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 1998 GMC Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 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 29, in the owner's own words
I HAVE A 1998 GMC SUBURBAN JUST PURCHASED AND I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN RECALL #05V379000. RESULT WAS MY WIFE SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY. DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL BUT I SURE DON'T WANT HER DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL IT IS FIXED! I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THIS YEAR (1998) IS NOT EFFECTED! YEAH, RIGHT! *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT SPEEDS BELOW 10 MPH, THE ABS WOULD PUMP AND GRAB. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO STOP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT HUB AND BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ABS SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 03/17/06. 8JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V379000 CONCERNING THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN AND THE MODEL YEAR. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HER OWN EXPENSE.*AK
ABS LOCKED AT LOW SPEEDS. *AK
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ABS LOCKED UP AT LOW SPEEDS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME SHE SLOWED DOWN. THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR AT 10 MPH AND SLOWER WHEN PULLING INTO PARKING SPOTS. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS FOR OTHER GMC VEHICLES. RECALL CAMPAIGN #05V379000; ANTI-LOCK. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. THE DEALER WAS CALLED BUT THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION ON THE RECALL YET. *JB (11/17/05) THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE ALMOST WENT THROUGH THE STORE WINDOW AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. *SC
BRAKES DO NOT STOP THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. *AK
CRASH
CONSUMER REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF REPAIRS ON GMC 1998 SUBURBAN. *BF THE CONSUMER LEARNED OF A RECALL REGARDING THE ROTORS, HOWEVER THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR C TYPE TRUCKS NOT K AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING A C IS A TWO WHEEL DRIVE AND THE K TYPE IS FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE. *JB
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED HELEN'S BOY FRIEND ERICK WUNK.*AK FRONT PASSENGER BRAKE ROTOR SEPARATED FROM LUG BOLT HUB. DRIVERS SIDE ROTTER ALSO READY TO SEPARATE. GMC RECALLED THIS PART BUT NOT FOR THE SERIAL NUMBER OF THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. CONSUMER REPLACED PARTS AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. CONSUMER STATES THAT IF THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED HE WOULD HAVE LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TC
ROTORS ON 4WD SUBUBAN RUSTED OUT AT THE WELD BETWEEN THE CAST RIM AND THE STAMPED STEEL INTERWHEEL. THE STAMPED PART HAS THE LUG HOLES, THE CAST RIM IS THE WHAT THE BRAKE PADS GRIP.
THE BRAKE PEDAL BUZZES AND REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL PEDAL PRESSURE AFTER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE REACHES SLOW SPEED. THE PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATING AS THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. THIS PROBLEM PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE VEHICLE REQURES ADDITIONAL DISTANCE TO STOP. OF SPECIAL CONCERN IS THE DANGER TO PEDESTRIANS, PARKING ATTENDANTS AND OTHERS WHO ARE LIKELY TO ENTER, OR ALREADY BE IN, THE VEHICLE'S PATH AS IT COMES TO A STOP. THESE PEOPLE, WHO MAY BE BETWEEN THE STOPPING VEHICLE AND OTHER PARKED VEHICLES, WOULD BE EXPECTING THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN THE USUAL MANNER AND WOULD BE UNAWARE THAT DRIVER IS WRESTLING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE PROBLEM WAS ORIGINALLY INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS ADVISED BY GM TO CLEAN THE ABS WHEEL POSITION SENSORS. THIS CAUSED THE PROBLEM TO BECOME MUCH WORSE AND NOW OCCURS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP. *AK I LIVE ABOUT ONE HOUR OUTSIDE WASHINGTON DC AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO NHTSA FOR INSPECTION OR TEST BY NHTSA PERSONNEL. THIS WOULD PROVIDE THE OPORTUNITY FOR NHTSA STAFF TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE IN THIS TEXT. FROM FIRST HAND INSPECTION AND/OR TESTING NHTSA STAFF COULD BEST DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF RISK PRESENTED BY THIS PROBLEM AND ALSO IT MAY ASSIST THEM WITH DECEIPHERING THE NATURE OF SIMILAR BRAKE RELATED COMPLAINS. PLEASE CALL ME AT THE NUMBERS LISTED ON THIS FORM IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO YOU. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM: THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT IS NOT LIT AND DOES NOT LIGHT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL "BUZZING" OCCURS. I UNDERSTAND THIS TO INDICATE THAT THERE ARE NO MALFUNCTIONS DETECTED WITH THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM AND THAT THIS WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH A WHEEL POSITION SENSOR PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE THE ABS SYSTEM TO OPERATE AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN A SKID.
NAR 04/28/2003. MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL, ENGINE IDLED ROUGHLY, COOLANT SYSTEM LEAKED, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DOME LIGHT, STEERING, THE REAR AXLE, THE LEFT REAR GLASS RATTLED, THE AIR CONDITION, BATTERY, SUSPENSION WERE ALL INOPERATIVE. THE FUEL FILTER, MIRROR TRANSMISSION SEAT, SEAT BELTS, WIPERS, ALTERNATOR, BRAKES, FUEL PUMP. *JB
ABS SYSTEM KICKS ON EVERY TIME VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN, REMOVING BRAKING FORCE. PH
THE ABS BRAKES ON MY 1998 GMC SUBURBAN COME WHEN I COME TO A STOP. (ALL OF THE TIME) I ALSO KNOW OF 4 OTHER 98 GM TRUCKS THAT THIS HAPPEN TO. PLUS ALL OF THE DEALERS I HAVE CONTACTED ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT COSTS ABOUT $700 TO FIX. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE AS WELL AS A DEFECT. I KNOW OF ONE SMALL ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE YOUR STOPPING DISTANCE IS NOW INCREASED. DT
A 4-WHEEL DRIVE, ABS BRAKING ENGAGES UNEXPECTEDLY AND WON'T RETURN TO NORMAL, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER COULD DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK ABS EMGAGES INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VEHICLE JERKS WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. ABS ALSO DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN STOPPING ON DRY PAVEMENT. *YH
DURING SUMMER OF 1999, I NOTICED BATTERY ACID RESIDUE BELOW BATTERY ON LINES AND WIRES. CLEANED OFF WITH OIL. BRAKES WERE MUSHY. IN OCTOBER, 2000 BRAKES SLOWED VEHICLE BUT REQUIRED ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO STOP. NOTICED ADDITIONAL BATTERY ACID BUILD UP ON LINES AND WIRING. BRAKES FAILED NOV. 22, 2000. ADDED BRAKE FLUID. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START ON NOV. 28, 2000. POSITIVE BATTERY POST SEPARATED FROM BATTERY. SPENT TWO HOURS REMOVING BROKEN-OFF BATTERY FROM BATTERY BOLT,CABLES AND INSTALLING BATTERY. POURED BAKING SODA WATER ON AFFECTED AREA OF LINES AND WIRES. *AK
CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY WHICH CULMINATES WITH A COMPLETE SET OF REAR DRUMS TO BE REPLACED AT 3 TO 4000 MILE INTERVALS. DEALER HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TROUBLE-SHOOTING THIS PROBLEM AND BELIEVES THAT THE AXLE FLANGE THAT RECEIVES THE DRUM IS TO SMALL, ALLOWING THE DRUM TO FLOAT WHEN BRAKE PRESSURE IS APPLIED. THIS CAUSES SEVERE VIBRATIONS FROM THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY WHICH IS SIMILIAR TO A PULSING SENSATION ONLY MORE SEVERE. UPON INSTRUCTIONS FROM GM, THE DEALER ORDERED NEW AXLES AND DRUMS BUT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REPLACEMENT DRUMS FIT ON THE NEW AXLE FLANGE THE SAME, HAVING APPROXIMATELY 1/4 INCH OF SPACE BETWEEN THE DRUM AND THE FLANGE. ON 09/13/00 A GM ENGINEER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER, AND DETERMINED THAT THE REAR DRUMS NEED TO BE REPLACED, A NEW AND IMPROVED BRAKE SHOE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED ALONG WITH A FRONT TO REAR PROPORTIONING VALVE IS TO BE INSTALLED. AT THIS TIME I AM JUST WAITING FOR THESE COMPONANTS TO BE INSTALLED AND AM AT THE MERCY OF GM. I APPRECIATE THE DEALERS FORTITUDE IN RESOLVING THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT PURSUED ANY LEMON LAW ACTIONS UNTIL THIS POINT. A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME IS HOW THIS PULSING OF THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM INTERACTS WITH THE VEHICLE'S HANDLING DURING OPERATION ON WET ROADS. WITH BRISK AND FIRM APPLICATIONS OF THE BRAKES, THE REAR WHEELS WILL MOMENTARILY LOCK UP CAUSING AN UNSETTLING OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ONCE BECAUSE OF THIS BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. MY WIFE AND I ARE NOW EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHEN OPERATING DURING WET CONDITIONS BUT FEEL THAT WE ARE AT GM'S MERCY. PLEASE CALL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. THOMAS DOWLING
BOTH FRONT DISC PADS WERE REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT TOTALLY DISINTEGRATED AND THE RIGHT FRONT PAD HAD ONLY A MINIMAL THICKNESS LEFT. BOTH FRONT DISCS HAD SOME SCORING AND BOTH WERE TURNED TO SMOOTH THEM OUT. VEHICLE IS A 1/2 TON GMC SUBURBAN AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED TO TOW. DEALER REPLACED THE DISCS AND TURNED ROTOR AT NO COST STATING THAT IT WASN'T A WARRENTY PROBLEM BUT THAT HE WANTED TO MAINTAIN GOOD WILL BETWEEN ME AND THE DEALERSHIP.
BATTERY ACID WAS LEAKING ONTO FRONT RIGHT BRAKE LINE AND ON HIGH PRESSURE AIR CONDITIONER HOSE, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE FRONT BRAKES ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH TO STOP THE TRUCK. THE BRAKES WILL ONLY LAST 15000 MILES. THAT IS A GOOD INDICATION THAT THEY ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH TO STOP THE TRUCK. I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS DEFECT. THANK YOU. *AK
THE DEFECTIVE KELSEY HAYES ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. ALSO AT A STOP AND WNEN PROCEEDED, ABS BRAKES GRABBED. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE.. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER TRIED TO APPLY BRAKES AND FOUND SHE HAD NONE. NO ACCIDENT/NO INJURIES. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL SEEMS VERY SOFT, AND VEHICLE TAKES LONGER TO STOP. THIS HAPPENS EVERYTIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. OWNER ALSO REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES, AT 19,000 MILES, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. THE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER DETAILS. *AK
SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I OR MY HUSBAND HAVE HIT THE BRAKES, THEY LOCK AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING THE CAR, IT CONTINUES TO SLIDE. I REPORTED THIS TO THE TECHNICIAN AT SILVEIRA PONTIAC AFTER THE FIRST ACCIDENT IN 1998. HE TOLD ME THAT WAS THE NATURE OF ABS BRAKES, I HAD A VAN BEFORE MY SUBURBAN THJAT HAD ABS BRAKES AND I /WE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. IN FEB. 1999 WE HAD THE BRAKES REDONE AT MARIN-PONTIAC-BUICK-GMC AND WE WERE HOPING THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED: HOWEVER IT WAS NOT AND IT RESULTED IN MY HAVING A SECOND ACCIDENT.( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: 2457512R16 )
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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