1996 GMC Suburban Brakes Problems

LIMITED RECALL LIMITS MY SAFETY! I HAD A RECENT CLOSE CALL IN MY 1996 GMC SUBURBAN. THE BRAKES BEGAN TO ANTI-LOCK ON DRY PAVEMENT WHEN ANTI-LOCK ASSISTANCE WAS NOT REQUIRED, THUS GREATLY INCREASING MY STOPPING DISTANCE. THE BRAKES WERE NOT PRESSED HARD; THE ANTI-LOCK SHOULD NOT HAVE ENGAGED. IT WAS A CLOSE CALL BETWEEN MY TRUCK AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. CURRENTLY MY SUBURBAN IS NOT COVERED UNDER GM'S RECENT LIMITED RECALL. HOWEVER, ATTENTION NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO THIS SITUATION; MY TRUCK NEEDS TO BE COVERED. MY CONCERN IS NOT A TRIVIAL, MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS IS AT HAND. GM SHOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE CARE OF A SAFETY ISSUE. I RECENTLY READ AN ARTICLE IN THE DETROIT NEWS ABOUT GM'S RECALL OF 1.4 MILLION 99-02 FULL SIZE TRUCKS AND SUV'S IN 20 STATES. THE RECALL CONCERNS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE WHEEL HUB SENSOR GETTING INACCURATE READINGS. THE ARTICLE BROUGHT THE SEVERITY AND CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THIS RECALL AND MY PROBLEM TO MY ATTENTION. PROPER RECALL PROCEDURES NEED TO COVER ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED, NOT LIMITED BY MILEAGE, AGE, OR LOCATION. SAFETY NEEDS TO BE THE MAIN CONCERN, NOT A POLITICAL OR FINANCIAL AGENDA OF AUTOMAKERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO MY CONCERNS. *NM..UPDATED 07/01/14 *BF

NHTSA ID

10150785

Incident

Dec 22, 2005

DT: 1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 05068 CONCERNING ABS BRAKES ON THE 1999 THROUGH 2002 MODELS. WAS ISSUED. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ALTHOUGH THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER YET, BUT THE CONSUMER KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS MAKE AN MODEL, AND YEAR FOR THE ABS. THE ABS ACTIVATED BETWEEN 3-10 MPH, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS STARTED HAPPENING ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, NOT EVERY TIME. NOW, IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNDER ANY ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS, BUT IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. COULD NOT COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE ABS FAILED.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10136238

Incident

Sep 10, 2005

Mileage

74,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS EXHIBITING NO PROBLEMS. UPON APPROACHING A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AS IF THE ABS SYSTEM WAS KICKING IN, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. I REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BLED ALL BRAKE LINES, AND THE CONDITION STILL EXISTS. I PERFORMED DIAGNOSTICS ON THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO SEVEAL SERVICE MANUALS AND DETERMINED THAT THE ABS MODULATOR VALVE HAS FAILED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO ALLOW BRAKE FLUID TO BLEED INTO THE ABS ACCUMULATOR, WITHOUT GETTING AN ABS DIAGNOSTIC FAILURE LIGHT. I HAD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME FOR OVER 20 MILES WITH SEVERELY LIMITED BREAKING POWER AND WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE ABS BREAKS ON THE VEHICLE THAN HAVE A BREAK SYSTEM THAT CAN FAIL IN THIS MANNER. PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS INEFFECTIVE IN BUILDING BRAKE PRESSURE, AS IS NORMALLY THE CASE WHEN A MASTER CYLINDER FAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100309

Incident

Nov 20, 2004

Mileage

114,346 mi

THIS VEHICAL HAS INTERMITTENT LEFT AND RIGHT PULLING, REDUCED BRAKING PERFORMANCE,PREMATURE PAD WEAR AND REPLACMENT,AND EXPENSIVE SYSTEM UPGRADES.*AK

NHTSA ID

756221

CONSUMER PULLS A TRAILER WITH VEHICLE AND IF USING HAZARD LIGHTS, ALL LIGHTS WILL BLOWOUT, INCLUDING BRAKE LIGHTS. CONTACTED GMC AND TRUCK CUSTOMER RELATIONS WHO STATED CONSUMER COULD NOT USE HAZARD LIGHTS WHILE PULLING A TRAILER.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND BRAKES LIGHT ON THE TRAILER AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE WERE NO LONGER OPERATIVE.*JB

NHTSA ID

898352

Incident

Sep 25, 2001

BRAKE PEDAL IS SPONGY, AND THERE IS EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS REPLACED FRONT PADS AND FRONT DISCS. BUT, DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

895763

Incident

Aug 10, 2001

BRAKES BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH STOPPED TRAFFIC. POWER ASSIST WAS REPLACED AND BRAKES ARE OPERATING FINE. LEARNED THROUGH AUTO PARTS SUPPLIER AND DEALERSHIP THAT THIS FAILURE ON THE SUBURBAN HAS BEEN VERY COMMON.*AK

NHTSA ID

750870

Incident

Jul 14, 2001

TRUCK PULLS WHEN BRAKING. TBS FIX IMPLEMENTED WITH LITTLE TO NO IMPROVEMENT. LAST TIME AT DEALER, DEALER SAID GMC HAS PROBLEM WITH 3/4TON SUBURBAN BRAKES BUT DOESN'T HAVE FIX. NOTHING HE CAN DO. TRUCK HAS HAD COMBINATION VALVE REPLACED, REAR SHOES REPLACED, FRONT PADS REPLACED (5X TOTAL), CALIPERS REPLACED, ROTORS REPLACED, TIE RODS REPLACED, IDLE ARM REPLACED, STEERING BOX AND PITMAN ARM REPLACED, FRONT BRAKE HOSES REPLACED, CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED, AND ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO FIX TO THE PROBLEM. BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY THE VEHICLE WILL GO AND HOW HARD IT WILL TRY TO GET THERE. AS AN ENGINE DESIGNER I FIND IT AMAZING THAT GM HAS A HANDLING/SAFETY ISSUE OF THIS MAGNITUDE. THIS IS A BIG TRUCK TO HAVE SUCH A CONTROLABILITY PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. A SHAULL

NHTSA ID

746971

Incident

Aug 1, 1998

WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES PEDAL BECOMES EXTREMELY SOFT AND NEARLY GOES TO FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. BUT HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

889054

ROTORS WARPED, NEED TO BE TURNED EVERY 5,000 - 7,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

738400

HAD FAULTY TRAILER OUTLET REPACED IN NORWICH,NY,WHILE ENROUTE TO NJ. WHILE TRAVELING DOWN ROUTE 206 IN NJ MY BRAKES FOR THE TREAILER WOULD NOT WORK.THIS WAS ON A STEEP DOWNHILL. WAS ABLE TO STOP BY PULLING INTO AN ELKS CLUB PARKING LOT.MY TRAILER PLUG CAME OUT OF THE SOCKET AND WAS SHREDDED DO TO DRAGGING.AN ERLK MEMBER LET ME BORROW HIS CABLE. THE BORROWED CABLE ALSO CAME OUT TWICE. THE REPLACEMENT CABLE ALSO WOULD NOT STAY IN THE OUTLET UNLESS I TAPPED IT. I REPOTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER, OLIVERS CAMPERS, NORWICH NY. THE RESPONSE THAT I RECIVED WAS I DID NOT KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING.THAT I SHOULD TIE THE PLUG IN WITH WIRE. I WAS NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN TO HAVE THE OUTLET LOOKED INTO. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ROAD HAZZARD. IT MAY BE THE ONLY DEFECTIVE ONE BUT IF NOT HOW MANY DEFFECTIVE OUTLETS ARE THERE? I DO HAVE OTHER TRAILERS AND THEY SEEM TO LOCK OKAY. IT MAY BE THAT IT IS ONLY CERTAIN PLUGS.BUT I FEEL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ID

730106

Incident

Jul 20, 2000

WHEN WE FIRST TEST DROVE THIS VEHICLE WE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE "GRABBING" VERY ABNORMALLY AND WE COMMENTED THAT THE BRAKES HAD A BAD PROBLEM TO THE SALESMAN THAT WAS WITH US, ALSO WE HAD NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DID NOT WORK PROPERLY ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE BRAKES WOULD BE FIXED AND THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WOULD BE FIXED. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD TURNED THE ROTORS ON BOTH FRONT AND BACK BRAKES AND HAD REPAIRED THE WIPER. AFTER WE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES WERE BETTER BUT THEY WERE NOT FIXED. WHEN YOU WOULD APPLY THE BRAKES AT ANY TIME IT WOULD SHIMMY, BUCK AND JUMP. IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP IT WOULD JUMP MANY TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I DON'T MEAN THAT THE FOOT PEDAL WOULD JUMP, I MEAN THAT THE VEHICLE ITSELF WOULD SHIMMY AND JUMP. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO ANOTHER GMC DEALER - GWATNEY GMC- TO HAVE THEM WORK ON THE BRAKES AND THEY AT FIRST THOUGHT THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TURNING AGAIN. AFTER THEY TURNED THEM THE VEHICLE STILL RESPONDED IN THE SAME MANNER. THEY NOW SAY THAT THE ANTI-LOCK SENSOR IS BAD ON THE RIGHT SIDE, (A $500.00 COMPONENT). I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE INDICATOR ON THE DASH NEVER GAVE ME A WARNING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY REPORTS SIMILAR TO THIS PROBLEM FOR THE GMC BRAKING SYSTEM, MALFUNCTIONING OF INDICATORS ON THE DASHBOARD OR IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL FOR ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS. MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW HAS TOLD ME THAT SHE THOUGHT THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ON GMC LIGHT TRUCKS FOR THE YEARS 1993 THRU 1997. I KNOW SOMEONE IN A 1996 GMC JIMMY THAT WAS IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHERE HER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND HER BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN THIS ACCIDENT. IT'S A MIRACLE THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP HER LEG WHICH WAS MANGLED, BROKEN IN SEVERAL PLACES AND CUT UP FROM THIS ACCIDENT.THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ABOUT 96% OF THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

722999

Incident

Feb 20, 2000

REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE FAILURE FOLLOWING VEHICLE BEING PARKED IN WET WEATHER. SOMETIMES THERE IS NEAR TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY, SOMETIMES SEVERE VEHICLE "BUCKING" WHILE TRYING TO STOP. SYMPTOMS DIMINISH AFTER SEVERAL BLOCKS OF DRIVING, RE-APPEAR AFTER VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR A FEW HOURS. DEALER EXAMINED SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED VEHICLE (USED) AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. HAVE TALKED TO OTHER OWNERS OF SUBURBANS AND GMC/CHEVY LIGHT TRUCKS OF SIMILAR VINTAGE AND HAVE FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. RECENT EPISODE INVOLVED INABILITY TO STOP AND VEHICLE CONTINUED CLEAR THROUGH INTERSECTION. I SUSPECT REAR BRAKE LININGS/DRUMS RUST AND TEND TO LOCK/RELEASE WHICH SEEMS TO CONFUSE THE ABS SYSTEM UNTIL LININGS WEAR CLEAN AGAIN. VEHICLE IS A HAZARD TO OPERATE FOR FIRST FEW BLOCKS IN WET WEATHER. *AK

NHTSA ID

722995

Incident

May 18, 2000

VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR ON 3 OCCASIONS. *AK

NHTSA ID

722066

Incident

Apr 10, 2000

A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED WHEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED YELLOW. I TRIED TO STOP AND HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP (THERE WAS A SLIGHT NOISE OF THE BRAKES LOCKING UP) AND I WAS SURPRISED I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP. I RELEASED THE BRAKES TO TRY BRAKING AGAIN. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY LOCKED UP AGAIN. TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE TRUCK, I HAD TO SWERVE BETWEEN IT AND THE CAR IN THE LEFT TURN LANE. MY PASSENGER SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR MADE CONTACT WITH THE BACKSIDE OF THE TRUCK. MY BRAKES FINALLY CAUGHT WHEN MY SUBURBAN WAS AHEAD OF HIS TRUCK. THE PAVEMENT WAS WET BUT IT WAS NOT RAINING. *AK

NHTSA ID

721071

Incident

Mar 24, 2000

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN A PANIC STOP PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

NHTSA ID

858398

Incident

Mar 9, 2000

EA95026, POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE: WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. THIS CONDITION CAUSED A REAR END CRASH. THIS HAPPENS ON ANY TYPE OF ROAD SURFACE AND NO INCLEMENT WEATHER. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

853659

Incident

Oct 11, 1999

WHEN SLAMMING ON BRAKES TO AVOD HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, BRAKES LOCKED UP, AND VEHICLE SLID ABOUT 15 FEET BEFORE STOPPING. CONSUMER STATED THAT GROUND WAS NOT WET. *AK

NHTSA ID

850443

Incident

Oct 12, 1998

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

849272

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPNG DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

848434

THE ABS WOULD FADE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ALSO, AFTER BRAKES WERE APPLIED, VEHICLE SURGED. HAD APPLIED PRESSURE ON BRAKES & VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP/ EXTENDED STOPPPING DISTANCE. *AK

NHTSA ID

846127

Incident

Oct 31, 1996

BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS ON FRONT WHEELS WITHIN EVERY 13,000 MILES OF WEAR. NOTIFIED DEALER AND INFORMED CONSUMER TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER WHO, IN TURN ADVISED CONSUMER TO CONTACT NHTSA. CAN NHTSA HELP OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

844717

Incident

Aug 15, 1996

EA95026, WHILE BRAKING, THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMS "SOFT," AND CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

842910

Incident

Mar 1, 1999

NOTED CAR STOPPED AT RED LIGHT, STARTED BRAKING AT AROUND 300 FEET, 35 MPH, FULL ABS, WET ROAD,IMPACTED REAR AT PERHAPS 10 MPH. JUST TRADED A FORD VAN WITHOUT ABS AND AM CERTAIN IT WOULD HAVE STOPPED IN THAT DISTANCE. FURTHER NOTE: THE SUBURBAN'S TIRE PRESSURE WAS 40 PSI ALL FOUR. *AK

NHTSA ID

708990

Incident

Jun 20, 1999

I HAVE BEEN HAVING ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM RANGING FROM MILD TO SEVERE VIBRATION FELT ON BRAKING. THE DISCS AND ROTORS AND DRUMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN UNDER 40000 MILES. A NUMBER OF OTHER TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN UNSUCESSFUL IN CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

708977