Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 47 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 47, in the owner's own words
THE PARKING BRAKE HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE NEW. YOUR PARTIAL RECALL FIX FOR STANDARD TRANSMISSIONS ONLY IS INADEQUATE. MAKE ME WONDER ABOUT UNDUE GM INFLUENCE. JUST BECAUSE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TRUCKS HAVE PARK. THAT IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR GM NOT TO FIX THE PARKING BRAKE.
ABS ENGAGING LESS THAN 10 MILES PER HOUR. NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL OF 805,000, AS NOT IN A RUST BELT STATE.
RUSTED BRAKE LINES ! DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, HIT BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN TO TURN INTO A DRIVE, BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKES AT ALL, I FOUND THE BRAKE LINE GOING TO THE REAR HAD BROKEN BY THE GAS TANK, BRAKE LINES ARE VERY CORRODED AND RUSTY, TRUCK IS KEEP INDOORS, AND CAME FROM NEW MEXICO, NO RUST ON THE BODY AT ALL, TOW BILL WAS 200 BUCKS,AROUND 50 MILES FROM HOME. STAINLESS STEEL BREAK LINES ARE AROUND 200 TO 300 BUCKS, AROUND 200 TO 300 FOR LABOR, VERY EXPENSIVE SO FAR, AND THE TRUCK IS NOT FIXED YET. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN THE REAR LINE BROKE, I SHOULD HAVE, STILL HAD FRONT BREAKS, IN A TWO PART BRAKE SYSTEM, BUT I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. I'M LUCKY, IT CAUSED, NO ACCIDENTS, OR INJURIES, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY WORSE, EVEN DEADLY UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE PUT STAINLESS STEEL ON THE BRAKE LINES LIKE THEY DID ON THE EXHAUST. I MEAN, A RUSTY EXHAUST, PROBABLY WONT KILL ANYBODY, BUT RUSTY BRAKE LINES HAVE KILLED A LOT OF PEOPLE, I'M SURE.
I STARTED TO BACKUP OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, WHEN I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THEY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. PULLED BACK INTO DRIVEWAY AND SAW WHERE BRAKE FLUID WOULD SHOOT OUT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE BRAKE LINE HAD CORROSION IN FOR ABOUT 4 INCHES. REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE. YESTERDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015 AGAIN WENT TO BACK UP AND PEDAL TO FLOOR. UPON EXAMINATION THE BRAKE FLUID SHOOTS OUT IN A STEADY STREAM WHEN PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDROBOOST MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,348.
BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO STOP, FOUND ALL BRAKE LINES TO BE SEVERELY CORRODED FROM THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER TO THE BRAKING HARDWARE AT EACH WHEEL, DOT3 BRAKE FLUILD LEAKING QUICKLY FROM BRAKE LINE RUNNING TOWARD THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. REF: HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS/DEFECT/RESULTS.CFM?ACTION_NUMBER=EA11001&SEARCHTYPE=QUICKSEARCH&SUMMARY=TRUE *JS
NOTICED BRAKE PEDAL DROPPING TO FLOOR THOUGHT MASTER CYLINDER WAS BAD AFTER MECHANIC CHECKED VEHICLE HAD TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES AT THE COST OF $ 500.00. *TR
COMPLETE REAR BRAKE FAILURE IN PARKING LOT JUST AS I WAS LEAVING WORK. HAD TO QUICKLY PUMP BRAKES TO KEEP TRUCK FROM MOVING. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR IN AN INSTANT. I PUT TRUCK IN PARK GOT OUT AND THERE WAS FLUID ALL OVER THE PLACE ON THE GROUND,AND ON THE DRIVERS SIDE UNDER CARRIAGE JUST BEHIND THE CAB DOOR. LOOKED UNDERNEATH WITH FLASHLIGHT AND COULD SEE THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD SEVERE RUSTING WHERE EACH PLASTIC HOLD DOWN IS LOCATED AND ONE HAD RUSTED TO POINT OF FAILURE. GLAD I HADN'T PULLED OUT AND ONTO THE HIGHWAY AT THAT POINT. HAD TO HAVE MOST OF THE LINE REPLACED ALONG THE FRAME RAIL,( ABOUT 15'). *TR
TRUCK BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED AND BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR, LINES HIDDEN BY GAS TANK RUPTURED, THIS TRUCK WAS SHOWROOM CONDITION AND SPENT MOST OF IT'S TIME CLEAN AND IN THE GARAGE, NO RUST APPARENT ANYWHERE ELSE. *TR
JUST DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AS WELL AS NORMAL WHEN APPLYING THEM. LIGHT CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD INDICATING BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN I ARRIVED AT HOME CHECKED FLUID AND WAS OUT OF BRAKE FLUID. STARTED LOOKING FOR THE PROBLEM AND FOUND A BROKEN BRAKE LINE BADLY CORRODED. LOOKING AT THE REST OF THE LINES THEY ARE ALL IN A BAD WAY. I'M A PLUMBER AND HAVE WORKED WITH STAINLESS STEEL TUBING MY EXHAUST IS ORIGINAL NEVER HAD A PROBLEM OR LEAK. IT SEEMS STRANGE TO INSTALL SUCH A GREAT EXHAUST SYSTEM AND NOT THE SAME ON A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT SYSTEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR ABNORMALLY. HE THEN INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVARADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR MORE THAN USUAL AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE SHOCKS WERE WET AND COVERED WITH OIL. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINE WHICH CONNECTS TO THE REAR AXLE WAS ALSO LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC. THERE WAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION; NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA11001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
1999 SILVERADO TRUCK BRAKE LINE FAILURE. WENT TO STOP BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PROBLEM BRAKE LINE RUSTED THRU. ALL THE BRAKE LINE ARE RUSTY PRETTY SAD THE TRUCKS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD. *TR
1999 CHEVY SILVERADO 2500 EXT CAB LONG BOX 2WD PICKUP WITH 155,000 KLM HAD TWO BRAKE LINES EXPLODE UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES. TRUCK WAS PULLING A FULL LOAD AT THE TIME AND AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MAJOR. LUCKILY THE TRAILER BEING TOWED HAD ELECTRIC BRAKES ON IT. INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE LINES SHOWS THEM ALL VERY RUSTY. SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING. I DRIVE AN OLDER ASTRO VAN AND THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WITH IT. GM SHOULD BE REPLACING ALL THE BRAKE LINES. *TR
ON FRIDAY SEPT. 15, I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO WHEN I EXPERIENCED BRAKE LINE RUPTURE FROM TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. I WAS MERELY ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN FOR A CURVE AND I DID 'DYNAMITE' THE BRAKES. I APPLIED NORMAL PRESSURE AND SUDDENLY, THE PEDAL BEGAN TO TRAVEL TOWARDS THE FLOOR AND I COULD FEEL THE VEHICLE BECOMING HARDER TO SLOW. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE SUFFERING AN ACCIDENT. AFTER I PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SAW LEAKING BRAKE FLUID, I INSPECTED THE AREA AND FOUND SEVERAL LOCATIONS ON THE BRAKE LINE WHERE CORROSION HAD SEVERELY DAMAGED THE LINES, AS WELL AS TWO SMALL HOLES IN TWO DIFFERENT LINES. WHEN I GOT HOME, I PERFORMED A SEARCH OF THE PROBLEM ON MY COMPUTER AND FOUND LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE!! THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT GM SHOULD ADDRESS, OR BE FORCED TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY!! IF NOT, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INJURY/LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO SUB-STANDARD MATERIALS USED IN THEIR BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR
DRIVING MY 1999 CHEVY SILVERADO 2500 DOWN THE ROAD, WENT TO BRAKE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT WARNING, I NARROWLY AVOIDED HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME ,CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND INJURY. LIMPED HOME AND FOUND RUSTED THRU BRAKE LINES JUST OUTSIDE OF DRIVER SIDE FRAME. TRUCK HAS JUST TURNED 100,000 MILES, BUT THE UNDERCARRIAGE LOOKS MUCH OLDER...SEVERE CORROSION AND RUST...NOT WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FOR A $45,000 TRUCK. NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER FAILURES I HAVE INCURRED...WILL NEVER BUY A CHEVY AGAIN. NHTSA, YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE PEOPLE GET KILLED! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ABRUPTLY BRAKE FROM 20 MPH BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO UTILIZE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 86,773.
REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURE. BRAKELINE CORRODED THROUGH CAUSING LOSS OF REAR BRAKES. *TR
I OWN A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 EXTENDED CAB LONG BED 4WD. WHILE LEAVING WORK MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR RESULTING IN NO BRAKES. THE METAL BRAKE LINE GOING TO MY RIGHT REAR WHEEL RUSTED THROUGH RESULTING IN BRAKE FLUID SHOOTING OUT OF THE LINE LEAVING A PUDDLE OF FLUID ON THE GROUND. AFTER CHECKING ALL THE METAL BRAKE LINES I FOUND THEM TO BE ALL RUSTING AND THEY WILL ALL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE BRAKE LINES OR GOT AN ESTIMATE ON REPAIRS AS OF YET. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE ENTERING A FOUR LANE ROAD WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 40MPH. *TR
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO STOP TO TURN INTO MY DESTINATION WHEN MY FOOT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I TURNED INTO THE PARKING LOT, PUT THE TRUCK INTO NEUTRAL AND PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP COMPLETELY. THE TRUCK TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE WHEN THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD BLOWN DUE TO RUST. *TR
HYDRAULIC BRAKE TUBE RUPTURED DUE TO CORROSION. VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. BUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A TOYOTA NO ONE WILL DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM (CALIPERS, HOSES, LINES) EVERYTHING, TRUCK IS NOT PRIMARY VEHICLE, HAS RUSTED HOSES COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE ON ROAD NO ACCIDENT FORTUNATELY. 1999 CHEVY SILVERADO SPENT OVER $3,000 ON BRAKES IN ONE YEAR BECAUSE THE BRAKES DESIGNED FOR THIS TRUCK ARE FAULTY - KEEP FAILING. *TR
BRAKES ON MY 1999 SUBURBAN UNDER LOW SPEED THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ENGAGES AND I CAN NOT STOP IN NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS THIS IS ON DRY PAVEMENT WITH GOOD TIRES AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE SENSORS ARE RUSTY AND THERE IS A RECALL I CALLED GM AND THEY ARE SAYING MINE IS NOT INCLUDED I HAD THIS BRAKE SYSTEM INSPECTED BY A GM MECHANIC AND THY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MINE IS ON NOT ON LIST ITS THE SAME PARTS AS IN THE RECALL. *TR
1. LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE, DRIVEN BELOW NATIONAL MILEAGE AVG., MAINTAINED WELL. 2. HIGH PRESSURE BRAKE LINES RUPTURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. 3. NOTHING YET PENDING LEGAL ACTION. *TR
I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS OUTLINED IN THE RECALLS/SERVICE BULLETINS: NHTSA0 6V066000, AND NHTSA 05V379000. MY VEHICLE IS A 1999 CHEVY K2500 THAT ISN'T LISTED IN THE RECALL LIST. THE SPEED SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS 1-4 TIMES PER YEAR (USUALLY FROM DEC THROUGH MAR). THE FIRST TIME I HAD IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP, BUT ON SUBSEQUENT FAILURES DID THE REPAIR MYSELF. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE TAILGATE CABLES MORE THAN ONCE, AND CURRENTLY HAVE A BROKEN ONE AGAIN. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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