2003 Chevrolet Tahoe Brakes Problems

WELL MY AIR BAG LIGHT STAY ON NEVER GOES OVER AND MY DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT EVEN LOCK AT ALL. THEN I KEEP HEAR THIS POPPING NOISE THAT COME FROM HUB AND SHOCKS AND NOTHING ON MY DASH WORKS 1ST IT STARTED OFF BY I COULDNT SEE WHAT GEAR I WAS IN. MY DRIVER SEAT U PUSH THE BUTTON TO GO FORWARD IT MOVES THE SEAT BACK. MY HEAT BLOWER HAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH AND IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS PURPLE WIRE ON THE FLOOR BORED. NOW MY TRUCK CANT GET ON THE FREE WAY BECAUSE EVERY THIME I GET ON THE FREEWAY AND ON THE FREE WAY FOUR MORE THEN 10-15 MIN MY TRUCK JUST SHUTS OFF. MY HEATED SEATED ONLY STAY ON FOR 1 TO 2 MIN AND THEN KEEPS SHUTTING OFF. MY BACK SEATS DONT LET DOWN AT ALL. THEN AT THE BOTTOM OF MY TRUCK WHERE THE OIL PAN IS FOR SOME REASON THERE IS ALWAYS ALOT OF OIL ALL OVER AT THE BOTTOM LIKE SOMEONE JUST DIP MY TRUCK IN A BIG BOWL OF OIL. THEN WHEN MY IGNITION WHERE THE YELLOW BLACK AND RED WIRE GO TO THE TOP OF MY IGNITION THE BLACK PLUG IS REAL LOSE AND CAN'T REPLACE AT ALL. AND WITH EVERYTHING ON NOW WITH MY INCOME IM ALREADY OUT OF $5,000 ALREADY FOR PARTS AND LABOR THIS IS MU ONLY CAR I HAVE AND I REALLY NEED MY CAR RIGHT NOW DONT HAVE MONEY TO GO BUY A NEW TRUCK OR CAR. I REALLY NEED MY TRUCK IT MEAN ALOT TO ME.

NHTSA ID

11397239

Incident

Dec 16, 2020

Mileage

148,964 mi

DESCENDING A GRADE APPROACHING A T INTERSECTION BRAKE PEDDLE WENT NEARLY TO FLOOR. CAUSE WAS A SEVERELY RUSTED REAR BRAKE LINE. THIS LINE IS ROUTED ABOVE THE LEFT FRAME RAIL IN A NEARLY INACCESSIBLE AREA, SO THE NOTION THAT THIS IS AN OWNER MAINTENANCE ISSUE IS GARBAGE.

NHTSA ID

11243834

Incident

Aug 9, 2019

Mileage

58,000 mi

EXITING FROM THE EXPRESSWAY WITH TRAFFIC LIGHT ABOUT 20 YARDS AWAY, CARS WERE STOPED DUE TO RED LIGHT AND I AM COMING DOWN HILL EXITING. APPLYING THE BREAKS AND THE PADDLE GOES TO THE FLOOR, I REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE ON THE FAR RIGHT .

NHTSA ID

11088707

Incident

Jul 27, 2017

Mileage

93,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AT THE END OF THE ROAD ON A FLAT AREA ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, AND MASTER CYLINDER WERE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO IN AUGUST OF 2016 BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

11031552

Incident

Oct 2, 2017

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE. THE ABS AND THE PARKING BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 172,000.

NHTSA ID

10957180

Incident

Feb 26, 2017

Mileage

172,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES TOTALLY FAILED. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKES AT ALL. VEHICLE HAD TO RUN OFF THE ROAD AND STOP USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. AS SOON AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THEN WARNINGS LIGHT TO SERVICE ABS STARTED FLASHING AND BEEPING. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE FLUID AND A LARGE RUPTURE WAS FOUND IN THE BRAKE LINE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR.

NHTSA ID

10950169

Incident

Jan 24, 2017

Mileage

202,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BRAKE FLUID ALL OVER THE DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED AND LEAKING FLUID. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10944654

Incident

Jan 12, 2017

Mileage

110,000 mi

I HAVE AN 03 TAHOE Z71 200000 MILE AND BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED OUT, NOW I HAVE READ OVER SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE RANGING FROM 40000 MILE ALL THE WAY UP TO 280000 MILE, EVEN COMPLAINTS BACK TO WHERE THIS TRUCK WAS A FEW YEARS OLD, WHY ARE YOU STILL ALLOWING GM TO MASS PRODUCE THESE VEHICLES WITH NO PUNISHMENT WITH FAULTY BRAKE LINES. THERE WHERE 2015 MODEL SILVERADO'S, AND TAHOE WITH THIS ISSUE. DEMAND A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE PLEASE.

NHTSA ID

10944017

Incident

Jan 9, 2017

WHILE BRAKING A LITTLE HARDER THAN NORMAL TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, THE BRAKE LINE JUST BELOW THE DRIVERS AREA BLEW AND THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE SERVICE ALARMS WENT OFF ON THE DASH. I WAS GOING DOWN HILL AT THE TIME BUT STILL HAD ENOUGH BRAKE TO STOP. I WAS GOING ABOUT 35 MPH AT THE TIME OF FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10919745

Incident

Oct 27, 2016

Mileage

83,000 mi

FRONT BRAKE LINE BLEW OUT JUST AS I WAS PULLING IN MY DRIVEWAY.I BOUGHT THE TRUCK USED IN JULY OF 2015 THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND PEELING

NHTSA ID

10875354

Incident

Jun 18, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL JUST WENT TO THE FLOOR I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. I WAS FORCED TO STEER INTO THE DITCH TO AVOID A COLLISION. AFTER HAVING THE TRUCK TOWED HOME I DISCOVERED A BRAKE LINE HAD POPPED DUE TO RUST. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES

NHTSA ID

10853848

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

68,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE BRAKES WERE ABRUPTLY APPLIED TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND THE CONTACT SWERVED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA ID

10853001

Incident

Mar 31, 2016

Mileage

68,000 mi

METAL BRAKE LINE UNDER TRUCK BURST . LOOKS LIKE IT RUSTED THROUGH. ALL OTHER LINES RUSTED ALSO. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ID

10838763

Incident

Feb 26, 2016

Mileage

162,000 mi

DRIVING ON ICY ROAD ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED AND BRAKE LINE RUPTURED, ADN WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP.

NHTSA ID

10821946

Incident

Jan 22, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

HARD METAL BRAKE LINE FAILURE DURING EMERGENCY, HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, STOP. NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO AVOID ENTERING AN INTERSECTION, AS THE LEAD CAR. BRAKING WAS FIRM, BEFORE PEDAL DESCENDED STEADILY TOWARD THE FLOOR. PUMPING PROVIDED SOME FRICTION, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE A MINORITY OF THE SYSTEM'S CAPACITY. THE FAILURE WAS A HOLE DEVELOPED IN THE LINE, ALONG ITS PATH TO THE PASSENGER FRONT BRAKE CALIPER. THE BRAKE LINES SHOWED ALARMING CORROSION LEVELS, WHICH WHILE POTENTIALLY UNDERSTANDABLE FOR A 13 YEAR OLD NORTHEAST OUTDOOR WINTER TRUCK, WAS A SYMPTOM OF CATASTROPHIC POTENTIAL. *JS

NHTSA ID

10817143

Incident

Dec 23, 2015

Mileage

131,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. WHILE TOWING A 6000 POUND TRAILER AND DESCENDING DOWN A HILL AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE INTO A FIELD TO EVENTUALLY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID

10816936

Incident

Nov 9, 2015

Mileage

60,000 mi

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2003 CHEVY TAHOE TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE WITHOUT ANY WARNING BRAKES TOTALLY WENT OUT, GOD MUST HAVE BEEN WATCH OVER HER BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY, THANK GOD FOR EMERGENCY BRAKES. GM STATE THAT THE VEHICLE WILL STOP WHEN THE BRAKE LINE GIVE AWAY WILL THAT BULL [XXX]! THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE THAT WE HAVE HAD BRAKES LINE GO OUT ON FIRST MY 2002 CHEVY SILVERADO WITH 41000 MILES ON IT AND NOW OUR 2003 CHEVY TAHOE WITH APPROXIMATELY 90'000 BOTH WITHIN A WEEK OF ONE OTHER. ALSO MY STEPSON HAS A 2006 CHEVY SILVERADO THAT THE BRAKES WENT OUT ON TWO WEEKS AGO IS A HOSPITAL PARKING LOT THAT WAS ALMOST DEVASTATING. *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10780975

Incident

Sep 8, 2015

Mileage

91,000 mi

FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED 9/05/2014. SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED 09/06/2015. FIRST INCIDENT BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND FLUID POOLED UNDER TRUCK. BRAKE LINE BROKE IN DRIVEWAY. SECOND INCIDENT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND THE TRUCK WAS DRIVING 20MPH WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR ON A BUSY STREET. THERE WERE NO BRAKES TO BE USED.

NHTSA ID

10761910

Incident

Sep 5, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

RUSTED BRAKE LINES RESULTING IN FAILURE OF BRAKING SYSTEM. BRAKE LINES SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN THE SERVICE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. HENCE NO BRAKE LINES SHOULD EVER BE MADE OUT OF STEEL. ESPECIALLY ON ON A SYSTEM AS CRITICAL AS THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE COSTED ME MY FAMILY. THE THE ETHICAL THING FOR ANY COMPANY TO DO. IS RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WOULD BE AN ISSUE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON A VEHICLE THAT BY ITSELF WEIGHS 5,000 POUNDS. WITHOUT A TRAILER OR ANY PAYLOAD ATTACHED TO IT.MANY OF PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN AS FORTUNATE AS MYSELF. THE VEHICLE IS. OTHERWISE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. TO THIS DAY.IF FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES GET RECALLED IT'S COMMON SENSE TO RECALL A BRAKE ISSUE. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE BRAKES TOTALLY FAIL WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I HAVE BEEN BUILDING CARS SINCE I WAS A KID.AND THIS IS A FIRST. TO SEE A BRAKE LINE BURST. BECAUSE OF THE CORROSION. IF GM DOESN'T WANT TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES. THE AT LEAST LET THE OWNERS BUY THE PARTS AND GM INSTALL THEM. AND FOR GM TO STATE THAT THIS A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME ANYBODY THOUGHT TO CHECK FOR RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINES WHEN. THEY WERE CHANGING THE OIL OR DOING A TUNE UP .OR CHANGING BRAKE PADS OR TIRES. THOSE ARE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OWNER MAINTENANCE ISSUES. MY 2004 FORD F350 HAS 220 THOUSAND MILES. RUNS GREAT TO BUT THE BRAKE LINES AREN'T ROTTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WHAT GM IS CLAIMING IS A EXTREMELY WEAK ARGUMENT. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

NHTSA ID

10747209

Incident

Aug 11, 2014

Mileage

218,000 mi

BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED BY CORRODED BRAKE LINES. INCIDENT OCCURRED AT BOAT RAMP, COULD HAVE EASILY LOST TRUCK IN WATER. MASTER CYLINDER NEARLY EMPTY AND NO INDICATION OF ISSUE PRIOR TO FAILURE. THE TRUCK GIVES WARNING WITH LOW WASHER FLUID BUT NOT BRAKE FLUID? MECHANIC REPAIRING BROKEN LINES, BUT HOW SOON UNTIL ANOTHER HAS ISSUE?

NHTSA ID

10724882

Incident

Jun 6, 2015

Mileage

128,000 mi

BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT AND LEAKED FLUID RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE

NHTSA ID

10722407

Incident

May 28, 2015

Mileage

102,356 mi

WAS BACKING UP TO PARK AND BRAKE LINE RUPTURED SENDING BRAKE PEDAL COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PARK THE CAR. WHEN I CHECKED ON IT LATER THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID BY THE BACK DRIVER SIDE TIRE. UPON EXAMINING THE BRAKE LINES A VISIBLE RUPTURE COULD BE SEEN BEHIND THE BACK DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE BRAKES LINES HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THANK GOODNESS I WAS ALREADY GOING SLOW DON'T WANT TO IMAGINE IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND NEEDED TO STOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10713402

Incident

Apr 25, 2015

Mileage

103,000 mi

STOPPED AT MAILBOX TO COLLECT MAIL. BRAKED, PUT VEHICLE IN PARK. STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL TO PLACE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, FELT 'POP' SENSATION IN THE PEDAL. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION, AT LEAST ONE LINE HAS RUPTURED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10691571

Incident

Feb 25, 2015

Mileage

156,125 mi

1) 12/23/2014 - SITTING IN PHARMACY RX DRIVE-THRU WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. WITHOUT WARNING, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. ASSESSED PROBLEM AND DETERMINED BRAKE LINE FEEDING REAR BRAKES BURST FROM CORROSION. FIXED BRAKE LINE NEXT DAY. 2) 1/27/2015 - IRONICALLY, SITTING IN FAST-FOOD DRIVE-THRU. EXACT SAME AS ABOVE OCCURRED. DETERMINED ALL 4 BRAKE LINES LEADING TO THE FRONT OF VEHICLE WERE SPLIT AND CORRODED CAUSING LOSS OF FLUID AND FULL BRAKING CAPABILITY. I WAS FORTUNATE (AND LUCKY) THAT I WAS AT A STAND STILL EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED. COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED. ESPECIALLY WITH THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10679349

Incident

Dec 23, 2014

Mileage

109,000 mi

THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE (3) OCCASIONS THAT A METAL BRAKE LINE ON THIS VEHICLE HAS RUPTURED. THE RESULTS WERE AN IMMEDIATE AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. I HAVE TO LET THE VEHICLE COAST TO A STOP WHILE USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO ASSIST. I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA SO IN ALL THREE TIMES I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT WERE LIGHT OR NO TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10672461

Incident

Jul 15, 2013

Mileage

150,000 mi