NHTSA Complaint #10014415 — 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

SINCE PURCHASING THE 2000 SILVERADO Z71 LS K1500 TRUCK I HAD THE PARKING BRAKE SERVICED TWO SEPARATE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME AT 29,987 MILES, THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT WORK. IT REQUIRED "ADJUSTMENT" AND I WAS CHARGED $112.50. I WAS SURPRISED THE PARKING BRAKE REQUIRED ADJUSTMENT SINCE IT IS NOT USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT RATHER USED TO KEEP IN PLACE WHEN PARKED AND IT WAS RARELY USED SINCE WE LIVE ON FLAT TERRAIN. I WAS FURTHER SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT I LET THIS GO SINCE I WAS TOLD IT WAS A WEARABLE PART. I DID NOT SEE THE ACTUAL PARKING BRAKE PADS BUT WAS CONCERNED THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO ADJUST THEM AND HEY REQUIRED ADJUSTMENT AFTER SUCH SHORT OF MILEAGE. AGAIN AT 66,023 MILES, THE PARKING BRAKE CEASED WORKING FOR THE SECOND TIME. THIS IS JUST 36,036 MILES AFTER THEY WERE ADJUSTED. AFTER LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL PARKING BRAKE PADS, THE FRONT TOP OF THE PAD WAS WORN ALMOST COMPLETELY AWAY WHILE THE BACK PAD WAS WORN VERY LITTLE. THIS COST ME AN ADDITIONAL $228.84 TO HAVE THE PADS REPLACED AS THEY COULD NO LONGER BE ADJUSTED. I DID NOTICE THE NEW PADS WERE OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN WITH A LARGER CLIP THAT HOLDS THEM IN PLACE, APPLYING MORE PRESSURE OVER A LARGER AREA. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN, THIS NEW BRACKET HELPS HOLD THE PAD IN PLACE SO THAT WEAR, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, DOES NOT OCCUR. THIS WOULD SUGGEST THE ORIGINAL PAD AND RETAINING CLASP WAS POORLY DESIGNED CAUSING ABNORMAL WEAR ON THE PARKING BRAKES. EVERY CHANCE I GET, I SPEAK WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING 2000 SERIES TRUCKS AND ALMOST ALL THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH, THEIR PARKING BRAKES ARE NON-FUNCTIONAL. OF THOSE THAT WERE WORKING, THEY HAD THEM REPLACED. I KEEP METICULOUS RECORDS FOR THE SERVICE ON MY VEHICLE AND IT IS NOT DRIVEN HARD OR ABUSED IN ANY MANNER. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE ANY/ALL OF THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO YOU FOR REVIEW.*JB