2002 Chevrolet Tahoe: brake failure

Filed Oct 7, 2019 · Brakes · 200,000 miles · VA

Brake lines have rusted through and caused an extremely unsafe situation. While on a family vacation to the outer banks the brakes failed without warning. We were able to find a repair shop to look over the brake system after refilling the master cylinder with brake fluid. The repair shop found no issues with the brakes and said someone probably forgot to bleed the brakes after servicing them. Since it was a recently purchased vehicle and we didn't know the history of work performed we thought this was possibly the issue. After driving another 50 miles or so the brakes failed again for the second time. This time my family and I were on the way to the state fair. I crawled under the vehicle and found one line to be completely ruptured and all others to be severely rusted. I now plan to replace all brake lines before the vehicle is used again. I own much older vehicles with brake lines in perfect shape. After doing a little research I found that chevrolet brake lines used in this model and year have had abnormally high brake line corrosion and failure compared to other vehicles manufactured during the same time period. I am wondering why this issue hasn't been brought to the publics attention and why no recall? The brake lines were obviously manufactured with inferior materials or workmanship or both. Thanks

Filed Nov 17, 2016 · Brakes · 142,000 miles · MN

Complete brake failure. Avoided any collision. Cost to repair $1,025.56. Occured on a busy roundabout. Needed to be towed to dealer for repair.

Filed Oct 24, 2015 · Brakes · 120,000 miles · IL · crash · 2 injuries

Brakes failed without warning while at speed on a highway coming to a stop light. No brakes. No dash light until complete failure of the entire system. Split system failed. No brakes. Collision with telephone pole. Injury to occupants. Fluid leaking from rusted brake lines near ABS pump under driver side door. This is the second 2002 tahoe that we have owned with this exact same failure. Both failed completely without warning. Neither system indicated any anomaly before total failure. Split system did not work. Both failed in the same place. The complaints on this are everywhere! - where is the federal safety agency ?????? Wtf is wrong with you people ?? This has caused injury to many and no recall?

Filed Jan 8, 2015 · Brakes · 156,236 miles · WI

My wife was driving vehicle and tried to apply brakes and they went completely to the floor. She had no brakes and she coasted into a parking lot and put the transmission in park. Very lucky no accident because the brake lines rusted out under the vehicle an had no warning or lights to show problems.

Filed Oct 20, 2014 · Brakes · 108,000 miles · MA · crash

Brake failure resulted in a crash. The pedal went to the floor and mechanic verified both front and rear brake lines burst from corrosion.

Filed Sep 23, 2014 · Brakes · 160,000 miles · PA

Total brake failure will all my children in car!!!!! Luckily nobody was hurt filing complaint with gm!!!!! Extremely luck it was not a fatal day for all of us!!!!!!!!!!!!

Filed Aug 12, 2014 · Brakes · NJ

2002 chevrolet tahoe. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle brake line corrosion. *smd the consumer lost braking without warning. He was able to avoid a serious accident. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and upon inspection, it was found that one of the rear brake lines had ruptured due to brake line corrosion, which caused a loss of brake fluid. In addition, the front brake lines exhibited the same problem.

Filed Aug 3, 2014 · Brakes · 163,051 miles · GA

Driving vehicle down highway at 45 MPH when applied brakes. The pedal fell to the floor. No brakes. Had been driving for 30 min. The main steel line going to the rear brakes has a rusted hole in line. When brake is applied fluid squirts out.

Filed Feb 27, 2014 · Brakes · 117,000 miles · PA

When I was pull a trailer down to a red lights my brakes went to the floor and had swerve to not hit the cars in front of me I got it on the side of the rood then the brake light cam on it scared the hell out of me my daughter was not with me she is two if some thing happened it would have devastated me or hurt some one I was pulling a trailer that 1000 tractor.

Filed Feb 7, 2014 · Brakes · 117,000 miles · IL · crash

Ea11001 brake pedal suddenly went to the floor during braking, hit pole. Repair center showed me a batch of rusted brake lines entering the ABS box underneath the drivers side door. There was fluid leaking from that group of lines, four of them together. Searching the internet, I have found there are thousands of complaints and news shows about this issue and yet, you have done little. Why ? I have two of these vehicles grey [xxx] and green [xxx] and they both have this issue! - wtf ? And they do not work with 1/2 the system as stated in ea11001 - the pedal goes to the floor! This is severely dangerous! Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Feb 7, 2014 · Brakes · IL

Ea11001 brake pedal suddenly went to the floor during braking, hit pole. Repair center showed me a batch of rusted brake lines entering the ABS box underneath the drivers side door. There was fluid leaking from that group of lines, four of them together. Searching the internet, I have found there are thousands of complaints and news shows about this issue and yet, you have done little. Why ? I have two of these vehicles grey [xxx] and green [xxx] and they both have this issue! - wtf ? And they do not work with 1/2 the system as stated in ea11001 - the pedal goes to the floor! This is severely dangerous! Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Aug 27, 2013 · Brakes · 99,345 miles · MD

I was driving on a 2 lane road in millersville maryland, I hit my brakes and the pedal went to the floor. I had no brakes. I was able to avoid other vehicles and made a turn onto another road that had an incline. The vehicle finally stopped. I looked around the vehicle and saw that brake fluid was leaking from the rear driver's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic, who determined that a driver's side rear brake line had rusted through and leaked brake fluid . I was extremely lucky not to have crashed myself or injured other drivers. Very, very dangerous situation.