Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 2003 Chevrolet Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 91 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 91, in the owner's own words
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD 0% OF MY BRAKES AND ALL THE BRAKE FLUID WAS GONE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE ALSO FAILED PRIOR TO THIS I PUT IN BRAKE FLUID AND IT ALL LEAKED OUT WITHIN A MATTER OF MOMENTS
LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR, BRAKE LINE LEAKED ALL OF THE FLUID OUT, I DID NOT HAVE ANY BREAKS, AWFUL TIME TRYING TO STOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED, IT HAPPENS A LOT WITH SUBURBANS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLY TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH AN INDICATION TO REDUCE BRAKE POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, SHE COULD HEAR THE AIR AND A HUMMING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN OCTOBER 2019. IT HAS 180,000 MILES BUT IS IN GOOD OVERALL CONDITION. THE PROBLEM IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO THIS VEHICLE OR EVEN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. THE ISSUE IS RUSTY HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES. THIS PROBLEM HAS PLAGUED OLDER VEHICLE OWNERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE RUST BELT MIDWEST, SINCE HYDRAULIC BRAKES WERE INVENTED. SOME CONSCIENTIOUS MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS VOLVO, HAVE SWITCHED TO A BRAKE LINE MATERIAL CALLED CUNIFER OR NICOPP, A COPPER NICKEL ALLOY C70600. THIS MATERIAL PERFORMS LIKE CONVENTIONAL STEEL LINES BUT WITHOUT THE CORROSION PROBLEM. I AM A ASE CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN,AND HAVE BEEN REPAIRING VEHICLES AS WELL AS RESTORING CARS AS A HOBBY FOR WELL OVER 50 YEARS. OVER THIS TIME PERIOD I HAVE BLOWN MANY BRAKE LINES. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY IN THAT IT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME IN AN EMERGENCY STOP WHERE DAMAGE AND OR SERIOUS INJURY COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THIS LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED EARLY IN THE MORNING AT A STOP SIGN IN MY RESIDENTIAL AREA. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE AROUND. I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE CONTINUED MOVING AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TURN AROUND AND SLOWLY MOVE BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY. SINCE MODERN VEHICLES ARE LASTING LONGER AND DO TO NEW VEHICLE COSTS MOTORISTS ARE KEEPING THEIR CARS LONGER. THE BASIC AMERICAN VEHICLES BRAKE LINES HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH IN THE LAST 50 YEARS,OTHER THAN SOME CHEAP ATTEMPTS AT EXTERNAL COATINGS. WHY NOT MANDATE ALL MANUFACTURERS USE THE VASTLY BETTER COPPER NICKEL LINES. IT WOULD DEFINITELY SAVE LIVES AND INJURIES NOT TO MENTION COSTLY VEHICLE DAMAGE.
WHILE SITTING AT THE MAILBOX CHECKING MAIL AND PRESSING ON THE BRAKES FIRMLY, THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED RED REPEATEDLY SAYING TO CHECK THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE PLACE. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS ENOUGH BRAKING ABILITY LEFT TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY. ALSO, I AM THANKFUL THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY.
RE: "G.M. RESISTS RECALLING TRUCKS OVER BRAKE LINES", NY TIMES, JULY 7, 2014 IN SPITE OF MY 2003 CHEVY SUBURBAN PASSING NEW HAMPSHIRE'S MANDATORY SAFETY INSPECTION IN MAY OF 2018, IN AUGUST OF 2018 A BRAKE LINE BURST, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE FUNCTION. THE LINE BURST AT A POINT BELOW THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND JUST FORWARD OF THE ABS MODULATOR, WHERE THE LINES CROSS OVER THE TOP OF THE FRAME AND ARE EXPOSED TO WHEEL SPRAY. AT THE POINT OF FAILURE, THE LINES ARE OVERLAID AND OBSCURED BY A LARGE BUNDLE OF ELECTRIC WIRES. THE ATTACHED PHOTO SHOWS THE FAILURE POINT, WITH THE SHEATHED WIRE BUNDLE MOVED UP OUT OF THE WAY. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 167500. WITH REGARD TO THE NHTSA DETERMINATION NOT TO RECALL "ALMOST 1.8 MILLION FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FROM THE 1999 TO 2003 MODEL YEARS FOR CORROSION-RELATED BRAKE FAILURES", AS SUMMARIZED IN THE 7/7/14 NY TIMES ARTICLE, DOES NHTSA'S DECISION TO ABSOLVE GM OF RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS ISSUE ALSO ABSOLVE NHTSA AND/OR GM OF RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY OWNERS THAT THEY ARE IN GRAVE DANGER IF THEY ARE STILL OPERATING THEIR VEHICLES WITH THE ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES? NHTSA SHOULD KNOW FROM THEIR OWN RECORDS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES ARE STILL ON THE ROAD. I KNOW BECAUSE I SEE THEM EVERY DAY. AS FOR GM'S EXCUSES: '"G.M. HAS RESISTED RECALLING THE PICKUPS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, TELLING REGULATORS THAT RUSTED BRAKE LINES ARE A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ISSUE." OBRAKE LINES ARE NOT A MOVING PART. HOW ARE THEY "MAINTAINED"? I HAVE MORE TO SAY, BUT YOU ARE LIMITING ME. *TR
MY COMPLAINT IS THAT GM USED SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS IN OF ALL THINGS THE BRAKE LINES! I LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY WHEN ONE OF MY BRAKE LINES BLEW DUE TO RUST. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? I SHOULD HAVE HAD AT LEAST PARTIAL BRAKING ABILITY DUE TO THE FRONT AND REAR LINES BEING SEPARATE. LUCKILY FOR ME THIS HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE MY FAMILIES THANKSGIVING TRIP, OR ELSE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING 70 ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED! PLEASE DON'T LET GM GET AWAY WITH THIS!
BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND LEAKING. BRAKE LINE TO THE REAR BRAKES LEAKING ON DRIVERS SIDE ABOUT AS FAR BACK AS REAR DOOR LATCH, ABOUT HALF WAY BACK OF THE GAS TANK. BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR WITH MINIMAL STOPPING ABILITY AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKS.
THIS TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH A SUPPLIMENTAL VACUUM PUMP ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER, WHEN IT FAILS BRAKING IS REDUCED BY 50%. THE PART HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY CHEVY WITH NO PLANS FOR A REPLACEMENT. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN 3 SHOPS COMPLAINING OF POOR BRAKES, AND FINALLY THERES A SOLUTION. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO, SCRAP OUT A $10,000 VEHICLE ? IM SURE THIS HIDDEN PROBLEM HAS CAUSED A MANY ACCIDENTS THAT COULD OF BEEN AVOIDED.
I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME STOPPING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY. PEDAL WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. ABS NEVER ACTIVATES BECAUSE WHEELS WILL NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO LOCK UP. (EXCEPT IN SNOW OR ICE) WHEN SITTING STILL PEDAL WILL PUSH ENTIRELY TO THE FLOOR. HAVE REPLACED ALL BRAKES AND ROTORS AND FRONT CALIPERS AND MASTER CYLINDER. SEEMS TO HAVE ALL THE SYMTOMS OF CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V045000, BUT WHEN I ENTER MY VIN NUMBER, THAT RECALL DOES NOT COME UP. I REARENDED SOMEONE ABOUT A YEAR AGO ( NO DAMAGE) SINCE THEN I MAKE SURE TO LEAVE ABOUT 150 FEET BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.
WHILE SLOWING FROM 55MPH TO MAKE A TURN OFF OF STATE HIGHWAY, BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH DUE TO RUPTURED STEEL LINE. PEDAL WENT FULLY TO FLOOR, BRAKES RELEASED AND TURN OFF WAS MISSED. THANKFUL NOBODY WAS IN THE WAY! SHOCKED THAT THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AT JUST 13YRS AND 150K MILES!!
WHILE DRIVING WITH MY TWO DAUGHTERS AND HUSBAND, WE ATTEMPTED TO COME TO A STOP AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. LUCKILY WE WERE NOT GOING THAT FAST JUST 20 MPH. HUSBAND DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM, NO BRAKE FLUID. DROVE VERY SLOWLY TO LOCAL AUTO STORE, FILLED UP BRAKE FLUID. NO CHANGE IN BRAKES. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY HOME WITH HAZARDS ON. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC, UPON INSPECTION, BRAKES LINES COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT! ENTIRE BRAKE LINE TO BE REPLACED, OVER 2000.00 JOB!
WHILE APPLYING MY BRAKES ON HIGHWAY ROUT 87, NEAR ALBANY NY, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WE CRASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. AFTER BEING TOWED TO A AAA REPAIR FACILITY THEY TOLD US THAT THE BRAKES WERE FINE BUT THE STEEL BRAKE LINE HAD BLOWN OUT AND THE FLUID HAD LEAKED CAUSING LOSS OF STOPING POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING... WE SPENT $890.00 PLUS A HOTEL ROOM FOR ONE NIGHT AS WE WAITED FOR THEM TO MAKE A REPAIR TO ONE BRAKE LINE. I RECENTLY FOUND OUT ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE ROTTED OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS MAKES NO SENSE.....THERE IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE HERE. PLEASE REOPEN THE CASE AND ADVISE A RECALL BEFORE A BIG SUV LIKE OURS HURTS SOMEONE IN A SMALL CAR BECAUSE THERE BRAKE LINES FAILED. THEY WON'T KNOW UNTIL ITS TO LATE!!!
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR I HAD DRIVE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO KEEP FROM HITTING THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. THE RIGHT FRONT STEEL HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE FAILED DUE TO RUST.
WHILE TOWING A BASS BOAT AND SLOWING TO TURN INTO A DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR CAUSING ME TO DRIVE INTO AN OPEN FIELD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUMP BRAKES TO STOP. ONCE STOPPED I CHECKED TO FIND A LARGE LEAK IN A BRAKE LINE RUNNING ALONG DRIVERS SIDE REAR FRAME. FORTUNATELY I HAD JUST DRIVEN DOWN A STEEP CURVED HILL. ADDITIONALLY, A SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED ON 8/3/2015 WHEN DRIVING TOWARD AN INTERSECTION STOP SIGN. AGAIN THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CAUSING A NEAR MISS AS THE STOP SIGN WAS DRIVEN THROUGH WHEN I COULDN'T STOP. THIS TIME THE DRIVERS FRONT LINE RUPTURED. ON EXAM HALF THE LINES ARE CLEAR OF RUST AND HALF ARE ALL RUSTED OBVIOUSLY FROM DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS. THIS TIME ALL WILL BE REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT WAS BARELY ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE LINE FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.
MY BRAKES FAILED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN SW OHIO IN TRAFFIC. I AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BY CHANGING LANES ABRUPTLY AND COASTING TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE REPAIR FACILITY INDICATED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF A RUSTED BRAKE LINE THAT FAILED. THE REPAIRS COST ME $1300 PLUS THE COST OF A RENTAL CAR WHILE THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE FEEDBACK OF THE REPAIR FACILITY THAT GM IS AWARE OR THIS DEFECT BUT HAS NOT ELEVATED IT TO A "RECALL". IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A "CAMPAIGN". I WAS NOT INFORMED BY ANYONE, INCLUDING A DEALERSHIP/ THE CAR IS LOW MILEAGE, BUT I DO LIVE IN THE NE WHERE THE CAR HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO CHEMICALS ON THE ROAD. I HAD THE CAR AT A DEALERSHIP NOT MORE THAN 2 WEEKS AGO FOR AN AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR. THIS ISSUE WAS NOT REPORTED TO ME AT THAT TIME.
I HAD JUST COME OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS ON THE EXIT RAMP. WENT TO PRESS MY BRAKES AT THE STOP LIGHT AND MY FOOT WENT TO THE FLOOR. THANKFULLY THE OFF RAMP WAS AN SLIGHT UPHILL SO THAT HELPED ME SLOW AND THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING ACROSS. I WENT THROUGH THE STOP LIGHT AND WAS ABLE TO STOP AFTER THE TURN BY PRESSING THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT 2 OF THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH. THE OTHER LINES WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF RUST SO THEY WERE ALL REPLACED. I WAS THANKFUL THAT MY 4 KIDS AND HUSBAND WERE NOT IN THE CAR AND THAT THERE WAS NO CROSS TRAFFIC OR THIS COULD HAVE HAD A MUCH WORSE ENDING. AFTER SEEING HOW MANY COMPLAINTS THERE ARE ABOUT THE BRAKE LINES ON THE 2003 SUBURBAN, I WOULD HOPE THAT A RECALL WOULD BE ISSUED FOR SAFETY SAKE! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE WORKING UP TO STANDARDS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000.
CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE; BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE STOPPING POWER LEFT TO THE VEHICLE. MECHANIC HAS ADVISED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. *TR
DRIVING IN MY SUBDIVISION I APPLIED THE BRAKE WITH VERY LIMITED/SLOW STOPPING POWER STOPPING. WITH GREAT LUCK IT WASN'T AN EMERGENCY, IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO TERRIBLE IF A KID CAME IN FRONT LAST MINUTE BECAUSE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS INCIDENT. DRIVING VERY SLOWLY HOME AND IN THE DRIVEWAY I HAD ANOTHER PERSON APPLY THE BRAKES AND WHEN THEY DID BRAKE FLUID CAME DUMPING OUT OF THE BRAKE LINES UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED TERRIBLY RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINES. ONE OF THE LINES HAD SPLIT, ALL THE OTHERS COULD GO ANY DAY NOW. READING ONLINE THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, ONE DAY THESE LINES ARE GOING TO BREAK AT THE WRONG TIME AND SOMEONE OR SOME PEOPLE MAY LOSE THEIR LIFE. DO THE RIGHT THING GM. *TR
BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND FAILED ESPECIALLY WHERE THEY ATTACH TO THE ABS MECHANISM UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. *TR
PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. GOT OUT OF TRUCK AND NOTICED BRAKELINE BROKEN UNDER DRIVERSIDE DOOR.. ALL LINES LOOK HORRIBLE. *TR
VEHICLE WAS COMING TO A STOP FROM A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30MPH AND BRAKES FAILED SUDDENLY TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP A NORMAL RATE. DRIVER NEEDED TO SWERVE OFF ROAD TO AVOID COLLISION. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO SIDE CURVE. NOT WARNING SIGN OR LIGHT WAS LIT BEFORE INCIDENT. CLEAR YELLOWISH FLUID DRAINED FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE NEAR DRIVER'S DOOR. *TR
LOSS OF BRAKING POWER AND STOPPING ABILITY. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS YEAR VEHICLE HAD THE INCORRECT BRAKING SYSTEM INSTALLED AT MANUFACTURE. IT IS A 5780 POUND VEHICLE (3/4 TON) WITH 1/2 TON BRAKING SYSTEM FACTORY INSTALLED. ON WAY HOME FROM NY STATE TO FLORIDA I HAD LESS AND LESS STOPPING POWER. BRAKE FLUID UP TO FULL LEVEL. EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM FRONT WHEELS. I DROVE AT SLOWER SPEEDS IN ORDER TO KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE IN FRONT OF ME IN CASE I NEEDED TO STOP QUICKLY, WHICH I FELT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT STOP IN TIME TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED GM TO REPORT AND ASK WHAT CAN BE DONE. IN THE INTERIM I HAVE HAD NEW ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS INSTALLED AS A STOP GAP MEASURE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX AS THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE REQUIRES THE 3/4 TON BRAKING SYSTEM RATHER THAN THE 1/2 TON SYSTEM THAT IS ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WILL BE EXCESSIVE PAD AND ROTOR WEAR AS A CONSEQUENCE. *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.
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