2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500 Brakes Problems

WITH MY AVALANCHE, I WAS TOWING A TRAILER WITH A CAR LOADED AND TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 10 MPH, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW FOR A TURN AND LOST NEARLY ALL THE BRAKING POWER. I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES FORWARD OF THE ABS MODULE LOCATED INSIDE THE LEFT FRAME RAIL DIRECTLY BENEATH THE DRIVERS SEAT HAD RUPTURED DUE TO CORROSION. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED ALL BRAKE LINES IN THAT AREA WERE COVERED WITH CORROSION. ALL BRAKE LINE WERE REPLACED WITH NEW STAINLESS STEEL LINES AFTER RESEARCHING THAT THIS VERY COMMON PROBLEM WAS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR RECALL. REPAIR COST: $950.00. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT BRAKE PROBLEMS OF THIS FREQUENCY AND MAGNITUDE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL AS IT IS APPARENT THAT IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

11002916

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

98,000 mi

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2002 AVALANCHE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING OR DASH LIGHTS. ALTHOUGH HE DID GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION HE WAS TRYING TO STOP FOR THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AND NO ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM WAS A BRAKE LINE FAILING.

NHTSA ID

10906167

Incident

Sep 11, 2016

Mileage

200,000 mi

SATURDAY JANUARY 23, 2016 DURING A SNOW STORM MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 2500 VIN# [XXX] LOST ALL BRAKE CONTROL DUE TO FAILED AND CORRODED BRAKE LINE UNDER DRIVER SIDE DOOR AT RETAINER CLIP ON SIDE OF FRAME WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGNS OF SOFT PEDAL OR INTERMITTENT BRAKING. THIS IS THE SECOND TRUCK DRIVEN A 2004 1500 WITH THE SAME FAILED LINE IN SAME PLACE ON FRAME. JUST BEFORE THE BRAKE LINE FAILED THERE WAS A SMALL CAR IN FRONT OF ME WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT THAT TURNED RIGHT IF THEY CAME TO A FULL STOP I WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AROUND THEM THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY AND OR DEATH OF THE OTHER OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR. I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN FOR ALL NOT JUST DRIVERS OF THE AFFECTED TRUCKS BUT ANYONE OR OBJECT IN ITS PATH. I ASKING FOR GM TO RECALL ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES FOR A REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF ALL BRAKE LINES AT THE COST OF GENERAL MOTORS WITH BRAKE LINES COATED LIKE THE POLY ARMOR LINES TO AID IN THE RESISTANCE OF CORROSION. THE CURRENT LINES ARE ONLY MADE OF STEEL WITH NO TOP COATING AND ARE ROUTED IN DIRECT SPRAY OFF OF TIRES AND ROAD WITH NO SPLASH SHIELD TO PROTECT LINE FROM SPRAY OR FOREIGN OBJECTS FROM STRIKING LINES. SINCERELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10823359

Incident

Jan 23, 2016

Mileage

104,000 mi

THE AVALANCHE IS OUR TOW VEHICLE (ONLY) WHICH IS WHY IT HAS SO FEW MILES FOR A 2002 MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. NORMALLY IT IS TOWING A 9000 POUND 28 FOOT TOY HAULER, BUT JUST BY PURE LUCK IT WAS TOWING A SINGLE AXLE FLAT BED TRAILER WITH THE CAB FOR A 1935 CHEVROLET PICKUP ON IT BACK FROM THE BODY SHOP. I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND TRIED TO STOP AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. TRIED TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKES AND THE CABLE SNAPPED. STOPPED BY DRIVING UP A HILL INTO THE GRASS. TOOK THE AVALANCHE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE BRAKE LINES ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THEY WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. IN THE COURSE OF GETTING THE BRAKE LINES OUT THEY FOUND THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE ALSO LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL FOR REPAIR WAS $2900.00, PLUS THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 6 WEEKS. GRANTED THE VEHICLE IS 12 YEARS OLD, BUT I HAVE A 1963 STUDEBAKER THAT STILL HAS SOLID BRAKE AND FUEL LINES. IT IS ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT THE AVALANCHE WASN'T TOWING A 9000 POUND 28 FOOT LONG TRAILER AT 70 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT, NO INDICATION AT ALL THAT THERE WAS A PENDING PROBLEM. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE RECALLED, AND I NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10560552

Incident

Nov 16, 2013

Mileage

62,313 mi

BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. FOUND BRAKE LINE UNDER DRIVERS DOOR RUSTED THROUGH AND GUSHING FLUID. *TR

NHTSA ID

10558051

Incident

Dec 31, 2013

Mileage

131,000 mi

COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE TOWING A TRAILER, PEDAL RIGHT TO THE FLOOR I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. NO WARNING WHATSOEVER BRAKES HAD BEEN WORKING FINE BEFORE INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED BLOWN BRAKE LINE BELOW DRIVERS DOOR AT FRAME RAIL AND ALL LINES LOOK TERRIBLE. ONLINE INVESTIGATION SHOWS THIS TO BE VERY COMMON PROBLEM LETS GET THIS RECALL ISSUED BEFORE ANYONE DIES. THE ABILITY TO STOP IS PRIORITY ONE THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10550106

Incident

Oct 24, 2013

Mileage

134,250 mi

WHEN PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I RAN INTO MY UTILITY TRAILER, BUT NO DAMAGE WAS CAUSED. AVALANCHE IS AT THE GARAGE NOW, HE INFORMED ME THIS IS COMMON WITH CHEVY TRUCKS. ALL BRAKE LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WILL COST BETWEEN $1000 AND $1200. *TR

NHTSA ID

10547622

Incident

Oct 6, 2013

Mileage

76,000 mi

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD NO BRAKES, PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER EXAMINATION SAW BRAKE FLUID UNDER TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10524470

Incident

Jul 5, 2013

Mileage

43,983 mi

RUSTED BRAKE LINES BURST CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10522296

Incident

Jun 25, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi

THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS GOING 65 MPH AND MY ENGINE DIED I HAD NO POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD TO PUSH. I WAS ABLE TO PUT MY TRUCK IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART IT. THE SECOND TIME THE ENGINE DIED I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND IT SHUT OFF. THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK, JUST GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I MADE A LEFT AND WAS GOING TO THE NEXT LIGHT TO MAKE A RIGHT AND THE ENGINE DIED. I TRIED TO PUT THE BRAKES ON, BUT THEY WERE VERY TIGHT AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I HAD TO FIGHT TO TURN THE WHEEL AND JUST MADE THE TURN WITHOUT HITTING THE OTHER TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10498296

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

105,242 mi

AS I WAS ABOUT TO PARK MY AVALANCHE IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOME I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FIRM AND THEN BECAME SOFT AND DEPRESSED QUICKLY QUITE FARTHER THAN NORMAL. THE AVALANCHE CONTINUED TO ROLL AND I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO GET IT TO COME TO A FULL STOP. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE I INSPECTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND A GREAT DEAL OF BRAKE FLUID ON THE UNDER BODY AND PUDDLED ON THE GROUND. AS I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE HEAVILY CORRODED AND FLAKING OFF RUSTED MATERIAL. THE BRAKE LINE FAILED BECAUSE OF WEAKENED TUBING CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON AND THERE WAS NO PRELIMINARY WARNING OF BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKES CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE AN EXCESSIVELY LONGER DISTANCE TO STOP THAN NORMALLY WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE. I FREQUENTLY TOW A 6,500 LB PULL BEHIND CAMPER WITH MY AVALANCHE AND IF THIS BRAKE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED DURING TOWING AND IN TRAFFIC DURING A STOP IT MOST LIKELY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10477079

Incident

Sep 19, 2012

Mileage

80,000 mi

RUSTED BRAKE LINE FAILURE, DRIVERS REAR, PASSENGER FRONT, UNDER RADIATIOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10447546

Incident

Dec 6, 2011

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE ON MY WAY TO WORK, IN MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE, GOING 65 WHEN EVERYONE IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. I FOLLOWED TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES BUT WHEN I PUSHED THE PEDAL IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, SO IN ORDER TO NOT REAR END ANYONE I PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER FLYING PAST THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME WITH MY BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED AS HARD AS I COULD, THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. I DROVE OFF THE RODE AND GOT MY TRUCK TO THE NEAREST GARAGE. WHEN THE GARAGE OWNER LOOKED AT MY BRAKES HE SAID MY REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT AND THAT THE FRONT WERE ABOUT TO DO THE SAME. HE ALSO SAID THE BRAKE LINES ARE SHOVED SO FAR INTO THE TRUCK FRAME HE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE BODY FROM THE FRAME TO FIX IT PROPERLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10430731

Incident

Oct 12, 2011

Mileage

148,029 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR SURFACE WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A MASSIVE LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH EXTREME CAUTION. THE CONTACT NOTICED EXCESSIVE RUST WITHIN THE BRAKE LINE SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED FOR THE FAILURE NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,123.

NHTSA ID

10361511

Incident

Apr 14, 2010

Mileage

49,123 mi

COMING UP TO STOP SIGN ON A DOWNHILL BACK ROAD, I EXPERIENCED PARTIAL BRAKE FAILURE FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AS I TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ONLY DOING 5MPH OR LESS AT THAT POINT BUT I WENT THRU THE STOP SIGN AND HAD TO MAKE AN ABRUPT TURN TO THE RIGHT AND ONTO A SHOULDER TO AVOID HITTING A CAR COMING FROM MY LEFT. AGAIN, I WAS STILL HEADING DOWNHILL AND PICKING UP SPEED. I TRIED TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT IT WASN'T EFFECTIVE MUCH SO I PULLED THE TRANNY DOWN INTO SECOND AND ULTIMATELY DOWN TO FIRST TO GET THE SPEED DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO TURN INTO A LOCAL CUL-DE-SAC WHICH AT FIRST GOES DOWN HILL AND THEN UPHILL. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO STOP AND FROM THERE I LIMPED THE 1/4 MILE BACK TO MY HOUSE IN FIRST GEAR AND PARK IT. I CALLED AAA FOR A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE REPORTED TO ME THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE SYSTEM WAS BADLY CORRODED AND ASKED ME IF I PARKED THE VEHICLE A LOT AT THE SEASHORE. I TOLD HIM "NO" BUT I DON'T GARAGE THE VEHICLE EITHER ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER. HE SAID THAT HA HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. HE HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES, HOSES, FITTINGS AND BLEEDER SCREWS. IT COST $1,246.12 AND, YES, HE SHOWED ME ALL OF THE LINES AND PARTS WHICH HE REMOVED---I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. I CONSIDERED FILING THIS REPORT AT THE TIME BUT #1: I'M A PROCRASTINATOR AND #2 I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE SINCE AGAIN I DON'T GARAGE MY VEHICLE, I DON'T DRIVE IT THAT MUCH ( 50K MILES IN APPROX. 9 YRS) AND I GET A LOT OF SALT ON THE VEHICLE DURING THE WINTER SINCE I LIVE ON A HILL. I'M NOW SORRY FOR NOT REPORTING THIS SOONER SINCE I NO LONGER HAVE THE OLD PARTS OF MY BRAKING SYSTEM AVAILABLE TO ME BUT I FIGURED I BETTER LET YOU KNOW JUST WHAT HAPPENED IN MY CASE BECAUSE I READ A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ON 04/05/10 THAT SAID YOU WERE LOOKING AT 110 COMPLAINTS OF BRAKE FAILURES IN GENERAL MOTORS SUVS OF ALL SORTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10329066

Incident

Aug 28, 2009

Mileage

46,798 mi

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING --- WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP, AT ABOUT 5MPH, BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES SOFT AND VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. RECALL TSB#02-05-25-006B DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE BUT THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM. LOCAL GM SERVICE DEPT REFUSES TO REPAIR THIS UNSAFE DESIGN DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10286987

Incident

Oct 9, 2009

Mileage

53,000 mi

2002 AVALANCHE 2500 4X4 BRAKE LINES ARE FAILING ONE AT A TIME UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT THEIR IS A BRACKET THAT SEEMS TO COLLECT DIRT, SALT , ECT. IN MY OPINION THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THIS SHOULD BE STAINLESS BRAKE LINES. I ALMOST GOT KILLED WENT OFF ROAD TO GET STOPPED, TOWED HOME THE TRUCK. NOW THE NEXT PROBLEM IS TRYING TO FIND PARTS ACTUAL 1/4" I.D. WITH METRIC O.D. 10 MM . *TR

NHTSA ID

10286287

Incident

Sep 20, 2009

Mileage

81,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ROTORS FAILED AND A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ONE OF THEIR DEALERS FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND TO CONSIDER IF THEY WOULD ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 33,000. UPDATED 3/16/09 *CN THE FRONT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED AND THE REAR PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/19/09. *JB

NHTSA ID

10257188

Incident

Jan 26, 2008

Mileage

33,000 mi