1999 GMC Sierra

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received Defect Petition DP10-003 on March 2, 2010, requesting the investigation of model year (MY) 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD pickup trucks for corrosion failures of the vehicle brake lines.DP10-003 was granted and on March 30, 2010, Preliminary Evaluation PE10-010 was opened on more than six million model year 1999 through 2003 light trucks and sport utility vehicles manufactured and sold by General Motors Corporation (GM).On July 2, 2010, ODI received GM's response to an information request, which included GM's assessment of the frequency and safety consequences of the alleged defect. GM stated that:(1) the brake system of the subject vehicles is split front/rear and should a brake pipe suddenly fail for any reason, the affected vehicle would be capable of stopping with the pressure supplied by the remaining circuit; (2) the subject vehicles were designed to meet the hydraulic circuit partial failure requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 105 and 135, Light Vehicle Brake Systems; and (3) should a brake fluid leak occur for any reason, the brake system malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) would illuminate and warn the driver before the brake fluid level was low enough to cause a loss of line pressure.ODI's and GM's analysis indicates that 85 percent of the complaints occurred on vehicles used primarily in States that use salt on the roads during Winter months (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin).Overall the complaint rates per 100,000 vehicles for Salt Belt States is 43.0 and Non-Salt Belt is 3.0.In approximately 25 percent of the complaints the brake pipe failure occurred suddenly, with no warning (i.e., no MIL, Brake Fluid Loss Warning), and resulted in extended stopping distances.In 30 of these the increase in stopping distance that resulted was a factor in the crash and in 10 others the vehicle was intentionally steered off the road or into another lane of travel in order to avoid a crash.This investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA11-001) for subject vehicles sold or currently registered in Salt Belt States to further assess the scope, frequency and safety risks associated with sudden failures of corroded brake pipes that can result in decreased brake effectiveness. ODI will continue to gather information on subject vehicles outside the Salt Belt as well.

ODI'S REVIEW OF COMPLAINT DATA RECEIVED SINCE THE CLOSE OF EA04-011 REVEALED NO INDICATION THAT THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE RE-OPENED.MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE ENCLOSED IN THE DP05-009 PUBLIC FILE.ODI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION IN THE FUTURE SHOULD CONDITIONS WARRANT.

IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 29, 2005, GM NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT WAS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999 THROUGH 2002 C/K PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) WHEEL SPEED SENSOR CORROSION THAT MAY RESULT IN UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKING (RECALL 05V-379).GM'S RECALL COVERS APPROXIMATELY 804,000 VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING 14 SALT-BELT STATES:CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, AND WEST VIRGINIA.THE RECALL PROCEDURE WILL INVOLVE REMOVING THE SENSOR, CLEANING THE MOUNTING SURFACE, APPLYING A RUST INHIBITOR (ZINC-X) TO THE SURFACE, AND REINSTALLING THE SENSOR.IF NECESSARY, THE SENSOR WILL BE REPLACED. THE POPULATION AND FAILURE REPORT DATA GIVEN IN THIS RESUME ARE FOR THE FULL REGION THAT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BY ODI AS THE SALT-BELT.THAT INCLUDES DELAWARE, IOWA, MARYLAND, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN ADDITION TO THE 14 STATES INCLUDED IN 05V-379.THE STATES COVERED BY GM'S RECALL HAVE THE HIGHEST INCIDENT RATES FOR THE SUBJECT CONDITION, ACCOUNTING FOR 91% OF THE INCIDENTS, BUT ONLY 24% OF SUBJECT VEHICLE SALES IN THE UNITED STATES.ODI'S ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT 840 OF THE COMPLAINTS, 244 OF THE CRASHES, AND 16 OF THE INJURIES IDENTIFIED IN THIS INVESTIGATION OCCURRED IN THOSE STATES.THE RESULTING INCIDENT AND CRASH RATES ARE 96.2 AND 28.0 PER 100,000 VEHICLES RESPECTIVELY (NOTE:RATES ARE BASED ON VEHICLE SALES, NOT REGISTERED VEHICLES). THE CORRESPONDING NUMBERS IN THE EXCLUDED PORTIONS OF THE SALT-BELT ARE 399,000 VEHICLES, 81 INCIDENTS (20.3 PER 100,000 VEHICLES), 3 CRASHES, AND NO INJURIES.THE STATISTICS IN THE REMAINING 30 STATES ARE 2,406,000 VEHICLES, 168 INCIDENTS (7.0 PER 100,000 VEHICLES), 31 CRASHES, AND ONE INJURY.GM AND ODI ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR THE PROBLEM EXPERIENCE IN STATES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.GM WILL PROVIDE ODI WITH UPDATED COMPLAINT, FIELD REPORT, AND WARRANTY DATA IN NOVEMBER 2005.ODI AND GM WILL REVIEW THAT DATA AND ASSESS THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE CURRENT SCOPE OF THE RECALL AT THAT TIME.

GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 805,368 MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT 800 MODEL VEHICLES.THE MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT-800 SERIES VEHICLES THAT WILL BE CAMPAIGNED HAD CONTRIBUTED A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.

WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY I EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. LOOKED UNDER TRUCK AND BRAKE FLUID WAS EVERYWHERE AND THE BRAKE LINES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND HAD BUSTED. LOOKED IT UP AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK BUT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A RECALL?! THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH GM.

NHTSA ID

10747596

Incident

Jul 27, 2015

Mileage

190,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AND WENT TO APPLY BRAKES FOR THE STOP SIGN AHEAD, AND I HAD NO BRAKES. ONCE I HAD THE TRUCK HOME I PARKED IT. I DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH BY HAVING A PIECE OF CARDBOARD UNDER THE TRUCK TO LOCATE THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. I'M SO LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A CAMPER ON THE TRUCK AND HAD GONE ON VACATION TO COLORADO, AS I INTENDED THIS TO BE MY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE FOR THIS PURPOSE. I AM HAUNTED BY THE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS AND CRASHES THAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED TO ME AND MY FAMILY. WIFE, SON, AND TWO DAUGHTERS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE OTHER HUMAN BEINGS END UP SERIOUSLY INJURED, TRAUMATIZED, OR DEATH BEING VERY HIGHLY LIKELY. SO I HAVE A NEAR NEW TRUCK SITTING IN THE YARD FOR NEARLY THE PAST FIVE YEARS. MY ATTEMPT TO INSTALL AFTER-MARKET BRAKE LINES HAS BEEN A FAILURE. GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. I KNOW AS TIME GOES BY OTHER BRAKE LINES ON THESE MODELS WILL RUST AND FAIL. I WILL BE HERE AS A WITNESS, AND SO WILL THE TRUCK AS I HAVE REFUSED OFFERS TO SELL IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10679788

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

58,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN HILL, APPROX SPEED OF 45 MPH, WENT TO APPLY BRAKES WHEN DID HEARD POP NOISE AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO STOPPING. PUMPED ON BRAKES AND GEARED DOWN TRUCK TO SLOW DOWN. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD TO NOTICE THAT FLUID WAS COMING OUT OF THE BODY. WAS ABLE TO GET MIRROR AND RESEARCH AND FIND THE BRAKE LINE HAD CORRODED WITH RUST, AND IT HAS SPLIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10636912

Incident

Sep 14, 2014

Mileage

81,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO SWITCH GEARS IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 196,000.

NHTSA ID

10630663

Incident

Sep 3, 2014

Mileage

196,000 mi

I WAS COMING TO A STOP AND I LOST MY BRAKES I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STOPPED. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC RIGHT AWAY AND WAS TOLD THE BRAKE LINE BURST AND HIT MY GAS LINE BUSTING IT AS WELL. THEY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR OVER 3 WEEKS. THEY REPAIRED THE GAS LINE EASY ENOUGH BUT THE BRAKE LINE HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10628114

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

172,656 mi

DURING MANY OCCASIONS SINCE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK(NEW) ,THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD ACTIVATE AS I AM APPLYING THE BRAKES AND THE TRUCK IS ALMOST STOPPED: LOUD SHUDDER,THE TRUCK WOULD KEEP ROLLING EVEN AFTER PRESSING HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL(AT WALKING SPEED);IT HAS BEEN A RATHER SCARY EXPERIENCE ALL ALONG AS MORE THAN ONCE ,I CAME CLOSE TO HIT OTHER VEHICLES AND MY GARAGE DOOR AND BACK WALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10626188

Incident

Aug 26, 2004

Mileage

30,000 mi

THIS IS THE CONTINUING STORY OF THE UNSAFE BRAKING SYSTEM ON MY 1999 GMC TRUCK. ON 7/15/14 AS I WENT TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT MY BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO SLOW THE TRUCK AND THEN THE PEDAL TRAVEL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR, THE RED WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO HOME AND MANAGED TO SLOWLY MAKE IT SAFELY BACK WHERE I DISCOVERED, FOR THE THIRD TIME, THAT MY BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH. I HAD LOST A PINT OF FLUID AND LATER FOUND THE LEAKING BRAKE LINE. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE RUSTY BRAKE LINES ON MY TRUCK. I REALIZE MY VEHICLE IS OLD, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS. MY 1976 PONTIAC FIREBIRD STILL HAS IT'S ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES THAT SHOW NO SIGNS OF RUST. MY GMC BRAKE LINES ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED. I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $5000 ON REPAIRING THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASING IT NEW IN 1999. I HAVE HAD MORE THAN FIVE VERY CLOSE CLOSE CALLS WITH ASSORTED BRAKE FAILURES WITH THE RUSTY BRAKE LINES, FAULTY ABS SENSORS AND DEFECTIVE WHEEL HUBS. I AM GLAD THAT I AM WRITING THIS COMPLAINT AND NOT MY NEXT OF KIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10614588

Incident

Jul 15, 2014

Mileage

81,000 mi

THE BRAKE LINES IN MY 1999 GMC SIERRA BLEW OUT, AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK BEFORE ENTERING A BUSY HIGHWAY FROM MY DRIVEWAY - THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, PROVIDING VERY LITTLE BREAKING POWER AND TAKING A MUCH LONGER TIME TO STOP AND A MUCH LONGER DISTANCE TO STOP THAN NORMAL . I WAS INFORMED THAT MY BRAKE LINES HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, NEEDING FULL REPLACEMENT, WHICH I HAD DONE LAST WEEK AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE THAT GM KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND FAILED TO INFORM OWNERS OF THEIR VEHICLES TO HAVE THEIR BRAKE LINES INSPECTED! I HAVE OWNED THIS TRUCK SINCE IT WAS NEW, AND MY ADDRESS HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, SO MY ADDRESS IS IN THEIR FILES. *JS

NHTSA ID

10608868

Incident

Jun 29, 2013

Mileage

151,704 mi

This technical bulletin provides a procedure to lube the rear leaf springs on vehicles with the condition of a squeak noise originating from the rear of the vehicle.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have slack in one of the tailgate cables. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.

This Preliminary Information communication advises the technician that the Hydro-Boost is not serviceable and will need to be replaced if the brake pedal moves or applies on its own at a full turn.

CHEVROLET/GMC/CADILLAC: ANYTIME HYDRAULIC BRAKE PIPES ASSEMBLY NEED REPLACING, PRE-FORMED AND PRE-FLARED BRAKE PIPES ARE AVAILABLE, EXCEPT REAR AXLE CROSSOVER PIPE. MODEL 1999-2007 SILVERADO, SIERRA, 2000-2006 ESCALADE MODELS, AVALANCHE, SUBURBAN, TAHOE, YUKON MODELS. *PE UPDATED 7/18/14. *PE UPDATED 12/9/14. *PE

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have slack in one of the tailgate cables. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the percentage of UV protection or tint offered by the windshield or side glass. Technician should be advised Windshield reduces UV rays down to 4% or less. Front side door glass reduces UV rays down to 35% or less. Windshields are SOLAR glass with a light transmittance of >/=70%. Front door glass are Solar glass with a light transmission of >/=70%. Rear door glass, quarter windows and back windows can use either Solar glass (>/=70%) or Privacy glass, which has a light transmittance of 20%.