2000 GMC Sierra: brake failure

Filed Jun 24, 2015 · Brakes · 135,000 miles · MI

While towing my boat I experienced brake failure. The pedal went to the floor with no pressure. Brake warning light did not come on. We were on a dirt road with no traffic and were able to stop without incident. After inspecting the brake lines a leak was found in one of the lines under the drivers side door before the line enters the brake modulator. All the lines are rusty and need to be replaced. I contacted the gmc dealer and although they have seen the problem before they are unaware of any safety problems with the brakes and that gm has no fix for the problem. They estimate the cost to replace the brake lines to be about $1200.

Filed Jan 31, 2015 · Brakes · 152,630 miles · IL

Brakes failed unexpectedly. The pedal went all the way to the floor and barely slowed down the truck at all. This was due to a brake line that rusted through. The repair was $765. Had I been in an area with higher traffic there would have been an accident.

Filed Sep 8, 2014 · Brakes · 255,413 miles · MO

Was driving with 3 of my children to a football practice. Was on mo state hwy 70 doing approx. 60mph. An incident occurred ahead of me which resulted in an immediate slow down. Hit my brakes hard(like all other vehicles around me) and brake pedal went to floor and truck lost at least 90pct of braking power. Almost complete lack of any brakes. It was an honest miracle that me and my children along with any other people that would have been hit at that speed were not killed or badly injured. It was a split second incident and act of miraculous luck that avoided a catastrophe. I did not have time to think and just reacted out of instinct and swerved from middle of three lanes into grass shoulder(which resulted in terrifying attempt at keeping control and not flipping truck over etc. Going from 60plus MPH on a tight shoulder in a high traffic major hwy in suburban st louis. A miracle we survived. When on shoulder attempting to keep control with no brakes I did think and engaged emergency brake all the way down with basically zero affect at helping slow down. This was a dangerous and traumatic experience for my children and not soon forgotten! Discovered it was a metal brakeline rusted on frame mount underneath driver door that burst causing this. I have owned the truck since 2001 and purchased with 14,000 miles. Looking online for parts to replace(which are expensive, money too tight to afford the lowest quote from repair shop to replace all steel lines of $1000 to $1500)what now pay almost what truck is worth to fix? Gm is obviously aware. Why not at least have moral strength enough to put out a bulletin to inform or self inspect? I am at a loss expressing myself at gm's lack of character. I will never own as will my children another gm vehicle. Why buy american? Should have gone with a japanese company. Never would have come to this with toyota or honda. Sad!

Filed Jul 8, 2014 · Brakes · 142,813 miles · IN

Truck was parked. Went to put it into drive and stepped on the brake pedal. The pedal went to the floor. The steel brake line back by the driver rear wheel ruptured. On closer inspection, I will have to replace all brake lines as they are so rusty and corroded. It is a safety issue. I was fortunate that I nor my wife was traveling on the road when this happened.

Filed May 21, 2014 · Brakes · 119,000 miles · IA

As I was approaching a stop sign at 30 MPH, I went to apply the brakes and the brake pedal went to the floor board. I pumped the brakes a couple times to regain pedal pressure with no luck. I was lucky that no other cars were at the intersection or else there would have been an accident for sure. I made a quick right hand turn and used emergency brake to stop. There was a puddle of brake fluid coming from the ABS module underneath the drivers side door. Upon further inspection, the brake line ruptured due to rust and corrosion. I am relieved that no one was at the intersection and that I did not have my wife and 3 kids in the vehicle at the time the brakes went out. I have owned many vehicles and never had a single vehicle where metal brake lines have rusted out. I have owned this truck for 10 years and now question gm and their quality and integrity. At this point, I probably won't buy another gm truck because they rust out in less than 10 years and my family's life was at stake for a design/quality flaw. I now have to spend $1000+ dollars to replace all brake lines on my truck when gm could have installed stainless steel brake lines in the first place. Disappointed gmc truck owner.

Filed May 14, 2013 · Brakes · 160,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 gmc sierra. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the ABS and hydraulic brakes failed without warning. The contact was able to take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnosis but the dealer was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified and the vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Filed Nov 24, 2012 · Brakes · 105,321 miles · PA

Repeated brake failures due to corroded brake lines.

Filed Oct 12, 2012 · Brakes · 138,000 miles · MI

After putting the vehicle into reverse I went to stop and the brake pedal went all the way to the floor indicating a loss in brake fluid pressure. I looked under the truck to investigate the matter and found brake fluid everywhere and a highly corroded brake line just to the rear of the ABS hydraulic unit. It was evident that was the spot of the line failure due to the high amount of brake fluid that had been shot out of the line above it. Upon inspection I have found that the other brake lines are also highly corroded.

Filed Sep 16, 2012 · Body, Brakes · 145,000 miles · IL

Driving truck in town applied brakes at a stoplight brake pedal went straight to the floor. No brakes at all had to go thru the red light and around 3 cars in front of me, rubbed the curb to get the truck to stop. Rust and corrosion on the steel rear brake lines caused line failure.

Filed Jun 17, 2012 · Brakes · 150,000 miles · OH

I got into my gmc applied the brakes before starting the truck and all of a sudden the brakes went to the floor. I got out and discovered fluid dripping from under the truck, on the drivers side, about in line with the back of the drivers seat.

Filed Jun 15, 2012 · Brakes, Suspension · 174,000 miles · PA

I own a 2000 gmc sierra 2500 4wd. I bought this truck new in june of 2000. In the past year, the corrosion issues are becoming overwhelming. Yesterday, a brake line blew out while driving. The brake pedal went to the floor as I approached a stop sign at an intersection with a state highway. Luckily, I got stopped as I was only going 25 MPH. I babied it to a local garage 1/4 mile away, and found brake fluid dripping out below the fuel tank area. After looking underneath, the mechanic noticed that most of the brake lines will need replaced because of rust. Goes along with the corrosion issue under the whole truck. I've already replaced the rear spring shackles on both sides, as one had rusted and broke in half while driving. This caused the leaf spring to slam up against underside of the bed, which dented and cracked the paint in the bed. I restore vehicles for a living, and I've seen cars from the 1940's that don't have this much rust on the underside. Come on gm!! It's great that the body looks like new and the engine runs great, but it doesn't do any good when the frame rots out from underneath!! And now the brake lines---glad I wasn't going 60 MPH with a loaded trailer when it blew!!

Filed Jun 11, 2012 · Brakes · 102,000 miles · OH

While pulling a small enclosed trailer and going down a hill I experienced a complete brake failure. I had absolutely nothing for brakes. I ended up going through a redlight and missed any vehicles in the intersection, started to downshift to slow my speed. Crossed over an intersection for a bike trail with noone in the way. Then had to make a hard right turn to go under a train tressel narrowly missing an on coming car. When I finally got the vehicle stopped I had dropped vertically 80 + feet in the matter of less than a half mile. On the ground was a puddle of brake fluid fromthe corroded brake lines that had burst rendering my truck in to an unstoppable downhill bobsled. The weather conditions we sunny and 80 degrees. Luckily noone was in my way and I was able to miss any objects and steer the truck to a safe spot. I am also thankful that neither of my kids were in the truck with me at the time of this incident. I feel that there should be some accountability in to what a manufacture uses for vital safety items in a vehicle. Brakes lines should be a part that should outlast the usefulness of the vehicle . Not something that should be a possible failure point any given time. This is a matter of public safety how many more people have to die or get injured due to a cost savings of using regular steel lines on the one part that makes you vehicle stop? I have heard of plenty of people with multiple vehicle types who have had their brake lines fail. This is just unacceptable thank you for anything that you may try to do on this issue .