FaultScore

1999 Chevrolet Express brake problems

13 of the 82 complaints about the 1999 Chevrolet Express are about the braking system — 16% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 64,078 miles.

B

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 4 30.8%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 3 23.1%
Disc 2 15.4%
Foundation Components 1 7.7%
Conventional 1 7.7%
Pads 1 7.7%
Parking Brake 1 7.7%

Brakes across every Chevrolet Express year

1999 13 18.6%
2000 22 31.4%
2002 11 15.7%
2003 11 15.7%
2017 13 18.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Sanford, FL

PARKING BRAKE

I TOOK MY VAN IN UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE MY ABS DOESN'T WORK. MY REAR AXLE CLANKS AND WINDS. TWO WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT THESE PROBLEMS STARTED TO OCCURED. I TOOK MY VAN INTO THE DEALER SHIP RIGHT AWAY AND THEY REPLACED MY REAR AXLE. THE PROBLEM WITH THE AXLE STILL EXISTS BUT WAS WORSE AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AXLE. THE PROBLEM IS PROGRESSING AND I WILL BE IN NEED OF A NEW AXLE SOON AND HAVE NEVER HAD ABS SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VAN AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T REPAIR THE PROBLEMS. THEY TELL US THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ABS OR THE REAR AXLE. THEY TESTED MY BRAKES BY DRIVING MY VAN AROUND THE PARKING LOT. MY FRONT BRAKES ARE SPONGY AND THEY LOCK UP ON WET ROADS WHEN BRAKING HARD. THIS IS A 1999 CHEVY EXPRESS VAN. WE ALSO PURCHASED A 1999 CHEVY MONTE CARLO SIGHT UNSEEN AT THE SAME TIME WE PURCHASED OUR EXPRESS VAN. WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT OF THE MONTE CARLO AND IT WAS THE TREAD OFF OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AFTER TWO THOUSAND MILES. THEY KEPT TELLING US THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ALIGNMENT AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES. JIM COX TRIED TO TELL US THAT MY WIFE MADE TOO MANY LEFT HAND TURNS AND INSULTED MY WIFE ABOUT HER WEIGHT NEITHER VEHICLES WERE EVER TITLED BEFORE WE PURCHASED THEM. PROBLEMS ON BOTH VEHICLES STARTED TO OCCUR IMMEDIATLY AND WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH TRYING TO GET THE WARRANTY WORK DONE ON THEM. NOW THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH MY VAN STILL EXISTS AND IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY WORSE. JIM COX WAS THE AREA SERVICE REPRESENATIVE FOR ALL OF CENTRAL FLORIDA CHEVY DEALERSHIPS AND TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER "IF IT'S NOT BROKE DON'T FIX IT" AND HE HAD NO PROBLEM STATING THAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY WIFE AND MYSELF. CALLED HEAD OFFICE THAY DID NOT WHONT TO NKOW, NEVER EVER BUY CHEVE EVER EVER AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10055127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 55,157 miles High Ridge, MO

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

WHILE DRIVING LEFT FRONT BRAKE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP TRIED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM 15 TIMES BEFORE, BUT HAD NOT YET RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM SWITCHED LOCATION AFTER REPAIRS.

NHTSA complaint #10049904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Temperance, MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN BRAKE ARE APPLIED. THIRD SET OF FRONT BRAKES IN 65,000 MILES. ROTORS TURNED EACH TIME. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10016167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 73,000 miles Salt Lake City, UT

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED. *JB THIS WAS THE CONVERTER PLACED IN THIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS TEST DRIVING WHEN HE FELT A SLUGGISHNESS AND HEARD A RATTLING NOISE WHICH OCCURRED UPON ACCELERATION AND IN THE EXHAUST. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE CONSUMER FELT THE SAME PROBLEM(S) AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO TWO OTHER DEALERS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CONVERTER WAS NEVER CHANGED, ONLY THE DOUGHNUTS WERE REPLACED. THE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED BY LARRY H. MILLER. ALSO, THE BRAKES HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE AND WERE REPLACED. SCC

NHTSA complaint #10009383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Grand Prairie, TX

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

FRONT BRAKES HAVE FAILED AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES. 1ST TIME OCT 21,1999 AT 5,910 MILES, 2ND TIME DEC 14,1999 AT 8,267 MILES, 3RD TIME JUL 22,2000 AT 17,821 MILES, 4TH TIME FEB 15,2001 AT 27,323 MILES, 5TH TIME MAR 11,2002 AT 32,568 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #759584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Grand Prairie, TX

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

FRONT BRAKES HAVE FAILED AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES. 1ST TIME OCT 21,1999 AT 5,910 MILES, 2ND TIME DEC 14,1999 AT 8,267 MILES, 3RD TIME JUL 22,2000 AT 17,821 MILES, 4TH TIME FEB 15,2001 AT 27,323 MILES, 5TH TIME MAR 11,2002 AT 32,568 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #759584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lawrenceburg, IN

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

BRAKES ARE EXTREEMELY SPONGY AND FADE SIGNIFICANTLY REQUIRING FAR GREATER STOPPING DISTANCE THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER DRIVEN. PUMPING THE PEDAL SEEMS TO HELP BUT PUSHING FIRMLY ACTIVATES THE ABS WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO LURCH TOWARD WHATEVER IS IN FRONT OF YOU. I'VE NEVER DRIVEN A VEHICLE WHERE THE ABS KICKS IN SO FREQUENTLY.

NHTSA complaint #753479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oakland Twp., MI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DEALER FAULTING NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR TO OFFSET REAL PROBLEM BUT AFTER FIXING THE PROBLEM TO HAVE IT REOCCUR IN 15000 MILES . NOW DEALER IS SAYING BRAKES DONT WEAR THE SAME FROM RIGHT TO LEFT SIDE . LEFT SIDE HAD .180 THOUSANTHS WHILE THE RIGHT SIDE HAD 0.ALARMING ISN'T IT ? DO THEY ACTUALLY WANT US THE PUBLIC TO BELIEVE THIS. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH THEM AS THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO RELIZE THEIR MISTAKE.

NHTSA complaint #752438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Plam Harbor, FL

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK MODE AND WHEN DEPRESSING EMERGENCY BRAKE VEHICLE WOULD STILL TRAVEL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #888813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Friendship, MD

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS. I DO KNOW IM WORRIED TO LET MY WIFE DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN INIT. AS FAR AS THE BRAKES ARE CONCERNED, THE CHEVROLET SERVICE MANAGER AND CHEVROLET TELL ME ITS NORMAL FOR THIS TO OCCUR TWICE ON A VAN WITH ONLY 22,000MILES?A FTERFOR THIS.

NHTSA complaint #741643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Smithtown, NJ

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

BRAKES REPAIRED ON TWO OCCASIONS, HOWEVER STILL DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #550572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Youngtown, AZ

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH EPA STANDARDS, THE BRAKE PADS MATERIAL HAS MORE WEAR AND TEAR THAN USUAL WHICH CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND THE BRAKE PADS NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 10,000 MILES. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #851919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kent, WA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE BRAKES WILL FADE OUT AND PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR.

NHTSA complaint #850916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

← Full 1999 Chevrolet Express report