2000 Chevrolet Corvette Brakes Problems

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING- LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM CONSTITUENT RE COPY OF A LETTER TO GENERAL MOTORS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE MARY BARRA REGARDING A SAFETY ISSUE WITH A CHEVROLET CORVETTE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS MODULE FAILED. THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM, WAS TO FIND A USED ONE FOR AS MUCH AS 1,500 TO $2,000 BECAUSE THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. NO ONE CAN REPAIR THE MODULE, BECAUSE IT WAS FILLED WITH RESIN. *JB

I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE TO GO TO WORK AND WHEN I GOT TO THE BUSY STREET, THERE WAS COMPLETE AND TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. I ENDED UP RUNNING OVER A CURB AND HITTING SOME TREES TO STOP MY CAR. I HAD AAA TOW MY CAR TO A MECHANIC'S SHOP AND HE TRIED WORKING ON IT FOR ABOUT A WEEK TO TEN DAYS AND COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. HE SAID THE ABS SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE MALFUNCTIONING, BUT IT SHOULDN'T LEAVE ME WITHOUT ANY BRAKES. HE SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT GM WOULD NEED TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS AND HE URGED ME TO SEND MY CAR TO A GM DEALERSHIP TO TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE. I HAD AAA TOW MY CAR TO BOB STALL CHEVROLET IN LA MESA, CA AND THEY VERIFIED THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS FRIED AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE UNIT. WHEN I ASKED IF GM WOULD HELP WITH THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT SINCE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO CALL GM CUSTOMER SERVICE. I DID AND THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ASSIST BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP WAS TELLING THEM THAT THE CAR HAD BRAKES AND WORKED FINE WHEN THEY GOT IT. NOW I AM SERIOUSLY CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF MY CAR AND THE BRAKES AND THE FACT THAT IF THE ABS GOES OUT OR FRIES, THAT I MIGHT POSSIBLY NOT HAVE BRAKES AT ALL. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ALMOST A MONTH NOW AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT YET. *TR

I WAS LEAVING TO GO TO WORK AND WAS IDLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT TO THE STOP SIGN BEFORE I PULLED OUT ONTO A VERY BUSY AND DANGEROUS STREET. THE STOP SIGN WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF A SMALL HILL, SO NO NEED FOR GAS BECAUSE IDLING AND GRAVITY WOULD GET ME TO THE STOP SIGN. I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL! MY BRAKES WERE IN GOOD CONDITION AND NOT DUE FOR ANY MAINTENANCE PREVIOUS TO THIS EVENT. I ROLLED RIGHT OUT ONTO THE BUSY STREET WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO STOP. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE NEXT STREET OFF THE BUSY ROAD AND CRASHED INTO SOME SHRUBBERY TO STOP MY CAR. I CALLED AAA AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT I LITERALLY HAD NO BRAKES. HE ALMOST HIT THE WALL OF HIS REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T STOP. HE EMPHATICALLY STATED THAT, "NO MATTER WHAT, YOUR MECHANICAL BRAKES SHOULD HAVE WORKED, EVEN IF THE ABS WAS MALFUNCTIONING." HE TOOK THE FUSES OUT AND MY MECHANICAL BRAKES STARTED WORKING AGAIN. HE TOOK A QUICK LOOK AND LET ME KNOW RIGHT AWAY THAT THE ABS MODULE HAD FRIED. HE SAID IT WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM AND TAKE IT FROM THERE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE BOB STALL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN LA MESA, CALIFORNIA. THEY VERIFIED THAT THE MODULE WAS FRIED BUT THEY WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THE BRAKE SITUATION. THEY JUST KEPT INSISTING THAT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THE BRAKES WORKED FINE WHEN THE CAR CAME IN. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND THEN FINALLY TOLD ME THAT THE PART THAT I NEEDED WAS NO LONGER MADE AND THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REPAIR MY CAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT COULD HAPPEN AND NEITHER DOES ANYONE ELSE THAT I TALK TO, BUT I DO HAVE A WITNESS WHO DROVE THE CAR RIGHT AFTERWARDS AND WHO CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR TIRES DISCONNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE TRACTION CONTROL AND THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE ABCM MODULE AND THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE ABCM MODULE NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 12,000.

AT NORMAL HWY. SPEED (65 - 70 ) I AM LOOSING THE SAFETY OF MY ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL. THIS IS DUE TO MANUFACTURES FAULT IN THE EBCM (ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE ). THIS COULD LEAD TO AN HANDLING ISSUE! *TR

EBCM FAILURE, NO TRACTION CONTROL, NO ABS. GM NO LONGER MAKES PARTS! EBCM IS NOT REPAIRABLE. BECOMING A REAL PROBLEM WITH 1997-200 CORVETTES. *TR

I OWN, AS DO 75 OTHER CUSTOMERS OF TONY'S CORVETTE SHOP IN MARYLAND, A 2000 C-5 CORVETTE. ( CURRENTLY 32,000 MILES)THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL MODULE FOR THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY GM. MY MODULE AS WELL AS THE OTHER OWNERS HAS FAILED AND IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. FURTHER OPERATION OF THESE VEHICLES INVITES SAFETY RELATED RAMIFICATIONS AS THEY WILL NOT PERFORM AS DESIGNED FOR SAFE OPERATION. THE SHOP OWNER SEARCHED ACROSS THE NATION AND THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENTS AVAILABLE. WHY HAS GM FAILED TO MEET THE SAFETY NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC FOR ITS VEHICLES? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE PART WAS DISCONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ANTI LOCK BRAKES NO LONGER OPERABLE ON 2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. GENERAL MOTORS AWARE OF MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES BUT NO LONGER MANUFACTURES THE REPLACEMENT PART () ECBM AND WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR REMEDY. *TR

MY 2000 CORVETTE COUPE'S ABS SYSTEM BECAME INOPERATIVE, AND DESPITE THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THIS FAILURE, GM HAS DONE NOTHING TO REPAIR, ASSIST PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO REPAIR -- OR AT LEAST GIVE NOTICE OF AVAILABLE REPAIRERS -- TO THE LARGE AND GROWING NUMBER OF OWNERS WHOSE ABS SYSTEMS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. GM'S POSITION IS THAT THE ABS MODULE WAS MANUFACTURED BY DELCO WHICH IS NOW O/O BUSINESS, AND THAT THEY HAVE NO INTEREST OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR IN ANY WAY DEALING W/THE MATTER. "GO FLY A KITE" IS HARDLY THE POSITION GM SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO TAKE WHEN THERE ARE NOW THOUSANDS OF CORVETTE 00 AND EARLIER MODELS WHO RECEIVE NO HELP, AND CAN DO NOTHING TO REPAIR, REPROGRAM, PURCHASE OR OTHERWISE PROVIDE ABS BRAKING. THERE'S NOT A CORVETTE REPAIR FACILITY UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND NONE CAN DO ANYTHING BUT TELL THEIR CUSTOMERS TO CHECK W/CRAIG'S LIST OR JUNKYARDS IN THE HOPE OF GETTING THE MODULE. EVEN THE WEBSITE ABSFIXER.COM THAT LARGELY EXISTS BECAUSE OF GM ABS SYSTEM BREAKDOWNS CAN'T HELP; IT CAN ONLY REPAIR POST-2001 MODULES. NO MEMBER OF THE "CORVETTE FORUM" SITE -- AN ACTIVE GROUP OF HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED CORVETTE OWNERS -- CAN HELP. SOME OF GM'S MOST ACTIVE PARTS PEOPLE HAVE CALLED HIGH LEVEL GM OFFICIALS, AND BESIDE THE "GO FLY A KITE" RESPONSE, THEY WERE GIVEN WEB SITES THAT, WHEN CALLED, MAKE CLEAR THAT THEY CAN'T HELP. FINALLY: ON FRIDAY, BY SHEER ACCIDENT, I MAY HAVE FOUND A PERSON ABLE TO REPAIR THE MODULES -- IF HE CAN, HE'S THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD WHO CAN DO SO. BUT MY QUESTION IS THIS: WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVE TO HUNT DOWN POSSIBLE REPAIRERS FOR HOURS? WHY ISN'T GM OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO REPAIR SAFETY-ORIENTED PARTS LIKE ABS MODULES. AND, AT A MINIMUM, WHY ISN'T GM REQUIRED TO USE BEST EFFORTS TO SEARCH FOR REPAIR INFORMATION AND RELAY IT TO THEIR PARTS AND REPAIR PEOPLE? [NOTE: I'VE HEARD THAT THE SAME PROBLEM MAY EXIST FOR OTHER GM CARS AND TRUCKS.] *TR

HAVE FAILURE OF ABS SYSTEM ON 2000 CORVETTE. APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO FAILURE OF THE EBCM. NOT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME DUE TO $1800.00 PLUS COST. CURRENTLY THE CARS ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM HAS BEEN DISABLED BY THE CARS COMPUTER. *TR

VEHICLE WITH FAILURE - MY 2000 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2D HARDTOP 6MT MILEAGE - 35,972 (AFTER ACCIDENT) (1) PANIC STOP IN CENTER LANE OF CONGESTED TRAFFIC. DRIVER APPLIES BRAKES WITH MAXIMUM EFFORT AND CLUTCH IS DISENGAGED. IMPACT WITH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AHEAD WAS AVOIDABLE GIVEN THE INITIAL VELOCITY AND DISTANCE FOR SEPARATION. (2) DRIVER FEELS A NOTICEABLE "POP" THROUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WITH MAXIMUM EFFORT APPLIED, THE PEDAL DROPS QUICKLY TO THE VEHICLE FLOOR. THE BRAKE SYSTEM UP TO THIS POINT HAD DECREASED VEHICLE SPEED TO AT MOST 10 MPH. DRIVER MAINTAINS PEDAL EFFORT BUT THE REMAINING MOMENTUM CAUSES AN IMPACT WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD DUE TO THE NEARLY 100% LOSS OF BRAKE PERFORMANCE. POST-IMPACT DRIVING AND INSPECTION LEADS TO THE DISCOVERY OFA RUPTURED FLEXIBLE BRAIDED HOSE, 1 OF 2 HOSES ROUTED ALONG THE DRIVER-SIDE FRAME RAIL, ADJACENT TO THE FRONT DRIVER-SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THESE TWO HOSES CONNECT THE STEEL TUBING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS CONTROLLER AND ARE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THE STEEL TUBING. (3) THE COMPLETE BRAKE TUBING AND HOSE ASSEMBLY (WITH THE RUPTURED HOSE) FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS CONTROLLER WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE FAILED COMPONENT, DESPITE THE VEHICLE OWNER REQUESTING OTHERWISE, WAS NOT KEPT FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. DIGITAL PICTURES AND VIDEO ARE AVAILABLE FROM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE RUPTURE AS ABRASION BETWEEN FRAME RAIL AND HOSE. *JB

I AM WRITING THIS COMPLAINT ABOUT A KNOWN FAULTY COMPONENT WITHIN THE C5 CHEVROLET CORVETTES. THIS PART, THE EBCM, CAUSES THE LOSS OF ABS AND TCS. THIS FAILURE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND HAS HAPPENED TO MANY C5 CORVETTE OWNERS. IN FACT, GM EVEN HAS A POLICY KNOWN AS HE GOODWILL POLICY IN WHICH THEY WILL RANDOMLY OFFER DISCOUNTS TO CORVETTE OWNERS. SOME WILL RECEIVE THE DISCOUNT AND OTHERS WILL NOT. WHEN WE HAD THE CAR DIAGNOSED AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AS DIRECTED BY GM OFFICIALS WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE PART DUE TO THE NUMBER OF MILES ON THE CAR. THIS PROBLEM HAD ORIGINALLY OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR HAD AROUND 30,000 MILES ON IT, APPEARING TO BE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, AND THEN AFTER MONTHS OF DRIVING THE FAULTS WOULD NOT RESET. THE INDIVIDUALS AT GM SAID THAT THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BUT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE PART ON CASE BY CASE BASIS. THE INDIVIDUAL AT GM CLAIMED THAT HE CONTACTED THE TECHNICIAN AT JAMES WOODS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART FAILURE WAS NORMAL, AND THAT THE PART FAILED AT AROUND 60,000 MILES. THERE WERE MANY FAILURES WITH LESS MILES THAN THAT. MY PROBLEM WASN'T THE FACT THAT THEY WOULDN'T OFFER ANY DISCOUNT, BUT THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT AFFECTED THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS, AND THEY WILL NOT ACT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. . I AM A FREQUENT POSTER ON THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE AND YOU COULD VERIFY THAT THERE WA S INDEED A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE EBCM. THE WEBSITE WAS CORVETTEFORUM.COM. IF YOU PERFORM D A SEARCH ON THE WEBSITE UNDER THE C5 SECTION YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE WERE MANY CASES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. I COULD NOT GIVE AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF ANY ACCIDENTS OR DEATHS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE IMPACT WAS EXTREMELY HIGH OR THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT DUE TO ABSENCE OF ABS WAS EXTREMELY HIGH. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL "STICKS" OFTEN WHEN APPLIED CAUSING UNINTENDED DECELERATION, ACTIVATION OF ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM, PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, ROTOR WARPAGE, AND BRAKE FADE.

BRAKE PEDAL "STICKS" OFTEN WHEN APPLIED CAUSING UNINTENDED DECELERATION, ACTIVATION OF ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM, PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, ROTOR WARPAGE, AND BRAKE FADE.

BRAKES WERE DRAGGING TO THE POINT OF LOCKING UP, AND ROTORS GOT REAL HOT. PULLED OVER, AND DISENGAGED ACTIVE HANDLING OF VEHICLE. DEALER WILL ORDER ALL NEW PARTS & RUN TESTS TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE ALWAYS LOW, WOULD NOT SHOW IF TIRES TOO LOW OR OVER INFLATED UNTIL TOO LATE AT ANY SPEED. ABS/ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM LIGHT ON, TURNED ENGINE OFF 1 MILE LATER LIGHT GOES OFF. CLUTCH PEDAL TOO STIFF.

VEHICLES BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING SEVERE FLAT SPOT ON TIRES. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN, AS THE CAR IS NEARLY UNCONTROLLABLE AT THE TIME OF LOCKUP. THIS VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM THE MANUFACTURERS PLANT IN BOWLING GREEN, KY TO LYMAN, SC, APPROXIMATELY 400 MILES, BY WAY OF NASHVILLE, TN. IT SAT IN THE GARAGE THE FOLLOWING WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKEND, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. TAKEN TO THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, IT REMAINED THERE FOR TWO FULL WEEKS WHILE THEY REPAIRED THE ABS SYSTEM. WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE SYSTEM AGAIN FAILED AFTER THE FIRST ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR WERE UNSUCCESSFULL. THE SECOND ATTEMPT REQUIRED PARTS THAT WERE TO BE BACK ORDERED. THE PARTS WERE LOCATED AT THE CORVETTE PLANT, HOWEVER, AND THE REPAIRS MADE. THE VEHICLES BRAKE SYSTEM NOW APPEARS TO BE NORMAL. THE LAST PART OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM, THE TIRES, HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. ONLY A "GOOD WILL OFFER" OF $75 HAS BEEN OFFERED, TOWARDS THE COST OF $1600 WORTH OF TIRES, ON A $46,000 CAR. *AK

THEIR IS NO RUBBER ON CLUTCH & BRAKE PEDALS, FOOT CAN SLIP OFF WHEN WET OR WITH LEATHER SOLES. *ET