2003 Chevrolet Express Brakes Problems

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED JUMPING ERRATICALLY FROM ACTUAL SPEED TO LOWER SPEEDS 45, 25 + OTHERS AS LOW AS 8 (EIGHT) MPH. THIS CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO DOWNSHIFT UNPREDICTABLY, OVER-REVVING THE ENGINE SPEED. IT HAPPENED REPEATEDLY SO I DOCUMENTED THE ODOMETER ERRATIC MOVEMENT ON MY CELL PHONE AS A VIDEO, SHOWING ROAD MOVEMENT + ALL GAUGES + AUDIO EVENTS LIKE ENGINE OVER-REVVING AT SAME TIME. THE VIDEO IS OF HIGH QUALITY AND THE EVENTS TAKING PLACE ARE DOCUMENTED WITH THE VIDEO. RURAL AREA WITH FEW CARS ON ROAD AT THE TIME. IF IT TOOK PLACE IN A CITY INTERSTATE ENVIRONMENT (ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER MONTHS) IT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED A MULTIPLE CAR COLLISION WITH SUDDEN UNEXPECTED DOWNSHIFTING THAT WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL. ENGINE RPM ALSO HUNTS ERRATICALLY AND OUT OF MY CONTROL. PREDICTABLE IN WHAT IT DOES, IT BEGINS APPROXIMATELY WITHIN A RANGE OF 4-8 MILES AFTER LEAVING HOME DAILY. WHEN ENGINE TURNED OFF AND PARKED AT A LOCAL STORE AS AN EXAMPLE, IT WILL CLEAR IT'S PROBLEM AS IF A CPU IS "RE-BOOTED", AND REPEAT THE CYCLE OF ERRATIC BEHAVIOR FROM THAT NEW STARTING POINT. WHEN I BOUGHT + INSTALLED ACTRON BRAND OBD-II CODE READER WHICH FEATURES ABILITY TO REVEAL ABS BRAKE CODES, IT NEVER SHOWS ANY OTHER STORED CODES EXCEPT A SINGLE PO446 WHICH IS AN EMISSIONS RELATED CODE. THIS VAN WAS ORIGINALLY SENT NEW BY THE SELLING NH CHEVROLET DEALER TO THE PENNSYLVANIA BASED QUIGLEY CONVERSION FACILITY, SO IN FEBRUARY 2004 WAS MODIFIED FROM RWD TO A 4WD BY EXCHANGING STOCK MODEL 2500 FRONT END FOR A 4 WD PICKUP TRUCK NEW FACTORY FRONT END WITH 4WDL, NEUTRAL, 2WDH 4WDH FLOOR CONTROL LEVER. THE DRIVER'S DOOR JAM HAS AN 8600 LB GVW CERTIFICATION WHICH IS APPROPRIATELY QUIGLEY'S. MY VERY LOW ODOMETER AT 16,614 MILES IS ACCURATE, AS I ALSO HAVE OTHER VEHICLES TO USE, AND WORK AT HOME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10629518

Incident

Aug 25, 2014

Mileage

16,614 mi

DRIVER A NOTICED LACK OF PRESSURE IN BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT FULLY TO THE FLOOR AND RESULTED IN LESS BRAKING THAN EXPECTED. DRIVER REDUCED SPEED BY DOWNSHIFTING TO LOWER GEARS (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND PULLED INTO FIRST AVAILABLE PARKING AREA. BY PUMPING THE BRAKES AND PULLING INTO AN UPHILL PARKING SPOT, DRIVER ACHIEVED ENOUGH BRAKING TO COME TO A FULL STOP WITHOUT USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. INSPECTION SHOWED A NEARLY FULL BRAKE RESERVOIR AND NO LEAKAGE FROM WHEEL CYLINDERS. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED LEAKING FLUID FROM BRAKE LINE ON LEFT SIDE UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT AND ABOVE THE VEHICLE FRAME. IT SQUIRTED OUT FROM A CRACK IN A BRAKE LINE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUMPED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FOR REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10556819

Incident

Jul 23, 2012

Mileage

29,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO STOP. THE CONTACT APPLIED EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO SHOP WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED. THE TECHNICIANS WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE IN GOOD CONDITION BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT OF A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V045000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10399510

Incident

Nov 15, 2010

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. WHILE PREPARING TO STOP FROM 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE FEELS AS IF IT IS GOING TO STOP, BUT SUDDENLY LUNGES FORWARD. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE WILL STOP. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR THIS FAILURE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42,000.

NHTSA ID

10198731

Incident

Aug 4, 2007

Mileage

42,000 mi

DT: CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND THE BRAKES STARTED VIBRATING. THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED AROUND 6-4-05, AND HAS GRADUALLY GOTTEN WORSE. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE. THERE WAS NOTHING DONE TO FIX THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY HAD HIM TO MAKE A SECOND APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK IT TO DEALER, THEY TOOK THE TIRES OFF, AND INSPECTED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE METAL HAD DELAMINATED OFF THE ROTORS. THE BRAKE PADS WERE OKAY. THEY REPORTED IT TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER FELT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. CONSUMER KNEW SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT, WITH A TRUCK. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TRUCK. THERE WERE NO OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10131623

Incident

Jun 4, 2005

Mileage

30,000 mi

REAR BRAKE ROTOR BRAKING SURFACE AREA HAS FALLEN OFF. I REPLACED ROTORS WITH SAME CASTING NUMBER. PARTS HAVE BEEN DISCARDED. VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO STOP TO MANUFACTURES DESIGN FLAW. (SUPPLIER PROBLEM) VEHICLE HAS ONLY 24,700 MILES ON IT. DEALERSHIP WONT WARRANTY THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM- THIS IS A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10120247

Incident

Apr 25, 2005

Mileage

18,000 mi

BOTH FRONT BRAKE HOSES ERUPTED ON TWO SEPARATED OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10091980

Incident

Sep 13, 2004

Mileage

43,196 mi

PURCHASED VEHICLE AND NOTICED BRAKE PEDAL ARM AND FORWARD RIGHT SEAT BOLT ON DRIVER SEAR WERE BOTH RUSTED. DEALER STATED THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT BUT DID NOT REPORT TO WHY A NEW VEHICLE WOULD HAVE RUST ON INTERIOR COMPONENTS. TWB. *AK

NHTSA ID

10066470

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

Mileage

8,569 mi

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY FAILED TO HOLD, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *JB ON 3-28-03, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WOULDN'T CHECK THE BRAKES. NINE DAYS LATER, THE CONSUMER PASSED AS A RESULT OF A HEART ATTACK AND HIS WIFE FELT IT WAS THE RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT, BECAUSE HE WAS SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE FAULTY BRAKES. (CONNIE HUART ON BEHALF OF DECEASED HUSBAND, MICHEAL HUART). *PH *JB

NHTSA ID

10014549

Incident

Mar 27, 2003

Mileage

18,000 mi

2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS EXPERIENCED BRAKE PROBLEMS.* MR. THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WORN AND RUSTED FROM SITTING. *TS *JB *CB

NHTSA ID

10030060

Incident

May 19, 2003

Mileage

21,024 mi

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED.*JB

NHTSA ID

10009457

Incident

Jan 12, 2003