185 of the
969 complaints filed about the Chevrolet C1500
are about the braking system —
19% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1996.
UNEVEN FRONT BRAKE APPLICATION. MEDIUM BRAKE PRESSURE ENERGIZED RIGHT FRONT ONLY CAUSING SEVERE RIGHT STEER. HEAVY BRAKE PRESSURE ENERGIZED BOTH FRONT BRAKES ONLY TO LEAVE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LOCKED. PROBLEM OCCURRED GRADUALLY AND PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED TO DANGER LEVEL, ESPECIALLY ON WET OR LOOSE SURFACES. INSPECTION DETERMINED THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE HOSE SUPPORT CLAMP HAD BEEN OVER COMPRESSED IN MANUFACTURING CAUSING GRADUAL COMPRESSION OF THE INNER HYDRAULIC LINE TO THE POINT OF VIRTUAL CLOSURE. THE ONLY FLOW POSSIBLE WAS AT ELEVATED PRESSURE AND ALSO PREVENTING RETURN FLOW CAUSING SEVERE AND EXTENDED CALIPER CLAMPING PRESSURE. FAILED PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.
NHTSA complaint #10402264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE-BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND SHE COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE AND ACCIDENT OCCURRED- INSPECTION OF VEHICLE AFTER FACT REVEALED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #10259890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ON 10/03/02 I HAD A CHEVY TRUCK [XXX] REPAIRED FOR LOW SPEED ABS ENGAGEMENT, (UNDER EXT WARR). IN SEPT OF 2005, I AGAIN STARTED EXPERIENCING LOW SPEED ABS ENGAGEMENT. THIS TIME SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, I HAD IT REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. IT OCCURRED FIRST AT 51,409 MI AND THE NEXT TIME AT 70,000 MI. THIS COULD PROVE TO BE A REAL PAIN IF THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO RESURFACE EVERY 20,000 MILES. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #10143883 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAIN ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED THREE YEARS LATER AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #10087819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
I HAVE A 1995 CHEVROLET 1/2 TON C-1500 PICK UP. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS TWICE BECAUSE THEY FROZE IN PLACE CAUSING BRAKE PROBLEMS. BOTH TIMES THEY WERE DELCO CALIPERS. THIS ALSO REQUIRED EXTENSIVE BRAKE SYSTEM REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10086259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
DRIVING ON CITY STREET AT APPROX 30 MPH, STOP LIGHT CHANGED TO RED AS I APPROACHED. WAS CLOSE TO INTERSECTION, PRESSED HARD ON BRAKE PEDAL AND IT STARTED SLOWING VEHICLE, THEN AFTER ABOUT .5 SECONDS, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WITH MINIMAL BRAKING AT THAT POINT. DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AS SPEED WAS LOW ENOUGH THAT WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE HYDRALIC SYSTEM STOPPED VEHICLE. AFTER LIMPING VEHICLE HOME (WAS ONLY 3 BLOCKS FROM THERE), INSPECTION UNDER VEHICLE REVEALED STEEL BRAKE LINE RUBBING AGAINST FRAME RAIL JUST BEHIND FIREWALL, WHERE LINE TUCKS INTO FRAME RAIL, CAUSING WEAK SPOT THAT FAILED UNDER PRESSURE. REPAIRS NOT MADE YET, AS INCIDENT JUST OCCURED, WILL NEED NEW STEEL BRAKE LINE FROM ABS CONTROL TO REAR AXLE. CAN SAVE OLD PART.
NHTSA complaint #10080463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A DITCH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOTH ROTORS WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10050416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
I OWN A 1994 CHEVROLET SILVERADO EXT CAB, 1/2 TON. THERE CONTINUES TO BE A PERSISTANT PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT BRAKES. WHEN APPLIED THEY PULL VERY HARD TO THE LEFT (INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC). THE BRAKE LINES ON THE FRONT HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT 5 TIME IF NOT MORE WITH THE PROBLEM PERSISTING. SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH NO RESOLVE. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT BY SEVERAL MECHANICS AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COLLASPED. THIS IS A PERSISTANT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #10025884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
I OWN A 1994 CHEVROLET SILVERADO EXT CAB, 1/2 TON. THERE CONTINUES TO BE A PERSISTANT PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT BRAKES. WHEN APPLIED THEY PULL VERY HARD TO THE LEFT (INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC). THE BRAKE LINES ON THE FRONT HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT 5 TIME IF NOT MORE WITH THE PROBLEM PERSISTING. SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH NO RESOLVE. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT BY SEVERAL MECHANICS AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COLLASPED. THIS IS A PERSISTANT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #10025884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AFTER REGULAR MAINTENENCE CHANGING OF BRAKE FLUID VEHICLE HAD A HARD PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN YOU FIRST STEPPED ON THE BRAKES. AFTER SEVERAL MORES ATTEMPS TO BLEED THE SYSTEM THE PULL WAS STILL THERE. I CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR GUIDENCE AND WESELOH CHEVROLET SAID TO BRING IT IN TO THEM. THEY PERFORMED A FULL FUNCTION BLEED ON MY TRUCK. I DROVE AWAY FROM THE DEALER AND WITHIN 1 BLOCK THE BRAKES PULLED RIGHT AND I RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THEIR FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE CALIPERS, BRAKE LININGS AND FRONT BRAKE HOSES. ALTHOUGH THAT SEEMED TO WORK, I STILL FELT AN OCCASIONAL PULL TO THE RIGHT BUT THOUGHT I WAS JUST IMAGINING THINGS AS IT WOULD NOT PULL TWICE IN A ROW. IN JULY OF 2001 THE PULL AGAIN RETURNED AND WOULD NOT GO AWAY. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND AT THIS TIME THEY SAID THE ABS VALVE WAS BAD. I SHOWED THEM A TSB (99-05-24-001A) AND ASKED HOW THEY WOULD NOT CONDEM AND REPLACE THE ABS VALVE ON ALL TRUCKS HAVING EXACTLY THE SAME PART NUMBER INSTEAD OF JUST THE SUBURBAN MODEL. WHY DOES THIS TSB NOT DEAL WITH ALL THE VEHICLES HAVING THIS PART NUMBER IN ITS ABS SYSTEM? I HOPE THIS HELPS OTHER TRUCK OWNERS RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION!!!!!!
NHTSA complaint #751050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM DEPLOYS WHEN TOWING A TRAILER AND BRAKING. THIS "MOVES A BLOCK" IN THE MASTER CYLINDER, ACCORDING TO A MECHANIC, WHICH THEN DISABLES THE FRONT BRAKES UNTIL A MECHANIC RESETS IT. I THE MEAN TIME, THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF THE EVENT, AND IS OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITH THE 1/2 OF THE BRAKES DISABLED, CAUSING UNEVEN AND INADEQUATE BRAKING, AND EXTREME WEAR ON THE REMAINING BRAKES. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WITH THE ANIT LOCK BRAKE DEVICE ON THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND THE ADDED WEIGHT OF A TRAILER WHEN BRAKING. (EVEN THOUGH THE TRUCK CAME WITH THE "TOWING PACKAGE" AND THE TRAILER IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC BRAKES).
NHTSA complaint #747178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM DEPLOYS WHEN TOWING A TRAILER AND BRAKING. THIS "MOVES A BLOCK" IN THE MASTER CYLINDER, ACCORDING TO A MECHANIC, WHICH THEN DISABLES THE FRONT BRAKES UNTIL A MECHANIC RESETS IT. I THE MEAN TIME, THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF THE EVENT, AND IS OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITH THE 1/2 OF THE BRAKES DISABLED, CAUSING UNEVEN AND INADEQUATE BRAKING, AND EXTREME WEAR ON THE REMAINING BRAKES. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WITH THE ANIT LOCK BRAKE DEVICE ON THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND THE ADDED WEIGHT OF A TRAILER WHEN BRAKING. (EVEN THOUGH THE TRUCK CAME WITH THE "TOWING PACKAGE" AND THE TRAILER IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC BRAKES).
NHTSA complaint #747178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE BRAKES DO NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY WHEN APPLIED, AFTER APPLIED THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TRAVEL BEFORE BEING SLOWED BY THE BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL FEELS SPONGY. NLM
NHTSA complaint #782971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE TRAVELING ABS INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD FLASH. WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #874658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.