2003 Chevrolet Tahoe Brakes

MY 2003 CHEVY TAHOE, DUE TO PREMATURE CORROSION MY BRAKE LINES FAILED SUDDENLY CAUSING COMPLETE BREAK FAILURE. THANKFULLY I WASN'T TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED SO I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE SAFELY AND LUCKILY MY CHILD AND FIANC WEREN'T IN THE VEHICLE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY FATAL ACCIDENT IF I WAS AT HIGH SPEEDS. LET'S GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE. *TR

AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY I HIT THE BRAKES AND THE TRUCK DIDN'T STOP CAUSING ME TO HIT MY NEIGHBORS TREE. .. THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WITH NO WARNING OR SIGNAL LIGHT OR A SOUND. AS I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID ALL OVER THE STREET. I CALLED A BUDDY MECHANIC OF MINE AND STATED MY BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED OUT. *TR

WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. IT WAS A SHORT DRIVE TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE BRAKES WORKED POORLY WITH A MUCH LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. I KEPT THE VEHICLE IN FIRST GEAR AND DROVE SLOWLY. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THE BRAKE LINE FAILED. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL VEHICLES WITH MANY MORE MILES AND MANY YEARS OLDER AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BRAKE LINES RUSTING OUT LIKE THIS. *TR

DRIVING WEST ON I-78 IN NJ. WENT TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY SLOW DOWN TO ALLOW ME TO ENTER THE EXIT RAMP. USED THE TRANSMISSION TO HELP SLOW THE VEHICLE AND LEFT THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT EXIT. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED A RUSTED BRAKE LINE. I DROVE A 1978 SUBURBAN FOR OVER 20 YEARS WITH 250,000 MILES AND NEVER HAD A BRAKE LINE FAIL. *TR

BRAKES FAILED AT STOP SIGN DUE TO BRAKE LINE FAILURE CORROSION. ALL BRAKE LINES AND PARTS OF FUEL LINES VERY RUSTY!! THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL!!!! *TR

I WAS LETTING MY MOTHER BORROW MY VEHICLE AND THANKFULLY SHE WAS ON A SIDE STREET ON HER WAY HOME FROM WORK. SHE WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND SHE LOST ALL BRAKE POWER. HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID ALL MY LINES ARE RUSTED THREW AND WOULD LIKE $1400 TO REPLACE THEM ALL. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND I THINK SHOULD BE CLOSER LOOKED AT BY GM AS WE WERE LUCKY BOTH TIMES THAT WE WERE NOT AT HIGH SPEEDS WERE AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. *TR

NOTICED FLUID SPOT ON CONCRETE BELOW DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR. INVESTIGATED FURTHER AND NOTICED FRAME WAS DAMP. JACKED UP VEHICLE AND HAD BRAKES APPLIED. FLUID NOW SPEWED FROM BRAKE LINE WHERE IT IS SUPPORTED TO FRAME RAIL. CONTRARY TO GM'S RESPONSE TO NHTSA ACTION EA 11001 THE BRAKE PETAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR SO MY ESTIMATION IS I HAD NO BRAKES NOT IMPAIRED BRAKES AS GM ASSESSED WOULD OCCUR. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. LONG TIME CHEVY OWNER, THEY HAVE CHEAPENED THE PARTS TO A POINT WHERE THEY HAVE JEOPARDIZED DRIVER AND PASSENGER SAFETY. MY ASSESSMENT IS THE RUSTING BRAKE LINE PROBLEM ON "ALL" GM VEHICLES 10 PLUS YEARS OLD THAT HAVE EVEN GOT CLOSE TO SOME FORM OF SALT IN THEIR LIFETIME ARE TICKING TIME BOMBS. MY VEHICLE RESIDES IN GEORGIA. SALT MAYBE ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE ROTTEN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 263,000.

I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT THE BRAKE LINES ON THIS VEHICLE ARE BADLY RUSTED. SINCE IT IS USED TO TOW A BOAT, IT COULD BECOME UNSAFE TO DRIVE IF THE LINES SHOULD RUST ENOUGH TO FAIL. A BRAKING ACCIDENT WHILE TOWING A 3000 LB. BOAT COULD BE PARTICULARLY NASTY. THE BRAKE LINES ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE CORRODED FAR MORE THAN OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME APPROXIMATE AGE. *JS

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY ON A SUNNY SATURDAY AFTERNOON (JUNE 4, 2011), I APPLIED THE BRAKES WHEN APPROACHING SIDEWALK AND STREET. MY 2003 CHEVY TAHOE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH MINIMUM RESISTANCE. THE TAHOE ROLLED PAST THE SIDEWALK, OUT INTO THE STREET, AND UP THE NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY BEFORE COMING TO REST. FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE DID NOT STRIKE ANYTHING. I WOULD ESTIMATE THE BRAKING CAPACITY OF THE VEHICLE AT 5%, AS I DROVE IT TO THE SERVICE STATION AT 5MPH IN LOW GEAR ABOUT 1/2 MILE AWAY. TIM LALLY CHEVROLET IN BEDFORD, OH DETERMINED BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED BY CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINES. ALL BRAKE AND FUEL LINES WERE REPLACED IN A FRAME OFF RESTORATION COSTING ABOUT $4,000.00 USD. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR I WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO TURN MY TRUCK INTO A SIDE STREET AND SLOWLY COME TO A STOP. WHEN I GOT OUT I NOTICED BRAKE FLUID EVERYWHERE. I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND THE BRAKE LINES ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS I SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND SHAME ON GM FOR NOT NOTIFYING PEOPLE OF THIS SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND ENDANGERING MY CHILDREN'S LIFE!! *TR

GETTING ON AN INTERSTATE RAMP I APPLIED MY BRAKES TO REDUCE MY SPEED. AS I APPLIED MY BRAKES IN A NORMAL MANNER TO SLOW DOWN, MY BRAKE PEDAL SANK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE TRUCK WOULDN'T SLOW DOWN OR STOP. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO A STOP MY DROPPING DOWN IN GEAR AND APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE. I PULLED THE TRUCK OVER TO THE LEFT SHOULDER (ONLY SHOULDER AVAILABLE ON THIS RAMP) AND STOPPED. I OPENED THE HOOD AND LOOKED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND CHECKED MY BRAKE FLUID. DIDN'T SEE ANY PROBLEMS FROM THAT ANGLE. I CHECKED AROUND THE TRUCK AND NOTICED LEAKAGE OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE BRAKE FLUID COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT, PASSENGER SIDE. I CALLED FOR A TOW TO MY PREFERRED SERVICE SHOP. AFTER A DAY MY MECHANIC CALLED AND SAID THAT ONE OF MY BRAKE LINES WAS FULLY RUSTED, HAD BUSTED AND WAS LEAKING. HE SAID THAT UPON INSPECTION OF THE REST OF MY BRAKE LINES, THEY WERE ALL VERY RUSTED AND IN DANGER OF ALSO BUSTING OPEN. HE RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT OF ALL BRAKE LINES AT A COST OF MORE THAN $2,200.00. THIS VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 11 YEARS OLD. IN ALL MY YEARS OF DRIVING, NEARLY 40 YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE WITH RUSTED THROUGH BRAKE LINES AT THE 11 YEAR MARK. I BELIEVE THE DESIGN IS FLAWED AND THAT USING STEEL (CORROSIVE) VERSUS A NON-CORROSIVE MATERIAL SUCH AS STAINLESS STEEL IS A "CUTTING CORNERS" TECHNIQUE WHICH PUT DRIVERS AT RISK AND INTO LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS TO THEMSELVES ON ONTO OTHERS. I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT GM BE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND THAT OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES ARE EITHER OFFERED A NO COST REPAIR FOR THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM OR FULL REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE TO THEIR VEHICLES TO CORRECT THIS CLEARLY DANGEROUS FLAW. *JS

I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND I STARTED DOWN THE STREET. I GOT TO THE FIRST STOP SIGN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD HOOD AND WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE I LOST ALL PRESSURE AND MY FOOT WENT TO THE FLOOR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION,RITE BEHIND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE WHERE THE BRAKE LINE IS ATTACHED TO A CLIP IS WHERE THE LINE HAS A HOLE IN IT. THE CLIP HAD WORN A HOLE IN IT. THE CLIP THAT HOLDS IT, HAS 2 PIECES THAT ARE BEND DOWN THAT HOLD IT DOWN,AND THAT'S WHERE THE HOLE WAS WORN INTO MY LINE. *TR

I WAS SITTING AT A DRIVE THROUGH WAITING FOR FOOD. SUDDENLY WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT STARTED GETTING A MUSHY FEELING AND THE PEDAL SANK TO THE FLOOR. WHEN I GOT IT HOME, I FOUND THERE WAS A LEAK IN ONE OF THE FRONT BRAKE LINES WHICH WERE RUSTED PRETTY BADLY. THE NEXT MORNING, I TOOK THE TRUCK IN TO GET THE FRONT BRAKE LINES REPLACED FOR JUST OVER $300. THE REAR ARE RUSTED PRETTY BAD BUT MY AUTOMOTIVE SHOP SAID THEY USUALLY DON'T REPLACE THEM IF THEY AREN'T LEAKING. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO NOT BE DEAD OR INJURED (ALONG WITH ANYONE ELSE) AS I WAS ON THE HIGH WAY EARLIER THAT NIGHT AND DRIVING AROUND QUITE A BIT. I HEARD THERE WAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION ON THIS ISSUE, SO I WANTED TO OFFER MY EXPERIENCE AND INQUIRE ON WHY THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL OPEN AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED? IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING SO CRUCIAL TO SAFETY SHOULD BE EITHER MORE PROTECTED OR BE LESS PRONE TO RUST, EVEN IN THE SNOW BELT WITH ALL THE CORROSIVE SALT ON THE ROADS. THIS IS SOMETHING THE CAR MANUFACTURERS MUST ACCOUNT FOR. *TR

AS I APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN TOWN AND PREPARED TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, WENT TO THE FLOOR. I MANAGED TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHIN INCHES OF THE CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. THE WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED INDICATING A BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. IT HAD NEVER COME ON BEFORE. ONE OF THE STEEL BRAKE LINES RUNNING ALONG THE FRAME, APPROXIMATELY UNDER THE DRIVERS DOOR, HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND BURST. IT WAS A MIRACLE THIS DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH. HAD THIS HAPPENED AT A HIGHER SPEED OR EXITING A FREEWAY RAMP, I FEAR THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. *TR

BRAKE LINES ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, AND FUEL LINES, WHOLE UNDERCARRIAGE IS BAD, BRAKE LINES FAIL WITH NO WARNING, BRAKE PAD GOES TO FLOOR. *TR

THE 2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE WAS DRIVEN ON U.S. HIGHWAY 10, IN MINNESOTA, FOR APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MINUTES ON THE INCIDENT DATE. THE TAHOE WAS TAKEN HOME AND, AS IT WAS PARKED, THE BRAKE LINE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BRAKE ASSEMBLY RUPTURED. IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE TAHOE BODY AND DRIVETRAIN IS IN GOOD CONDITION, NOT MUCH BODY RUST FOR IT'S AGE, BUT ON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT EVERY BRAKE LINE HAS HEAVY RUST ON IT. I DON'T KNOW THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE REPAIR OF THIS TAHOE. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT CHEVROLET USED INFERIOR MATERIALS IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE TAHOE'S BRAKE SYSTEM...THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE. BUT, ALSO, IT'S A SHAME THAT NHTSA HAS TAKEN SIX YEARS TO "STUDY" THIS PROBLEM AND HAS NOT DRAWN A CONCLUSION OR FORCED GM TO DO A RECALL? IT'S GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY AT ITS BEST...WHAT A SHAM. *TR

VEHICLE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY, ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND HAD NO BRAKING ABILITY (7/12/12) ALL FRONT BRAKE LINES REPLACED DUE TO RUST. THEN ON 2/11/14, HAD LEFT UM HOSPITAL WITH WIFE, NOTED SOMETHING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WITH BRAKES BUT CONTINUED TO A RESTAURANT. WHEN I GOT OUT OF RESTAURANT, ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT FROM CURB AND HAD NO BRAKES. ALL REAR BRAKE LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUST. BOTH OCCASIONS REQUIRED A FLATBED TOW TRUCK FROM AAA. TOTAL COST FOR REPAIRS WAS $2050.74. *TR

I WAS TOWING MY RV (TRAVEL TRAILER) TO A CAMPGROUND FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND FESTIVITIES UTILIZING THE HEAVY DUTY TOW PACKAGE THAT GM INSTALLED ON THESE VEHICLES. I ARRIVED AT THE CAMPGROUND AND WAS DRIVING TO MY CAMPSITE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR FOLLOWED BY A LOUD CHIMING AND A WARNING LIGHT. I WAS GOING DOWN A HILL AND THE 2 TON TRAVEL TRAILER WAS PUSHING MY TAHOE AS I TRIED TO STOP. I BARELY HAD ANY FRONT BRAKES AND NO BACK BRAKES AT ALL. I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND USE THE GEAR SELECTOR ON LOW TO TRY TO STOP, WHICH IT FINALLY DID AFTER MUCH EFFORT. IT WAS LABOR DAY WEEKEND SO THERE WERE LOTS OF PEOPLE CAMPING. THERE WAS A CROWD OF KIDS RIDING THEIR BIKES ON THE CAMP ROAD IN THE DRIVE PATH OF MY TAHOE HOWEVER THE KIDS MOVED OUT OF THE WAY ONLY WHEN I SCREAMED OUT OF MY WINDOW THAT I COULD NOT STOP MY TRUCK. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH OR MAJOR INJURY. LUCKILY IT DID NOT OTHERWISE I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH MYSELF. I NOW HAVE MY TAHOE AT A LOCAL MECHANIC THAT I TRUST. HE IS STATING THAT HE HAS TO REPLACE ALL OF THE STEEL BRAKE LINES BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL IN BAD SHAPE AND WILL EVENTUALLY GO. I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM HIM ABOUT HOW MUCH THIS WILL COST ME. I AM A SINGLE FATHER AND DO NOT HAVE EXTRA MONEY TO SPEND. MY NERVES ARE SHOT AND THAT INCIDENT RUINED OUR FAMILY CAMPING WEEKEND. I HAVE NIGHTMARES THAT THE KIDS ON THE BIKES DID NOT MOVE AND I RAN THEM ALL OVER. I AM DEFINITELY SCARRED FOR LIFE. *TR

I SAW FLUID ON THE DRIVEWAY SO I CHECKED THE TRUCK AND DISCOVERED THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND LEAKING. *TR

WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES AS I BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPOT IN MY 2003 TAHOE I HEARD A POPPING NOISE AND WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES A SECOND TIME MY BREAK PEDAL WENT DOWN TO FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO CRAWL HOME AS I WASN'T FAR. TOOK A LOOK UNDER CAR AND ALL MY BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED AND ONE FOR SURE IS LEAKING. MY TAHOE IS AS I TYPE AT A SHOP WAITING ON PRICING FOR PARTS THAT CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED THRU CHEVROLET. I'M PRAYING THAT IT IS NOT TO EXPENSIVE BUT THE BALLPARK FIGURE I WAS GIVEN IS ABOUT $1000 TO REPLACE ALL FOUR LINES. DEBATING OF JUST HAVING THE ONE REPLACED AND HOPEFULLY GM WILL COME TO THEIR SENSES AND RECALL THESE PROBLEMATIC BRAKE LINES. THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T GOING ANY FASTER AS MY DAUGHTER WAS IN TAHOE WITH ME. *TR

UPON STARTING VEHICLE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A GENTLE DOWNWARD SLOPE, I STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL. BRAKE WENT TO FLOOR WITHOUT RESISTANCE, RED DASH ALERTS LIT UP. UPON INVESTIGATION, BRAKE FLUID WAS SEEN LEAKING OUT FROM A RUSTED BRAKE LINE LOCATED ALONG THE CAR FRAME IN THE VICINITY OF THE DRIVER DOOR AREA. NO SIGN OF OTHER DAMAGE WAS APPARENT AT THE TIME. DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE LEAK AREA WERE OBTAINED. *TR

APPLIED BRAKES TO PLACE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF PARKING SPOT. BRAKE FAILURE MESSAGE APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT PANEL MESSAGE DISPLAY. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING. NO BRAKE PRESSURE WAS AVAILABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HAD TO UTILIZE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE MOTION. *TR

DRIVING AT 35MPH WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AND LOST ALL BRAKES,THIS INCIDENT ALSO HAPPENED IN JUNE 2013. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT SINCE THE EARLY 2000. GM REFUSES TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES IN THE NORTHEAST CLAIMING ITS OWNER RESPONSIBILITY.SINCE JUNE 2013 I INVESTED OVER $1000.00 IN REPAIRS. HAD I BEEN GOING A FASTER SPEED I COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND SERIOUSLY INJURED MYSELF AND OTHERS. *TR

BRAKES LINE BURST DUE TO EXCESS AMOUNT OF RUST UNDER VEHICLE. CALLED DEALER WHERE IT HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR LAST 8 YEARS. SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE WAS WELL AWARE OF PROBLEM AND THAT REPLACEMENT LINES...NOT REVISED ONE BUT OEM ONES WHICH WILL DO THE SAME AGAIN WE'RE BACK ORDERED DUE TO DEMAND. HE SAID A LOT OF CLIENTS WERE HAVING THEIR VEHICLES RESOLVED AND THAT REPLACEMENT PART COULD POSSIBLY BE MONTHS TO OBTAIN.. IDIOTS AND WHEN IS CHEVY GOING TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET HURT OR WORSE? CLASSICTUBE.COM HAS A STAINLESS KIT FOR $450. REPLACES EVERY PART BRAKE FLUID RUNS THROUGH. WE'LL WORTH IT FOR PEACE OF MIND. HATE GM FOR DENYING CLAIM. HOPE A LOT OF THEM DRIVE SAME VEHICLES AND LEARNS ABOUT THE LIFE THREATENING ISSUE FIRST HAND OR HAS FAMILY AFFECTED... ANGRY FATHER, HUSBAND AND OWNER. *TR