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 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 212 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 212, in the owner's own words
I pulled the truck out of the garage in working condition, left it running while parked in the driveway. It emptied the entire brake fluid reservoir through a leak in the distribution junction on the rear axle, leaving the truck with no brake function whatsoever. Had I not parked the truck in the driveway, I would have been involved in a serious collision due to sudden complete brake failure.
While driving on US60 East of Lexington Kentucky I was preparing to turn left using the left turn lane. There was another car in front of mine and as I approached it I began to lightly apply the brakes. The brake pedal went all the way to the floor with no decrease in speed. Fortunately I was able to switch back to the through lane and avoid an accident. While I was able to avoid an accident there was definitely a risk of injury to myself and the occupants of the other vehicle. When I was able to inspect the vehicle I found that the brakeline adjacent to the fuel tank was rusted through which caused a complete brake failure. I do the vehicle maintenance personally and have since made necessary repairs to the brake system. I was aware of problems with the brakelines on this vintage truck being prone to failure due to rusting. As I was making repairs it was obvious the routing of the brakelines was such as to making the rusting more likely to happen.
HARD BRAKE LINE FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION FROM POOR QUALITY PARTS WITHOUT PROPER CORROSION PROTECTION OR CORRECT MATERIALS (I.E. STAINLESS STEEL VS MILD STEEL) WHEN VEHICLE IS USED IN AREAS WHERE DE-ICER IS USED ON THE ROADS.
THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHT. THE POWER STEERING IS BAD AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN I BRAKE, I GOT THE BRAKES AND ROTORS CHANGED AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED
MY ABS SPEED SENSOR GOT SHEARED BY BACK OF MY FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE IN WHICH I HAVE SEEN ON MULTIPLE SIGHTS A DEFECT THAT WAS DEEMED A RECALL FOR BEING POORLY SET UP ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE. SECONDLY, IVE SPENT THOUSANDS AND LOOKING ONLINE FOR A VARY SERIOUS ISSUE IVE BEEN HAVING WITH MY VEHICLE DUE TO INTERMEDIATE STALLING, BACKFIRING, AND VEHICLE DIEING DUE TO WHAT HAS FINALLY BEEN FOUND TO BE THE INFAMOUS CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. REPLACED MY COMPUTER, ALL 02 SENSORS, EGR VALVE EXC... THAN UPON LOOKING AND RESEARCHING, I FIND IT WAS A MAJOR ONE ON RECALL AS WELL FOR FAILING ALL THE TIME. I JUST FEEL IF THESE ARE FACTORY ERRORS AND BEEN ON THE RECALL, AND MY WOMAN WHO TRAVELS WITH ME THAT IS PARALYZED DUE TO AN ACCIDENT, I SHOULD BE ENTITILED TO THE RECALLS GIVING THEY WERE KNOWN FLAWS ON THE ASSSEMBLY LINE AND A DANGER TO OTHERS. WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLS OUT, IT STARTS CHOKING, BACKFIRING, AND BUCKING AND WANTS TO LOCK UP AND LOOSE CONTROL. NOT COOL. IVE BEEN CHASING THIS PROBLEM SPENDING THOUSANDS IN PARTS AND REPAIRS TO MAKE THIS TRUCK SAFE FOR WORK AND FEEL IF THERE HAS BEEN RECALLS FOR ALL THIS, WOULD BE NICE TO REAP SOMETHING OUT OF MY INVESTMENT IN THIS TRUCK
DRIVING UP TO CITY INTERSECTION WAS APPLING BRAKES, CAR IN FRONT APPLIED HIS QUICKER CAUSING HIS REAR TO RAISE UP, INDICATING PANIC STOP, I FOLLOWED AND APPLIED HARD PRESSURE TO MY BRAKES, PEDAL THEN WENT TO THE FLOOR AND LOST ALL BRAKE ACTION, THIS LEAD TO MY TRUCK REAR END OF OTHER CARS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT NOTICED A LEAK COMING FROM THE BRAKE LINE AND RUST. THE CONTACT DID NOT ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF ANY WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE BRAKING ABILITY AND AN ACCIDENT WITH MINOR VEHICLE DAMAGE..
EXCESSIVE METAL BRAKE LINE CORROSION ON THIS VEHICLE. BRAKE LINES CORRODED THROUGH CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND RESULTED IN ZERO BRAKING ABILITY WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A BUSY CITY STREET. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP. INFERIOR MATERIALS HAVE BEEN USED TO PRODUCE BRAKE LINES ON THIS VEHICLE. BRAKE LINE PLACEMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH INFERIOR METAL THAT IS PRONE TO CORROSION IS AT FAULT. COST TO REPAIR THIS FLAW IN MANUFACTURING WILL BE NEARLY $2000.00
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO INDEPENDENTLY ROLL FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD BEFORE THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR AND MADE IT VERY HARD TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES LINES FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
ALL MY BRAKE LINES ARE CORRODED/RUSTING OUT. ONE LINE ALREADY HAD TO BE REPLACED. VERY DANGEROUS. ALL MY FUEL INES ARE STARTING TO CORRODE AND APPEAR TO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT SOON.
STEEL BRAKE LINES TO ABS CONTROL AND OTHER STEEL BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING, MUST BE REPLACED BEFORE BRAKES FAIL.
DRIVING TO PICK UP MY SON FROM WORK ON SIDE STREETS,TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH WHEN MY BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR.ALMOST REAR ENDED CAR AT STOP SIGN. GOT OUT OF TRUCK AND FOUND LARGE SPOT UNDER MY TRUCK,BRAKE FLUID. HAD IT TOWED TO BRAKE SHOP AND MECHANIC INFORMED ME MY BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTING THOUGH AND NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES. ALSO TOLD ME HE HAS SEEN THIS WITH 3 OR 4 OTHER CHEVY TRUCKS LATELY. FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS AFTER TELLING MY STORY. HEARD THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS..I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW & HAVE HAD IT RUST PROOFED 12 TIMES. THANK YOU
WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY I ATTEMPTED TO STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC TRAVELING ALONG THE ROUTE I WAS ENTERING. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE THE PEDDLE WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN TIME TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT WITH A TRASH TRUCK THAT WAS TRAVELING ALONG THAT ROUTE. USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY SAFELY AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED AND WAS LEAKING JUST UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. MY VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAIN AND I AM OFTEN COMPLEMENTED FOR THE CARE I TAKE OF BOTH IT'S APPEARANCE AND MAINTENANCE. THE IS NO OTHER AREA OF THIS VEHICLE THAT IS RUSTED AND THE UNDERNEATH OF THIS VEHICLE IS IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECT TO ANY TYPE OF EXCESS WEATHER CONDITIONS. THERE IS NO REASON THESE LINES SHOULD HAVE FAILED LIKE THIS. I HAVE BEEN AN ASE CERTIFIED AUTO TECH FOR BRAKES AND CAN TELL YOU THAT IS IS NOT COMMON TO CHECK THE LINES OVER THE TOP OF THE FRAME DURING ROUTINE BRAKE INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE, ONLY TO CHECK FOR SIGNS OF LEAKS IN NORMAL LINE LOCATIONS AND SOFT LINES, CALIPERS AND OTHER HARDWARE RELATED TO THE WHEEL AREA.
CORROSION IN THE BRAKE LINES CAUSED A BLOWOUT OF THE BRAKE LINES AND FAILURE OF THE BRAKES.
I OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO LS HD2500, ORIGINAL OWNER PURCHASED IN JUNE OF 2002, CURRENTLY HAVE 71,000 MILE, BEAUTIFUL TRUCK VERY WELL MAINTAINED. THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT BEING FILED ON THIS VEHICLE CONCERNING MY BRAKES. MY FIRST COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN MARCH OF 2014, WHEN MY BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND I WAS LEFT WITH NO BRAKES. AFTER SEARCHING ON-LINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THESE VEHICLES AND THERE IS A RECALL ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. MY COMPLAINT TODAY ALSO HAS TO DO WITH MY BRAKES. ONCE AGAIN, I FOUND THAT SOME OF THE VEHICLES HAVE A RECALL, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM . THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD ACTIVATE, CAUSING MY BRAKES TO NOT WORK. IF I WANTED TO STOP, I COULDN'T SLOW DOWN TO STOP, I WOULD HAVE TO BRAKE HARD TO STOP MY VEHICLE, IF I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO STOP, MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD ACTIVATE, CAUSING MY BRAKES TO NOT WORK. I DID CONTACT GM, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE BECAUSE MINE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF MY YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL HAD A RECALL NOTICE. THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A BULLETIN OUT INFORMING THE DEALER HOW TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS THE BRAKE SYSTEM, VERY DANGEROUS, COULD BE FATAL. NOT SURE WHY THIS ISN'T A PRIORITY TO RESOLVE.
UNLOADING MY BOAT, BRAKE PEDDLE WENT DOWN TO FLOOR,DIDNNT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, NO LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH, SECONDARY BREAKS DIDNT WORK EITHER, HELD WITH PARKING BRAKE.
I WAS ATTEMPTING TO HITCH UP MY TRAVEL TRAILER WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN SINKING TO THE FLOOR. I PULLED AWAY FROM THE CAMPER AND TRIED TO PARK AWAY FROM IT AND LOST ALL BRAKE PRESSURE AND COLLIDED WITH MY GARAGE. *TR
I WAS DRIVING HOME IN MY 2002 SILVERADO 2500 HD, WHEN I CAN TO A STOP AT THE STOP SIGN, MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COULD NOT STOP. MY TRUCK WENT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, BUT LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I BROUGHT MY TRUCK TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THEY REPLACED JUST FAULTY BRAKE LINES DUE TO THEM RUSTING OUT PREMATURELY. MY REPAIR BILL WAS OVER $1500 DOLLARS. *TR
RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINE TO REAR BRAKES ALONG FRAME RAIL ON MY 2002 SILVERADO 4 X 4. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS INJURED. THIS TRUCK I PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND HAS NEVER SEEN ANY WINTER WEATHER UNTIL 2013. I WAS INVOLVED IN A UNRELATED ACCIDENT IN JAN. 2013 AND THE TRUCK SAT AT A BODY SHOP UNTIL THE END OF MAY 2013. THIS YEAR I HAD TO USE MY TRUCK. SHOULD A BRAKE LINE HAVE RUSTED THRU PREMATURELY? I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK GM SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS FAILURE AND REIMBURSE ALL PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS SUBSTANDARD PART FAILURE. *TR
ABOUT TWO DAYS AGO WHEN I PUSHED MY BRAKES THEY FELT SPONGY AND WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY I COULD SMELL BRAKE FLUID.TODAY I WENT TO MOVE THE TRUCK TO CHECK IT OUT. THE BRAKES WERE EVEN MORE SPONGY,SO I PUSHED THEM HARD AND THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED ABOVE THE FUEL TANK.THE FRONT BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE TRUCK, SO I HAD TO USE THE TRANSMISSION TO STOP THE TRUCK. IT MUST HAVE SPRUNG A SMALL LEAK TWO DAYS AGO WHEN I NOTICED THE FLUID SMELL AND SPONGY FEEL.GOOD THING I WASN'T DRIVING ON THE ROAD WHEN IT BURST TODAY, BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED. *TR
WENT TO GET SAFETY CHECK, MECHANIC NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERCARRIAGE AND NOTICED LEAK IN BRAKE LINE. BRAKE LINE CORRODED AND RUSTY WITH PUNCTURE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING , HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP, APPLED THE BRAKE PEDDLE HARD, BRAKES APPLED THEN WENT DOWN TO TO FLOOR. BRAKE LINES BEHINE THE CAB RUPTURD, DO TO BADLY RUSTED LINES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE CONTACT HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE TO RESET THE COMPUTER, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
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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