2000 GMC Sierra Brakes Problems

No wreck

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT ENGAGE UNLESS EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS APPLIED. WHEN THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ABS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

DURING A NORMAL STOP AT A STOP SIGN ON A RURAL ROAD, A STEEL BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO EXCESS CORROSION. THIS ONE LINE BETWEEN THE MASTER CYLINDER AND ABS MODULE IS THE ONLY LINE THAT PROVIDES PRESSURE TO THE FRONT BRAKES, WHICH SUPPLY ROUGHLY 75% OF THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING POWER. THE RUPTURE RESULTED IN RAPID FLUID LOSS AND THEREFORE A LACK OF PRESSURE IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM TO ALLOW FOR ADEQUATE BRAKING. NEEDED TO SWERVE INTO A DITCH TO AVOID A CRASH WITH CROSS TRAFFIC.VISUAL INSPECTION INDICATES MOST BRAKE LINES ARE EXTREMELY CORRODED, AND WERE OBVIOUSLY MADE WITH SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS AS COMPARED TO OTHER MANUFACTURERS. I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS AN OLD VEHICLE, HOWEVER OTHER VEHICLES OF SIMILAR AGE AND DRIVEN IN SIMILAR ENVIRONMENTS DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. ONLINE RESEARCH, MOST NOTABLY THE COMPLAINTS FILED TO NHTSA, INDICATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVY/GMC TRUCKS OF THIS ERA. ALTHOUGH OTHER OEM'S (SUBARU) HAVE ISSUED RECALLS IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS, IT APPEARS THAT THE GM THAT THE PUBLIC BAILED OUT JUST A FEW YEARS AGO HAS DECIDED TO DENY THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM, GAMBLING THAT THE THE COST OF LAWSUITS ASSOCIATED WITH DEATHS DO NOT EXCEED THE COST OF A RECALL.

WENT TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED AGAINST MY FOOT INSTEAD OF GOING DOWN. WAS MOVING SLOWLY AND THE BRAKE PEDAL INSTEAD OF STOPPING THE CAR PUSHED MY FOOT UP FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AND I WENT OVER A PARKING BRAKE. MECHANIC VERIFIED THAT WHEN WHEEL SENSOR GOES BAD THE VEHICLE THINKS THE BRAKES ARE LOCKING UP AND THE ABS SYSTEM GOES ON PUMPING BRAKE PEDAL. HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AS APPROACHED STOP LIGHTS PUSHING ME INTO INTERSECTION INSTEAD OF STOPPING.. I BELIEVE WHEN THE WHEEL SENSOR IS BAD IT SHOULD NOT PUT ME OR OTHERS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

BRAKE LINES RUSTED TO POINT OF REPLACEMENT

BRAKE FAILURE FOR THE SECOND TIME ON THE VEHICLE. ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED 7 OR 8 YEARS AGO DUE TO FAILURE AT MY OWN COST (RUSTED LINES, LEADING THEM TO FAIL AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED), ALL LINES WERE REPLACE WITH GM REPLACEMENT LINES BY A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN. ORIGINAL FAILURE RENDERED THE BRAKES 0% OPERATIONAL, GRAVITY (UPHILL) WAS THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE (ON JULY 29, 2017) AFFECTED THE BRAKE LINE RUNNING TO THE FRONT-RIGHT CALIPER, LINE FAILED WHERE IT CROSSED OVER THE SKID PLATE NEAR THE CENTER-LINE OF THE VEHICLE UP FRONT BY THE LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT. LINE FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. REAR BRAKES APPEAR TO BE WORKING BUT ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE MANNER. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, LINE FAILED AS APPROACHING A LIGHT TURNING RED WHILE GOING UPHILL, ROLLED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION PRIOR TO THE LIGHT TURNING GREEN FOR CROSSING TRAFFIC AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS IT DRIFTED TO A STOP UPHILL. THE QUALITY OF THE GM BRAKE LINES ARE VERY SUSPECT TO SAY THE LEAST. THE BRAKE LINES ARE DANGEROUS AND SEEM TO BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION THAN ANY OTHER BRAKE LINE ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED, OR ANY OF MY FRIENDS OR FAMILY HAVE EVER OWNED. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IF THE LINES FAILED UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES (WHILE TOWING THOUGH MOUNTAINS WHILE GOING DOWNHILL FOR EXAMPLE, THIS WOULD BE A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION). PLEASE DETERMINE IF THESE LINES ARE FAULTY FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS WITH THESE VEHICLES, AND THE SAKE OF OTHER MOTORISTS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED WHEN THE BRAKES ON THIS LARGER VEHICLE FAIL. IF THEY ARE FOUND TO BE FAULTY OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED THAT THESE BRAKE LINES ARE SUBPAR, AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S REPLACEMENT LINES ARE ALSO SUBPAR.

BRAKE LINE RUNNING ON TOP OF FRAME FROM MASTER CYL TO ABS HAS CORRODED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. IT HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKS BRAKE FLUID. BRAKES HAVE FAILED. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER LEFT FLORIDA AND IS STILL HELD BY ORIGINAL OWNER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT NOTICED BRAKE FLUID FLOWING FROM A FRACTURE IN THE FRONT BRAKE LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

MY PICKUP TRUCK WAS IN MOTION WHEN DRIVING ON A CITY STREET I HAD TO SLOW DOWN. THE BRAKE-PETAL WENT ALMOST COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I ALMOST HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WHILE TRYING TO STOP. AFTER PULLING TO THE SIDE OF STREET I CHECKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR METAL BRAKE LINE ADJACENT TO THE TRUCK FRAME HAD RUSTED AND BURST.

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.

WE WERE TRAVELING WEST ON 495 HEADING TO GEORGETOWN HOSPITAL IN DC TAKING A FRIEND FOR HER WEEKLY KIDNEY TRANSPLANT CHECKUP FROM BALTIMORE MD. THE TRAFFIC HAD SLOWED TO A STOP AS I HIT MY BRAKES AND THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH MINUTE STOPPING POWER . HAD I BEEN IN THE NEXT LANE OVER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A WIPE OUT AS I WOULD HAVE REAR ENDED THE STOPPED TRAFFIC. I WAS IN THE CURB LANE AND GOT INTO THE SHOULDER. BRAKE LINES ARE TOTALLY CORRODED, RUSTED AND JUST CRUMBLING.. I NOTICED GM KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. WILL THEY WAIT UNTIL A FATALITY HAPPENS BEFORE THEY WARN THE PUBLIC OF THIS PROBLEM.. MANY OF THESE VEHICLES STILL ON THE ROAD.. *TR

BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT AND CAUSED TRUCK TO NOT BE ABLE TO STOP AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FIRST LINE WENT ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO AND WAS REPAIRED. I ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS A SINGULAR INCIDENT AND THE REPAIR WAS FINE, AND I WOULD HAVE NO OTHER PROBLEMS. NOW, A DIFFERENT BRAKE LINE WENT. SAME EXACT PROBLEM...RUSTED OUT APPEARS THAT ALL OF THE LINES ARE AT ISSUE AND ALL OF THEM MUST BE REPLACED. I WAS LUCKY AS I HAD JUST COME OFF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHERE I WAS DOING SPEEDS OF 70MPH AND RELYING ON MY BRAKES AS WOULD BE NORMAL. JUST AS I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND PULLED INTO WORK, THE LINE BLEW OUT COMPLETELY AND MY PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL...NOTHING. LUCKILY, I WAS IN THE PARKING LOT, AND GOING SLOW ENOUGH AND I THOUGHT QUICKLY AND USED MY EMERGENCY BRAKES AND STOPPED. HAD THE BRAKE LINE GONE OUT JUST TWO MINUTES EARLIER, OR ABOUT TWO OR THREE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSES BEFORE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

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. *TR

I WAS TURNING AROUND IN MY DRIVEWAY, WHEN SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND ALL BRAKING POWER WAS LOST. TRIED PUMPING THE BRAKES MULTIPLE TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. THERE WAS NO WARNING (LIGHTS OR OTHERWISE) BEFORE THE INCIDENT, AND NO DASH LIGHTS LIT DURING THE INCIDENT EITHER. *TR

BRAKE LINE RUSTED THRU CAUSING THE TRUCK TO LOSE BRAKES ENTIRELY. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OUT OF FLORIDA, AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER SINCE NEW. NEVER DRIVEN ON SALTY WINTER ROADS OR SNOW. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING ON COUNTRY ROAD IN QUARRYVILLE PA. I CAME TO A HILL AND A STOP SIGN AND PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE. IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD VERY LIMITED BRAKING POWER AND TRAVELED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN ACROSS THE INTERSECTION. IT WAS A 4 WAY STOP INTERSECTION. AND NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED . BUT OH BOY DID I GET A DIRTY LOOK! ALL THE BRAKE FLUID WAS GONE OUT ONE HALF OF THE CONTAINER. LOOKING AT THE BRAKE LINES THEY ARE RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2000 GMC SIERRA TRUCK WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I COULDN'T STOP AT THE RED LIGHT, SO I HAD TO MAKE A QUICK LEFT TURN, ACROSS ON ONCOMING TRAFFIC INTO A PARKING LOT BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR STOPPED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY BRAKES FAILED AND IN BOTH CASES IT WAS BECAUSE THE STEEL BRAKE LINES ROTTED OUT. I'VE OWNED MANY GM VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE STEEL BRAKE LINES, NOT EVEN ON MY 1969 OLDS CUTLASS THAT I STILL OWN. I READ ABOUT OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND SUPPOSEDLY GM DID NOT RECALL. BUT WAS GOING TO REPLACE PARTS AND LABOR FOR $500. I CALLED GMC AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW OF THIS AND I CALLED 2 DEALERS AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW OF THIS KIT EITHER. SO, I GUESS I HAVE A BIG BILL ON MY HANDS. CHEAP BRAKE LINES WERE USED BUILDING THIS TRUCK, AND BRAKES ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT TO STOP. I'M LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION WITHOUT WRECKING. *TR

MY 2000 GMC SIERRA 1500 PICKUP, WHICH HAS SPENT ITS ENTIRE LIFE IN VIRGINIA, LOST ITS BRAKES WHILE I WAS TOWING A DUAL-AXLE TRAILER AND BOAT. THANKS TO GOD'S PROTECTION, THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AS MY MADE MY FINAL STOP RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, SO I WAS BARELY MOVING. HAD THIS HAPPENED JUST MOMENTS EARLIER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AROUND 50 MPH ON A WINDING COUNTRY ROAD. I LOOKED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND FOUND THE BRAKE LINE AND FLUID RUNNING FROM IT. WHILE THERE WAS SURFACE RUST ON THE LINES, I WOULDN'T SAY IT APPEARED THAT A FAILURE WAS IMMINENT. CLEARLY, INFERIOR MATERIALS WERE USED FOR THE BRAKE LINE WHEN LESS CORROSIVE MATERIALS SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED. GM SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR POOR CHOICE OF MATERIALS AND PROVIDE, AT THE VERY LEAST, REPLACEMENT BRAKE LINE SETS. THEIR CURRENT "DEEPLY DISCOUNTED" SET COSTS MORE THAN AN AFTERMARKET SET. *TR

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! *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH ON A CONGESTED ROAD, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP AT AN UPCOMING LIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE FLOOR. I SWERVED INTO THE ADJACENT LANE TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY THERE WAS AN OPENING IN THE ADJACENT LANE AND THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS OBSERVANT. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND OPENED THE HOOD TO CONFIRM THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL. IT WAS VERY LOW. I CLIMBED UNDER THE TRUCK TO OBSERVE BRAKE FLUID EVERYWHERE AND ASSUMED A BRAKE LINE FAILED. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A COST OF $275. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE SEEN THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND GM IS HOLDING OUT DOING A RECALL. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED ME TO NARROWLY MISS AN ACCIDENT AND IT MADE FOR A TENSE AND ANXIOUS TIME. I BELIEVE GM SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE AND DO SOMETHING QUICKLY BEFORE MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OCCUR. *TR