The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) informed that the investigation involves three models from Chevrolet (Silverado, Avalanche and Suburban) and their three GMC equivalents (Sierra, Tahoe and Yukon). All of these are from model years 1999 to 2003. The NHTSA started the inquiry after receiving 110 complaints of "loss of braking effectiveness", 37 of which being confirmed by dealership inspections, according to a release posted this week on the agency's web site. Three of these complaints allege that the crashes were caused by corroded brake line failure.
One complaint stated that the brake line "burst in an area that was weakened by corrosion, leading to a large increase in stopping distance and with the brake pedal pushed to the floor", a NHTSA document said, quoted by the Automotive News. The complainant added that an inspection of the vehicle determined the cause of the failure to be a rusted brake line that occurred under normal driving conditions with six years of service. The drop in pressure can result in significantly reduced stopping power, ultimately leading to extended stopping distances.
"We are aware of it and we are cooperating with the NHTSA", General Motors spokesman Alan Adler told the Detroit News. In addition, 189,000 heavy-duty pickups built in 2003 (Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra) are being investigated for the same issue. To date, three accidents have been attributed to the problem.
Google News