2001 Chevrolet Tahoe PARKING BRAKE

THE PARKING BRAKE WAS INOPERABLE. WHEN PARKING ON AN INCLINE AND THE PARK BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED. *JB *SC

PARKING BRAKES WORN OUT PRE-MATURELY.*AK

MY PARKING BRAKES FAILED THE ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH A CABLE AND THAT IF NOT FIXED COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO A ROTOR. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO HELP PAY THE COST. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THE PARKING BRAKE ON THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WEAK SINCE PURCHASE. YET IT HAS PASSED THE SAFETY INSPECTION IN THE PAST.*AK

I HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED BECAUSE I WAS HEARING A SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT ENGAGING. PARKING BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AT 39,707 MILES. I PAID $246.99 TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. I HAVE NEVER,(NEVER) DRIVEN THE VEHICLE WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ON AND WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT THE PADS NEEDED REPLACED. I HAVE OWNED TWO NEW VEHICLES IN THE PAST 17 YEARS AS WELL AS USED VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PARKING BRAKE ISSUES. I FEEL THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM WHICH IS CAUSING THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE ON THERE OWN.*AK

AS WITH MANY OTHER TAHOE OWNERS, I HAVE THE PROBLEM OF PREMATURE PARKING BRAKE FAILURE IN MY 2001 TAHOE. I RARELY USE IT. AT 50,000 MILES IT NEEDS A SECOND REPLACEMENT. IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T TEST IT YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM UNTIL YOUR TRANSMISSION PARK FEATURE FAILS. THEN IT IS JUST A MATTER OF WHO OR WHAT IS DOWN HILL. *JB

EMERGENCY BRAKES - MISSING PARTS NEW FROM FACTORY. (NON FUNCTIONING) YR AND VEHICLE - 2001 TAHOE 1500 I HAVE ALL RECORDS ON THIS VEHICLE FROM NEW. THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ON THIS TRUCK, IS MISSING THE "ACTUATING PIN"(ONE PASSENGER SIDE) WHICH ALLOWS THE BRAKE EMERGENCY SHOE (INSIDE THE ROTOR) TO EXPAND WHEN THE CABLE IS PULLED. THIS CAUSED ONLY ONE REAR WHEEL TO WORK, ......WEARING OUT THE SHOE AND SCORING THE ROTOR..............(THE OTHER ROTOR AND SHOE ARE STILL NEW). SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS OVER 36,600 MILES, IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT IS HOW MANY OTHER, TAHOE, SUBURBAN ETC. ARE MISSING "ACTUATING PINS" INSIDE THE ADJUSTER, RENDERING IT USELESS. IN THE CASE OF A BRAKE FAILURE, THE E-BRAKES WOULD BE USELESS. THIS HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE NEW......I HAVE THE DIAGRAMS FROM GM SHOWING THE MISSING PART, AND PHOTOS OF MY BRAKES WITH THE MISSING PART (PLEASE NOTE THE PART IS INSIDE AN ENCLOSED PISTON........NOT ABLE TO GET LOST, ALSO ONE SHOE IS COMPLETELY GONE THE OTHER IS STILL NEW. *JB

AT 24,000 MILES THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED. THE DEALER STATES BECAUSE THEY PRODUCED A THINNER PART THE BRAKE WEARS PREMATURELY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWN A HILL AND COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. PHONE INTERVIEW UPDATE (APRIL 5, 2006): MS. ARNECKE SAID THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ROLL AWAY; THE VEHICLE FAILED THE TEXAS STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THE PARKING BRAKES.

I BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM IN 2001 TAHOE'S. I LEARNED OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN I WENT TO HAVE MY CAR INSPECTED IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. WHEN I DROVE UP, THE INSPECTOR SAID, " WE MIGHT AS WELL TRY YOUR EMERGENCY BRAKES FIRST SINCE THEY WILL PROBABLY FAIL." I ASKED HER WHY AND SHE SAID THAT ALMOST ALL TAHOE'S DO FAIL. MINE DID. THE INSPECTOR TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED AT A DEALER. I WENT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER AND I TOLD THEM I HAD A TAHOE AND IT HAD FAILED THE INSPECTION, THE SERVICE MANAGER INTERUPTED AND SAID, "YOUR EMERGENCY BRAKES FAILED, DIDN'T THEY?" I ASKED HOW HE KNEW AND HE SAID. " THEY ALMOST ALL DO." HE SAID THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM FAIL WITHIN ONE OR TWO YEARS. HE EXPLAINED THAT WHEN YOU DO NOT USE YOUR EMERGENCY BRAKE THERE IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM ACTIVATE AND RUB AGAINST THE DRUM. EVENTUALLY THEY WEAR OUT. HE STATED HE WISHED CHEVROLET WOULD RECALL THE SYSTEM. I WROTE TO CHEVROLET. THEY CLAIM MY BRAKES WORE OUT WITH REGULAR USE. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, I HAVE NEVER USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ON MY CAR. IN FACT I STILL HAVE THE SAME FACTORY INSTALLED REGULAR BRAKES ON MY CAR. I BELIEVE THIS EVENTUAL EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE IN CARS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUSE ACCIDENT BY FAILING AT THE WRONG TIME. SO DO THE MECHANICS I SPOKE WITH AND THE CITY INSPECTORS IN MEMPHIS. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET DOES NOT KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. WHILE I DO NOT BELIEVE CHEVROLET WILL BE HONEST ABOUT THIS SITUATION, I BELIEVE ANY DEALER MECHANIC WILL. THE ONE THAT WORKED ON MY CAR VOLUNTEERED THAT IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED I CALL YOU.*AK

THE EMERGENCY BREAK WENT OUT (WHICH MADE A METAL TO METAL NOISE ALL TIMES WHEN THE SUV IS MOVING) CAUSING THE REAR BRAKE TO GO OUT. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALER ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS AND THEY STATED THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY THEREFORE IF THEY LOOK IT WILL COST ME. THE DEALER STATED I DROVE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKE TO GO OUT, WHICH IS UNTRUE. I WENT TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AND IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. AFTER SPEAKING WITH OTHER GMC / CHEVROLET OWNERS THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE E BRAKE GOING OUT, ALL HAVE HAD THE SAME RESPONSE FROM THE DEALERS.. *NLM

THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON THIS CAR AND OTHER MODELS (SUBURBAN) IS FAULTY. REGARDLESS OF USE, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE NEEDS ADJUSTED EVERY 15-20K MILES.(RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALER). THE NEW EMERGENCY BRAKE DESIGN DOES NOT USE THE NORMAL REAR BRAKE PADS..IT HAS ITS OWN SEPERATE BRAKE PAD INSIDE THE WHEEL WELL. THIS "EMERGENCY" PAD BURNS OUT REGARDLESS OF USE. A CHEVROLET MECHANIC AND DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THIS IS A FAULTY SYSTEM AND THAT I WILL NEED TO RETURN EVERY 15-20 K MILES TO HAVE APPROXIMATELY $130 OF WORK DONE TO ADJUST IT...EVEN IF I DIDN'T USE IT. THIS IS A HORRIBLE DESIGN AND I WISH CHEVROLET WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR BAD ENGINEERING AND FAULTY SYSTEM.

CONSUMER STATED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO HOLD THE VEHICLE, DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.*JB

WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD BE ENGAGED, THE PEDAL WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON AN INCLINE, AND IN NEUTRAL GEAR, THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT HOLD. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT WAS A NORMAL POSITION FOR THE BRAKE AND THEY WERE SELF ADJUSTING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS.*JB

I TOOK MY CHEVY TAHOE (2001) IN TO GET THE INSPECTION DONE ON 10/1/03 -- THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE INSPECTION HAS BEEN DUE SINCE THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK USED 6 MONTHS AGO. THE INSPECTOR TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO FAIL MY TRUCK DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PARKING BRAKE. I WAS TOLD THAT HE HAD SEEN A LOT OF THEM RECENTLY AND THAT HE WOULD LET ME TAKE THE TRUCK BACK TO THE DEALER TO GET IT FIXED. HE SAID THE OTHER 5-6 THAT HE HAD SEEN VERY RECENTLY HAD TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT WAS A RECALLED PART AND THEY FIXED IT FOR FREE. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER, HE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT A RECALLED PART AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED -- IN FACT, WOULD COST ME $200-$300 TO FIX. HE SAID THAT SIX MONTHS AGO, WHEN HE INSPECTED THE CAR, IT WAS FINE. SO, IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, MY PARKING BRAKE HAD GONE BAD. I ONLY DRIVE MY TRUCK BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND HAVE NOT USED MY PARKING BRAKE, SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SOMETHING ELSE MUST BE WRONG!! PLEASE HELP -- IF IT IS KNOWN BY SO MANY THAT THESE ARE FAILING, WHY WILL CHEVROLET NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? IF I USED MY PARKING BRAKE EVERYDAY, THAT MIGHT BE ONE THING, BUT I HAVE NOT USED IT AT ALL.

CONSUMER STATES THAT TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES AND LININGS HAVE DISINTEGRATED RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO VEHICLE'S REAR BRAKES. THE VEHICLE'S REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON 10/24/01 AND 11/15/02 RESPECTIVELY. TS

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILS TO HOLD WILL NOT PERMIT VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK BUT WILL PERMIT VEHICLE TO ROLL FORWARD ESP ON HILLS. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, EMERGENCY BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD TRUCK. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DLR WHO ADVISED THAT THE LINING ON THE REAR EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES HAS WORN OUT. *MR