Corrosion on rear driver side brake line caused brake failure, while driving vehicle. Such a failure has been reported by many who own this generation of vehicle.
2003 Chevrolet Suburban brakes complaints
Page 4 of 4: complaints 71 to 91 of 91, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal and stated that the brake pedal dropped to the floorboard abnormally. The contact was able to stop the vehicle and place it in park. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the brake lines were corroded and was fractured, causing the brake fluid to leak. The vehicle was not repaired. There was an open investigation under the federal safety agency action number: ea11001 (service brakes, hydraulic service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings) that could possibly have been related to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.
Chevrolet suburban 2003 - complete loss of brakes due to a failed metal break line. Chevrolet dealer has advised me that the brake lines throughout the vehicle are defective because of extensive corrosion and not safe to drive. This vehicle has always been parked on a hard surface and never used in an ocean/ salt water environment. This is a gm defective in the vehicle.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban. The contact stated that both brake lines were covered with rust and were also leaking. The service brake light illuminated on the instrument panel. The dealer and manufacturer told the contact that he had to purchase after market parts. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 71,000. Updated 07/08/11 *bf the consumer stated none of the auto parts store have the parts for his vehicle. Updated 11/23/11
When I was backing out of a parking space I put on my brakes and they went down to the floor,I had to be towed to a chevy dealer, when the car was put up on the lift they discovered all metal brake lines were rusted,out the dealer claims chevy is not at fault that it was caused by road salt, I have owned cars for over sixty years and I have lived in the same area for seventy years and I have never had metal brake lines rust out, I feel that chevy used inferior metal for there brake lines. They are billing me $4000.00 to replace brake lines plus whatever has to go with it. If I had been driving on the highway and this happened there would have been serious injures and even deaths.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH in reverse the brakes failed. The ABS warning light illuminated while the contact applied the brakes. The vehicle was inspected by the owner when he noticed that the brake line was corroded and there was also a leak. The vehicle had not been inspected by a dealer nor had it been repaired. The failure and current mileages were approximately 93,800.
On 26oct. 2010 I had a throttle body replace on a 2003 chevy suburban at a local chevy dealership. A day later my wife and I took the suburban out to go shopping . I returned tothe parking lot to pull up to the door to load up. As I was ciircling around in the parking lot the engine of the SUV red lined ,this caught me totally off gaurd. I applied the brakes to thi SUV, it did not stopped . The end result was that I hit a light pole in the parking lot. I reported the accident to my insurance company. My in insurance company sent a investigator out to look a the SUV , he started the vehicle and it redlined , he gave me a call and said I had a issue with the throttle body and that it could have been improperly installed or it could have been a manufacture defect. Later on I called the dealership that installed and proformed the work .they said that it was definitely a defected and that they are not responsibile for the acccident. They said that gm was responsible for this accident.
While driving with my family on ny state route 23 east (55 MPH zone) toward the intersection of ny state route 32, the traffic light turned yellow. We were about 500 feet away. Steady pressure to the brake pedal was applied as would under a normal circumstance. The pedal suddenly went to the floor. The traffic light was now red at about 200 feet away and we were still traveling about 40 MPH. I tried the pedal again, however, it went to the floor. Without a way to stop, we had no choice but to barrel through a red light with cars in both directions. I repeatedly flashed the head lights and held the horn down to avert catastrophe with the traffic. By the grace of god, we hit no one. Over the next half mile, I was able to down shift the automatic transmission and utilize grass on the highway edge to stop the vehicle. Upon exit of the vehicle to check it, there was a steady stream of brake fluid coming from a brake along the frame rail by the driver's side front door leaving a 12 - 16" puddle. The vehicle only has 89,000 mostly highway miles and has always been well cared for. Luckily no one was killed. This never should have happened.
While attempting to stop my 2003 chevrolet suburban, the brake pedal went to the floor. Fortunately there was no traffic and I was able to slow the vehicle using the transmission. I took the car in for repairs and was told the brake lines had corroded and sprung a leak. The service station showed me that all the lines were so corroded that they all needed to be replaced. The total cost for this was about $1500. This truck is kept in southern indiana where snow and ice are not extreme and salting of roads isn't done to the extent as in more nothern climates.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban. While pulling out of a parking lot, the contact approached a stop sign. He depressed the brake pedal and it extended to the floor. All of the instrument panel lights illuminated, which indicated that the brake system failed. The contact had to engage the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the entire brake line system was rusted. The repair would cost $3,000 to replace the entire brake line system. The failure and current mileages were 94,000. Updated 10/16/08 *bf brake fluid was leaking from the left front of the vehicle. Updated 10/20/08.
Recall number: 05v379000 summary: certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only. My 2003 suburban experienced the same exact defect when my wife was driving to work and almost ran out into a busy intersection because of low speed ABS activation. Immediately I took the car in to have it looked at, that cost me over $500 to fix. The problem resulted from excessive corrosion because I live in one of the listed snowbelt states. Chevrolet would not assist, acknowledge or help me resolve or fix this issue. I also had to replace the hydo valves discs and rotors all costing me close to $1000. I feel that the 2003 suburban should be added on the recall list mentioned above because the same exact thing happened to my suburban. Thank god my wife and know one else was hurt!
2003 suburban in 10/2006 I noticed that my air conditioning was not working. At that time the vehicle was just out of warranty w/ 42,900 miles on it. I do not drive it during summer months. I purchased the vehicle with 6,000 miles on it, but was advised by the dealership that it was driven only by the sales manager and received an "a" title, as a new vehicle. I contacted gm's customer service on 10/23/06 and was advised to take it to my local dealership for an official diagnosis and estimate. I did so, and the estimate was for $1,034.25, involving rear A/C leaking vaporline at rear wheel opening. The service department assured me that there was nothing I could have done to cause that, and that the rusting started months before my warranty would have expired. After months of correspondence, I was advised to get it fixed in april, 2007. However,after having it fixed at their advice, gm subsequently told me that they could not assist me at all in recovering the cost of this expensive problem. A few months later, I found that I needed all 4 brake rotors replaced, because, as the garage mechanic put it "I've never seen such terrible rusting of all the hardware on that new of a vehicle." he even asked if the vehicle was submerged in water! It has not. This repair then cost me another $800. As you can imagine, I am extremely dissatisfied with this outcome. I bought a vehicle that cost over $42,000 and expected it to last me far more than 3 years without a rust problem.
Parking brake cable snapped. Unable to release parking brake.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban. The same day the vehicle was purchased, the contact attempted to apply the parking brake and the vehicle rolled forward. The vehicle has been to the repair shop three times and each time the mechanic stated that everything was fine. The emergency brake has not worked since the vehicle was purchased. The current mileage was 62,000 and failure mileage was 1. The consumer stated the sunroof leaked, a blown fuse was replaced. The temperature gauge in the rear view mirror was inoperative, the dealer tightened the connection, there was a rattle coming from thee left side of the vehicle when going over bumps in the road. Updated 10/24/07.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet suburban. The rotors have been replaced 3 times. The contact had to apply pressure to the brakes in order to stop the vehicles regardless of the driving conditions. The dealer stated that the rotors were corroded at 13,000 miles and replaced them. The failure repeated itself at 18,000 miles. The current mileage was 25,000. *ak the consumer stated wants to be reimbursed for defect repairs and any future repairs due to the defect. The dealer stated recall on seatbelts. Updated 06/26/07
Rear brake pads wear down on the inside of rotor to the rotor causing metal on metal damage without wearing the outside pads significantly. Problem occurred at 30,000 miles and again at 65,000 miles resulting in costly repairs and loss of use of vehicle.
Dt*: the contact stated while regular maintenance was being performed the dealership determined the brake rotors needed to be replaced. The repair should be performed within the next 1,000 miles. The brake pads do not need to be replaced.
Doing normal braking, the consumer experienced a soft pedal application which caused extended stopping distance. The dealer has inspected the vehicle and a manufacturer service rep. Both informed the consumer that was the normal characteristic of that vehicle.
At 45 MPH vehicle jerked, and the tires squealed. Vehicle made it to its destination, and it was discovered that ABS brakes were defective. Dealer could not find any defect.
While driving 60 MPH vehicle lost power steering, and consumer had difficulty maintaining control of the vehicle. Consumer applied the brake pedal and brakes failed. Consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. The cause of the failure had not been determined.
When outside temperature is below freezing, the supplemental brake assist is loud, causing a vibration through the accelerator and even steering wheel. Very unsettling and unnerving plus obnoxious.
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