1997 Pontiac Trans Sport: brake failure

Filed Apr 26, 2011 · Brakes · 107,300 miles · MI

Driving in rush hour traffic, on congested freeway, at 55 MPH the brake pedal went to the floor without any warning. The traffic in front of me was slowing down and I almost rear ended the car in front of me. Dropped it in first gear, applied emergency brake and made an evasive lane change to get to the shoulder and let it slow down by itself. Pulled off on the freeway shoulder got out of the car and I noticed the brake line right underneath the driver side leaking at a high rate and brake fluid puddling underneath the vehicle. Only god's grace that I didn't rear end anybody or gotten into a car crash. Disappointed is not a strong enough word to use for what happened. I have never experienced a brake line burst in a vehicle. Doing some online searches on gm brake line failures I found a lot of reported cases of gm vehicles having severely rusted brake lines that had catastrophic failure with the brake pedal going to the floor. Hope that you'll open an investigation into these concerns in order to avoid any future incidents.

Filed Jan 4, 2007 · Visibility · 165,000 miles · IN

Tl* - on january 2, 2007 while driving the brakes failed. The contact found out that therewas recall 98v072000, on this vehicle , and took it to a dealer, and dealer refused to do recall repairs. Then, the contact called pontiac at 1800-762-2737, the number sited in the recall summary, and was told by pontiac that they never heard of the recall.

Filed Jan 15, 2004 · Engine, Steering · WI

The day before I took the van in for repairs it stopped on me and I coasted home with hardly no brakes and bad steering.the repairs that I was about to have done was for a leaking intake gasket.I did not know what had happened until I read about the same thing happening with other people.some people call it vapor lock. If there would have been people or other cars in my way this could have turned very bad. All the gm dealers say that this is a common problem. When I call gm they say they never heard about it. Something needs to be done now about this problem. Thank you , scott eggebrecht

Filed Jan 9, 2003 · Engine · 57,841 miles · WI

Day before I was going to have my 97 pontiac transport repaired for a leaking intake manifold gasket I was coming home and the van shut down on me, leaving me with poor steering and hardley no brakes. After leaving it sit for about a hour it restarted. I did some checking on the internet and read about the same thing happenig to other people with leaking manifold gaskets.I called gm about the problem and they said they never heard of any problems like this. The oldsmobile garage that told me what the problem was said this happens all the time, that the gaskets are defective. My concern is that if there would have been people or cars near me when this happened this could have been deadly. For gm to sit and lie to me that theres nothing wrong and then I see petitions with arond 1350 people who have had the same problem on the internet, something had better be done.I think a recall should be done.

Filed Jul 10, 2001 · Brakes, Visibility · PA

Windshield wiper arm is wearing through brake line, causing a loss of brakes. Dealer installed a retainer to prevent contact between brake line and windshield wiper arm, but defect has reoccurred twice even after retainer was installed.*ak

Filed Jan 15, 1999 · Brakes, Steering · TX

The power steering will quit for 10 seconds when driving in rain or splashing through water puddle. Brakes did not work properly. First brake repair, dealer bled air out of system. Second brake repair, dealer replaced rear slave seals.

Filed May 15, 1997 · Brakes · MI

Owner has ABS brakes, while driving at 20 MPH and applying the brakes, pedal went to the floor. Owner notes that brake line was cut on the right front brake which connects to ABS system. Dealers have corrected problem, but owner still has concerns.