NHTSA Complaint #10032999 — 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

I AM WRITING TO PROTEST THE RECENT DECISION BY CHEVROLET TO NOT ASSIST ME IN THE REPAIRING OF MY TRUCK DUE TO WHAT I FEEL IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. I OWN A 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. I WENT TO GET MY FIRST INSPECTION STICKER BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURERS TWO-YEAR INSPECTION STICKER WAS OUT OF DATE. THE TRUCK FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE THE REAR PARKING BRAKE SHOES WERE WORN AND THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT WORK. I WAS PUZZLED HOW THIS COULD BE WHEN I HAVE NEVER USED MY PARKING BRAKE. I LIVE IN TEXAS AND HAVE NOT HAD A REASON TO USE IT. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES WERE WORN BECAUSE THE CLIPS THAT HOLDS THEM IN PLACE HAD FAILED. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN (REFERENCE NUMBER 02-05-26-002 & 02-05-26-001) ABOUT THIS PARKING BRAKE ISSUE AND ADVISED ME TO CALL CHEVROLET. I DID. I WORKED WITH GREG SYNDER AT CHEVROLETS CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND MY SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER WAS 1-126-315-169. I, FROM THE START, VIEWED THIS AS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. IN SHORT, CHEVROLET WOULD NOT FIX OR ASSIST IN THE COST OF THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. ALSO THEY NOTED THAT MY TRUCK WAS OUT OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY (3 YEARS/36000 MILES). I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THE DECISION. FIRST, HOW CAN THIS BE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR IF THE PARKING BRAKE HAS NEVER BEEN USED? ALSO, WHO REPLACES THEIR PARKING BRAKE SHOES ON A VEHICLE THAT IS 3 YEARS OLD AND THE PARKING BRAKE AGAIN HAS NEVER BEEN USED? EVEN IF IT HAS BEEN USED, THE PARKING BRAKE SHOULD BE ONE OF THE LAST ITEMS ON A VEHICLE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I AM REPLACING THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES BEFORE I REPLACE MY BRAKES WHICH I USE EVERYDAY. I FEEL THIS MATTER IS A SAFETY ISSUE BESIDES BEING A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. WHAT IF I HAD NEEDED TO USE MY PARKING BRAKE OR IT HAD FAILED WHEN ENGAGED? IT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. CHEVROLET SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED CUSTOMERS OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. HOW CAN CHEVROLET NOT BE RESPONSIBLE?*AK