal but it still went to the floor. Shut the truck off and looked at the under side and seen brake fluid running out of a brake line. And I looked a little closer and seen that most of the brake line under the truck were rusted very bad. Had to have my truck towed to the shop to be fixed. They said that all my brake line must be replaced or I could have a bad wreck. And the price. Not good.
Upon leaving my house in said truck yesterday, 12/14/2014, fortunately I was still within my subdivision, I experienced total brake failure, with the pedal going all the way to the floor. The only thing that stopped the truck was a snow bank. The service brake system message displayed at the same time. There was no prior indication or warning that my brakes were getting ready to fail. I was able to get the truck back into my drive way using the emergency brake and called aaa. There was brake fluid everywhere under the truck. They towed my truck to aaa care in fredericksburg, va where they discovered the hole in the line due to rust. They replaced the line from the lf wheel to the ABS pump with total repairs coming to $415. They also advised me that all the brake lines are rusting and could fail at any time. I understand the truck is 11 years old however I am the original owner and always washed and maintained vehicle including undercarriage cleaning.
I was traveling down the road, was approaching a red light, applied brakes, they did not work. Went through a red light, applied emergency brakes, came to a stop. Immediately returned home applying emergency brake, thank god I was only around the block. Upon examining the brakes under the car, all of the lines were rusted out, causing a loss of all brake fluid. I consider myself lucky, that I did not have my family with me and I did not hit another car. This is a problem, does some one have to be killed first before this is considered a recall?
Tl-the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled away from the drive while the gear was in park position and crashed into a tree. The manufacturer advised that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number 05v161000 parking brake. The dealer advised that the parking brake failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 150,000. Li
As I was driving and using the brakes I noticed that the brake pedal was going further and further to the floor. When I got home I noticed that fluid was leaking from the rear of the vehicle. The leak was from a rear brake line that had completely rusted through. I looked at the other brake lines and noticed that they were all severely corroded. Took the truck to chevrolet dealership and was told that all the brake lines needed to be replaced due to the corrosion. They were concerned that the other brake lines could leak at any time. I had the lines replaced at the dealership at a cost of $2600.00. This is a very serious defect that could have been catastrophic.
Driving along coming to a curve, I applied brakes and pedal went to the floor and ABS light came on. I slowed down by downshifting and stopped on side of road using parking brake. I looked under vehicle and saw fluid dripping down the frame by drivers door. I had to pay to have truck towed home. Front brake line was compromised from the master cylinder to ABS pump. I replaced both lines from master cylinder to ABS pump. The rest of brake lines had some rust but looked like surface only. Second incident: on 18 november 2013, I was carrying around 800 pounds of stone for my living room wall when the brake pedal went to the floor at around 45 MPH, as I was stopping for a red light. I ran the light and turned right and got the truck stopped. Looked underneath and saw fluid dripping off frame by the fuel tank. Nursed the truck home the last mile with a friend driving his truck in front of me. The rear brake line from the ABS pump to the rear end rusted through behind the fuel tank. No way of seeing this failure coming. Mileage on truck around 91,500.
I applied brakes coming up to a red light. Vehicle did not stop and pedal pushed to the floor. Applied e-brake to stop and resumed to repair shop on other side of lights. Found brake line had pin holes.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. The contact stated that while decelerating, the ABS erroneously activated. The contact stated that the failure was also present on dry pavement and caused an increase in stopping distance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 70,000. The VIN was not available.
On august 7, 2013, I was heading into richmond, ky and was approaching a stop light. I began to lightly apply pressure on the brake and began to slow down. As I continued to apply more pressure, the brake pedal went to the floor and I had no brake pressure. I had no warning lights or messages on the dash board at this time. I continued to pump the brakes in an attempt to regain brake pressure but was not successful. While still pressing the brake pedal near the floor, I noticed the vehicle was beginning to slow down, but not enough to stop at the light. Fortunately no one was in front of me or at the intersection as I approached it. I used the upcoming hill to continue to slow down and eventually made it to a vacant parking lot. Once I came to a stop the vehicle dash board lights appeared about the brake system issues. After contacting the local gm service station, I was able to put the vehicle in 1st gear and slowly make my way to the service location on side access roads. The dealership determined that all the brake lines were rusted and several had failed. This caused the brake failure and they all needed replaced. The repair cost was over $2300. My truck had 185,591 miles at the time of the incident. I had recently moved to ky but was living in ohio for most of the ownership of the truck.
Brake lines rusted out. Had to drive 60 miles and chose early morning due to having almost braking power. We have a ford truck of the same year and the brake lines are still very good. There is no excuse for this other than a good company going on the cheap. !!!!
My wife was driving our 2003 chevrolet silverado 4x4 pickup on secondary state route. While descending an approximate 6% grade into a right hand turn at bottom she depressed the brake pedal to slow for the grade and turn and it went to the floor, the service brake message came up in the dic and the door chime sounded. She pulled over as soon as possible as she was shaken from riding out that hill and turn with minimal brakes and called me. I went out and drove the truck back to our home and put in the garage to inspect the problem. Once under the truck I found brake fluid dripping from the side of the fuel tank and frame area under the cab and bed of the truck. The service brake line from the ABS block to the rear frame point where the brake hose to the rear axle mounts was corroded through and leaking. Further inspection showed all brake hard line plumbing to be in poor condition and also the fuel lines showing high corrosion. A call to a local gm parts counter revealed that gm does not make a replacement set for these lines and that a technician would need to field bend and make up each line. Later research proved this to be wrong as gm offers a deeply discounted unadvertised line set from AC delco. In researching finding parts to repair, I have found this to be a common problem with chevrolet/gmc trucks from about 1999 up according to the various truck owner forums online. Driving the vehicle home at slow speed, braking was very minimal with the rear brake circuit out,and the knowledge of poor brake operation, so therefore it is my opinion that this is a safety issue with these vehicles with the potential of injury or even death when all the factors combine poorly, and at the least, gm should be required to notify owners of this potential problem with their vehicle, if not recall and repair those effected vehicles.
While attempting to stop in front of a store my brake pedal went to the floor I shifted into park to avoid hitting the person in the crosswalk. My truck was towed to the dealer and I was told all brake lines were completely rusted the gm rep told me it was an old truck with many miles as a retired gm employee and a licensed mechanic I have driven many older cars and never seen this kind of rusted out brake lines . Will it take a few deaths and lawsuits before owners of these trucks are warned?
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the brakes were engaged but the brake pedal sunk into the floorboard and failed to stop the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the service brake system warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure and current mileage was 68,000.
The brakes began failing as we were driving to work. My wife carefully drove the truck straight to the repair shop and barely managed to stop it. Mechanic reported that several brake lines were leaking due to corrosion. That's not surprising considering everything underneath the chassis is corroding rapidly. Most corrosion prone vehicle I've owned in 25 years. This vehicle should have been recalled for corrosion and electrical problems which I'm constantly dealing with.
The brake pedal was depressed and the pedal went to the floor. I was able to get the truck back to my house. Looking under the drivers side rear wheel, brake fluid could be seen dripping from a brake line.
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