NHTSA Complaint #10000424 — 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO

UPON APPROACH TO AN INTERSECTION, I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN EARLY BECAUSE THE ROAD WAS COVERED WITH ICE AND SNOW. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLIDE A LITTLE, SO I PRESSED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE TO ENGAGE THE ABS BRAKES. I HEARD A VERY LOUD SNAP! AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS GONE FROM BENEATH MY FOOT. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED INTO THE INTERSECTION, NARROWLY MISSING BECOMING BROADSIDED FROM THE LEFT. I SWUNG THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE (WHICH DID LITTLE TO SLOW FORWARD MOMENTUM) AND WAITED WHILE THE VEHICLE ROLLED TO A STOP, INCHES FROM A TELEPHONE POLE. *** UPON BEING TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE MASTER CYLINDER COMPONENT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE METAL CASTING HAS A CRACK WHICH IS ALMOST 6 INCHES LONG WHICH RUNS ALONG THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PART FOR ALMOST ITS FULL LENGTH. THE METAL WALL OF THE CYLINDER HAS BEEN EXTRUDED BY THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION WHICH OCCURRED DURING BRAKING. *** I HAVE THE PART AND I AM WILLING TO SHARE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PROBLEM. *** IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT A CHEVROLET REPRESENTATIVE, CONTACTED AFTER THE FACT, TOLD ME THAT THIS FAILURE WAS MOST LIKELY DUE TO "BAD BRAKING HABITS".