2003 GMC Sierra 1500: brake failure

Filed Apr 20, 2019 · Brakes · 90,000 miles · MD

Hydraulic brake lines corroded causing leaks and brake failure

Filed Jul 8, 2018 · Brakes · 203,000 miles · IL · crash

While driving approximately 35 MPH in town, the vehicle in front of me signaled to make a left hand turn. I began to slow down the vehicle and then I lost all brake pressure. I was unable to stop the truck to avoid an accident due to complete brake failure! There were no previous lights or warning signals notifying of a brake problem prior to this. The warning light came on after the accident. The brake fluid reservoir was full. After further investigation, it appears that the brake lines were corroded causing the brake failure.

Filed Apr 30, 2018 · Brakes · 82,000 miles · MI

Loss of brakes due to rusted through brake lines. While pulling a trailer with pontoon boat, all of a sudden when stopping I suddenly had no brakes. Just came off the freeway but was going slow when the failure occurred. Need to replace now. Also, rusted through power steering lines. Already replaced. Also, rusted trans cooler lines. Will need to replace soon.

Filed Jan 8, 2017 · Brakes · 180,000 miles · MO

My truck hadn't been driven for a couple of weeks, but there was no indication of anything amiss the last time I drove it. The truck is parked at the top of a approx. 40ft. Long driveway that is moderately steep. I started the truck and slowly began backing down the driveway and the brake pedal went all the way to the floor. It flew down the driveway, going between a parked car and another steep hill, winding up in my neighbors front yard, where I managed to abruptly turn it and bring it to a stop before going thru his living room. Frequently, there are as many as 6to8 kids playing there, but being a bad weather day(cold),, luckily, there was nobody there. The possibilities of a terrible disaster are frightening. As it stands, the only 'disasters' are the ruts in my neighbors yard, a destroyed recycling container and my bank account,-to a tune of just over 1700$. My mechanic says he has done over a half dozen of these repairs lately. To my way of thinking, gm is seriously negligent regarding this problem, which I have discovered is fairly common. Are they waiting to see how many horrific events occur before addressing this? At the very least, they should give reimbursement to those of us that have gone thru this. And where is the federal safety agency's action on this issue???

Filed Nov 1, 2016 · Brakes · 80,000 miles · NJ

Started my vehicle applied the brake to shift to drive and the brake pedal went to the floor. I got out of the vehicle and there was a puddle of brake fluid on the ground on the driver side under where the drivers seat is. There was brake fluid dripping from a rusted brake line. I'm lucky this happened when the vehicle was stopped and not while I needed stop because it was a complete loss of brakes.

Filed Jun 27, 2016 · Brakes · 82,000 miles · VA

Brakes failed while on boat ramp causing boat to knock me down under trailer as I was pulling drain plug .driver was able to apply parking brake and putting truck in drive . Brake lines failed brake petal when to floor rusted lines . Then found out that is very common with gm trucks in this year . Result I am pissed , a notice from gm would have been nice . What would happen if I had to stop at a intersection or on the interstate.

Filed Nov 30, 2015 · Brakes · 82,000 miles · MI

82k miles, original owner, well maintained and garaged. Had to stop at a red light and the pedal went to the floor as I went into the intersection.luckily no other cars were ahead of me and nobody was hurt. Dic lights came on and brakes have not worked since limping my vehicle back home.

Filed Nov 17, 2015 · Brakes, Fuel system · 50,000 miles · NC

Brake line failure complete loss of brakes while driving on hwy off ramp.

Filed Oct 6, 2015 · Brakes · 150,000 miles · MD

Pulling to a stop in my driveway my brakes slowed the truck and then completely gave way with the pedal hitting the floor. I stomped on the emergency brake pedal to keep from hitting the porch. I am so lucky to have that happen at low speed off the road. That could have been a tragedy on the highway. Turns out that my brake lines are severely rusted and one of the 2 lines coming off the master cylinder now has a pinhole leak immediately above the frame where it bends 90 degrees to go back to the ABS manifold. Applying the brakes just squirts fluid out of the line. I thought a single failure was supposed to result in reduced braking power, not complete loss of brakes. Note that my truck is in otherwise great shape and I simply had no idea. It is clear that the federal safety agency has been bamboozled by gm. Brake lines are a critical life safety system, installed on and in some places in the chassis before the vehicle body and bed are attached. It is not routine maintenance to rinse the brake lines let alone replace them. Gm pushing this back on the customer is complete bs. You can buy nylon coated or stainless steel brake lines for less than 100 $. The incremental cost to go from steel to something that would last the operational life of the vehicle is less than 50 $. I'm waiting on an estimate from my non-dealer shop, but a dealer charging 3600 $ is not surprising considering the amount of labor that must be involved. The federal safety agency decision on the issue is unconscionable. Guess it might have been different if they had run over a child at a crosswalk or if their child was mowed down by corporate greed. Hopefully that never happens, but with so many rotting gm trucks on the road, we will have to keep our fingers crossed.

Filed Sep 28, 2015 · Brakes · 96,000 miles · MO

I was on my way home running 45 MPH in light traffic. When I went to make a left hand turn and my brake pedal went to the floor. Scared the hell out of me. I was able to pump them enough to make the turn and luckily I was only three blocks from my home. I was able to coast it home. I raised the hood and all the brake lines are so rusty. I had my wife step on the brake and you can see one line busted. I checked with dealer and they don't offer replacement parts. You have pay someone to make the lines for you.

Filed Aug 21, 2015 · Brakes · 104,816 miles · IL

I was towing my 33' travel trailer with my very well maintained 2003 gmc sierra 1500 pick up truck. After a four and a half hour trip on the interstate highway doing 65 MPH, I arrived at my campground. As I was backing my trailer into my camp site, my brake pedal went to the floor and my dashboard lit up with warning lights. I had complete brake failure. I put the truck in park and got out to look under the truck. Right below the driver seat, brake fluid was pouring out of the brake line which had burst open. I had no brakes. Thank god this happened while I was backing the trailer in at 2 MPH. Minutes prior to this I was going 65 MPH on the highway, towing a 33' trailer. I shutter to think what could have happened if this line burst while at highway speeds. My wife and I were freaked out for days thinking about what could have happened. We had to have the truck towed to a repair shop and endure a very expensive replacement of all the brake lines, which were completely corroded. While the truck was being fixed I did some research on this problem and found that there were many, many, complaints about this exact same problem concerning 1999 - 2003 gmc and chevy pick up trucks and other models. Gm claims that you would still have some brakes because there are separate brake lines to the front and rear brakes. This is true, but I lost so much fluid, so fast, I had no brakes. Does someone always have to die before they force a recall? There are so many complaints on this matter and I know there is an on going investigation by the federal safety agency. Enough investigating, force the recall before someone dies if they haven't already.

Filed Aug 10, 2015 · Brakes · 42,000 miles · TN

On 8/9/15 at approximately 3:25pm an individual pull out in front of me. When I applied the brakes to keep from hitting him, the brake pedal went all the way to the floor board. I noticed at the time the "service brake system" indication was showing on the driver cid. I was able to drive the truck to a safe location and park it. I looked under the vehicle and noticed brake fluid on the ground under the right front wheel. The tow truck driver also checked and noticed brake fluid shooting up when the hood was up. At that time, he noticed the right front brake line had rusted through. The truck was then towed to cunningham gmc in springfield, tn.