1997 Chevrolet Tahoe SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

WHEN PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO FLOOR. PULLED BACK INTO GARAGE TO SEE WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE RUNNING DOWN DRIVERS SIDE FRAME RAIL WAS RUSTED THROUGH BACK BY WHERE IT EXITS THE FRAME TO GO TO THE T FITTING FOR REAR BRAKES. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY 97 CHEVY TAHOE HOME WITH MY 2 KIDS IN THE TRUCK WHEN THE REAR BRAKE LINE BLEW. LUCKILY SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO COME TO A QUICK STOP. WHEN SHE GOT HOME I INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THE REAR BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT AND LOOKED AT THE REST OF THEM THEY ARE ALL RUSTED SEVERELY. *TR

ABS ACTIVATION DURING SLOW MOTION, UNDER 10MPH. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM. BOTH TIMES ONE OF THE HUBS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS TIME I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO CLEAN THE SENSORS (AS SUGGESTED BY CHEVY SERVICE UPDATES) TO TRY AND SAVE MONEY. IT DIDN'T WORK ALONG WITH TRYING TO REPLACE THE SENSOR. NOW I HAVE TO HAVE A HUB REPLACED AGAIN. I'VE BEEN LUCKILY SO FAR BECAUSE I KNOW OF THE PROBLEM, BUT I'VE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS WITH HITTING CARS IN PARKING LOTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS ENGAGES WHEN THE GROUND IS DRY AND PULSATES VERY HARD WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. HE STATED THAT THIS SHOULD ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND OR WHEN IT IS WET. IN NOVEMBER OF 2000, THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL AND CHEVROLET REPAIRED THE BRAKES. THERE WERE NO FAILURES FOR 18,000 MILES. CURRENTLY, AT 40,500 MILES, THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,500. UPDATED 10/16/08. *LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT HUB. UPDATED 10/17/08. *JB

FOR ABOUT A YEAR I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATES INTERMITTENTLY ON DRY PAVEMENT AT SLOW SPEEDS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ISSUE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY PROBLEMATIC, ACTIVATING NEARLY EVERY TIME I APPLY THE BRAKES (MANY TIMES EVEN IF I DON'T APPLY THE BRAKES!) AND I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR FEAR THAT I MAY NOT COMPLETELY STOP BEFORE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE ABS SYSTEM ON CHEVY TAHOES, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN 1997. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE NHTSA WEB SITE HAD POSTED A REMEDY: REMOVE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND CLEAN THE WHEEL SPEED SURFACE, GREASE THE MOUNTING SURFACE, REINSTALL THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND CHECK THE PEAK-TO-PEAK OUTPUT VOLTAGE TO ENSURE THE WHEEL SPEED SIGNAL IS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. I TOOK A COPY OF THE REMEDY TO MY MECHANIC, WHO PROMPTLY FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTIFIED ME THAT THE REMEDY FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED AN NHTSA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND ASKED IF AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED REGARDING THIS DEFECT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS NO INVESTIGATION AS OF YET. WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE BEEN READING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, MY QUESTION IS: WHY HASN'T THIS ISSUE OF ABS SYSTEM FAILURE IN 1997 TAHOES BEEN ADDRESSED? IF THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING IN VEHICLES (REGARDLESS OF THE YEAR MODEL) AND THE RECALL HAS BEEN LIMITED TO ONLY A FEW YEAR MODELS, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE ABS SYSTEM FAILURE ON THE 1997 TAHOE IS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN REGARDING SAFETY? I AM REQUESTING THE BOARD TO LOOK AGAIN AT THE ABS COMPLAINTS AND INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION SO THAT GM WILL TAKE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS SYSTEM. THANK YOU. *TR

ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTIONING. ABS COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT. *NM

SPEED SENSORS FAILING ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. *TR

STARTED NOTICING APPROX. 1 YEAR AGO THAT THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE AT LOW SPEEDS (LESS THAN 10 MPH) WHEN IT SHOULDN'T (IE: DRY CONDITIONS, CLEAR ROAD) WHICH MAKES COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP A SCARY AND QUESTIONABLE EVENT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT 10 MPH THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ENGAGE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE YEAR. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ANTI LOCK (ABS) BRAKE SYSTEM. THE ABS WILL ACTIVATE WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. THE SPEEDS WHEN THE ABS ACTIVATE VARIED FROM 3-10 MPH. THIS HAPPENED UNDER ANY DRIVING CONDITIONS. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON TO INDICATE THERE WAS A BRAKE FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CALLED AND ASKED HIM TO BRING THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THERE WAS A RECALL BUT IT DDID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NO ACCIDENT YET. MY 1997 TAHOE IS EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS DESCRIBED IN THE MEDIA FOR 1999 AND NEWER GM TRUCKS REGARDING THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FOR THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. STOPPING FROM SPEEDS UNDER 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL CHATTERS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE UNIT MOANS, AND THE TRUCK IS SLOW TO COMPLETELY STOP. THIS STARTED SPORADICALLY LAST WINTER AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE, NOW ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME. I CALLED CHEVROLET'S CUSTOMER SERVICE TODAY (10/13/2005) AT 11:10, SPOKE TO BAGAYA BONNER WHO TOLD ME THE RECALL AFFECTED 2000-2002 TAHOES. MINE WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED, AND IF I HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED, IT WOULD BE AT MY EXPENSE (GM WOULD NOT REIMBURSE SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE). I AM USING TODAY'S DATE AS THE INCIDENT DATE, BUT THE PROBLEM BEGAN LATE FALL 2004 AND IS ONGOING. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. CONTACT COMPLAINED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE ABS BRAKES ACTIVATED. CONTACT DID NOT EVEN HAVE TO BE DRIVING HE COULD JUST PUT IT IN GEAR AND THE BRAKES WILL ACTIVATE. WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 15MPH ABS BRAKES WILL ACTIVATE. NO RECALL CAMPAIGN #. NO CRASHES. NO POLICE REPORTS. NO INJURIES. *AK

MY 1997 CHEVY TAHOE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AS THE BATCH OF TRUCKS IN TODAY'S GM RECALL. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WENT ON WHEN THE CAR WAS AT VERY SLOW SPEED, LIKE PULLING UP TO A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN. I PAID $300 TO A MECHANIC TO CLEAN THE SAME SENSOR IN THE RECALL. WHY DID THE RECALL STOP AT THE 1999 MODEL YEAR? *JB

DT: THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, WHEN GETTING BELOW 10 MPH THE BRAKES SURGE AND INCREASED IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATING. THIS HAPPENS ON DRY ROADS. THIS STARTED HAPPENING ON JULY 1, 2005. IT HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY, AND NOW IT HAPPEN EVERY TIME WHEN THE CONSUMER COMES TO A STOP. CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY CHARGED THE CONSUMER TO FIX THE BRAKES. THERE IS A RECALL, BUT ONLY FOR CANADA. *AK *JB

DEAR NHTSA: I AM A SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND OWNER OF A 1997 CHEVY TAHOE 4WD VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE MID-2001. A FEW MONTHS AGO I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT PERIODICALLY, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN PULLING TO A STOP. I CAN HEAR AND FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM PULSING THE BRAKES RAPIDLY, BUT IT PROVIDES EXTREMELY POOR STOPPING ABILITY. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WITH CARS IN FRONT OF ME, NOT TO MENTION PEDESTRIANS IN CROSSWALKS. THIS IS NOT CORRECT. I AM A FORMER ENGINE DESIGNER AND HAVE WORKED FOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I UNDERSTAND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND CAN TELL YOU THIS ISN'T GOOD...OR SAFE. I NOTICED IN THE PAPER THAT THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE REGARDING GM TRUCK ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEMS. ADDITIONAL INTERNET RESEARCH CONFIRMED THIS. I AM LOGGING THIS COMPLAINT SO THAT NHTSA IS AWARE OF MY PROBLEM IN THE HOPES THAT GM WILL FIX THE PROBLEM FOR ME. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR YET, AS I WAS RESEARCHING TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. IS NHTSA AWARE OF THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION? I LIVE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN...LAND OF A LOT OF SALT AND METAL CORROSION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. SINCERELY, TIM HIGGINS. *NM

AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED, JUST BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS ABOUT TO STOP,THE BRAKE RELEASES AND THE VEHICLE ROLLS 2-3FEET. BEFORE IT STOPS. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPENSE TO MYSELF REPLACING BRAKE PARTS THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK I RECENTLY FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT DESCRIBES THIS PROBLEM. I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT GMC EXPENSE FOR A POOR DESIGN BUT THEY DO NOT AGREE. THE VEHICLE IS A 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE

ROTORS WARPING WITH NORMAL USE EVERY 3000-4000 MILES. HAD TO REDO FRONT BRAKES 5 TIMES IN 20,000 MILES. REPLACED ROTORS, PADS, CALIPERS, BRAKE HOSE, ROTORS TURNED AND STILL HAVE PROBLEMS.

CAME TO INTERSECTION AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND BRAKES FAILED TO EVEN SLOW THE VEHICLE WHEN DEPRESSED. THE PEDAL WAS AS FIRM AS ALWAYS, BUT IT WAS AS IF THERE WERE NO DRUMS OR DISCS ON THE WHEELS. MY WIFE HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION A FEW DAYS EARLIER AND I THOUGHT SHE HAD JUST HAD THE ABS WORKING AND WASN'T USED TO IT. THERE WAS NO ABS PULSING. DT

WHILE DRIVING 25MPH BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING A NEAR ACCIDENT.*AK

BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY WHEN DRIVING AND TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES.CONSUMER WILL PUSH BRAKES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKE MAKES A LOUD NOISE ON HARD STOPS AND THERE IS EXTENDED BRAKING AT SPEEDS OVER 40 MPH, BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN FOUR YEARS. *YD

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN STOPPING AT A LIGHT. THE BRAKE BECAME HARDER TO PUSH AND CONSUMER COULD HEAR A HISSING SOUND, THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE VACUUM POWER BRAKE UNIT.*JG

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, INSTEAD THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A STORE, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER, ALTHOUGH FULL OF FLUID, HAD FAILED, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *TT

LEFT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR SEPARATED. THAT IS TO SAY, THE DISC ACTUALLY SEPARATED FROM THE HUB. THE SEPARATION CAUSED LOSS OF BRAKING ON THAT WHEEL. THE VEHICLE PULLS HARD TOWARD THE RIGHT(BECAUSE OF THE REMAINING ACTIVE BRAKE). CONCERNS: AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER MAY HAVE ROLLED THE VEHICLE WITH THE SUDDEN HARD PULL TO THE RIGHT; HAD BOTH ROTORS FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, A COMPLETE LOSS OF FRONT BRAKES WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RESULT. I HAVE THE FAILED PART. THE REPAIR SHOP WHO FIXED THE VEHICLE TOLD ME THEY SEE THIS KIND OF FAILURE ON A REGULAR BASIS. THUS TYPE OF COMPOSITE ROTOR IS COMMON ON MANY GM VEHICLES. HAVING EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE, I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF CRASHES MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE ROTOR FAILURE, BUT THE "BROKEN" ROTOR COULD HAVE BEEN ASSUMED TO BE A RESULT OF THE CRASH? I HAVE NOT CONTACTED GM AT THIS POINT. I HAVE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS VEHICLE I AM ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS WITH GM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART AM BEING TOLD THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I FELT NHTSA SHOULD BE AWARE OF, AND WILL, HOPEFULLY, LOOK INTO. THANK YOU, AND I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.*AK *TR