NHTSA Complaint #10095970 — 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

WHEN VEHICLE WAS ABOUT A YEAR OLD, TOLD THE DEALER THE PARK BRAKE GOES TO FLOOR AND HOLDS VERY LITTLE. DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL. AFTER A FEW MONTHS THE PARK BRAKE LOST ALL EFFECTIVENESS. LAST WEEK WHILE USING THE VEHICLE TO LAUNCH A BOAT, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED BACK AS ONE WHEEL LOST TRACTION AND THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE BOAT AND VEHICLE FROM MOVING WAS THE TRANSMISSION PARK. BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER. A DEFECTIVE "CLIP" HAD ALLOWED THE BRAKE FRICTION MATERIAL TO RUB THE BRAKE DRUM SURFACE AND WEAR TO THE POINT OF BEING TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE.MANY OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE THE DEFECT AND THE OPERATORS DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE A WORKING PARK BRAKE. GM HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN WITH INFORMATION ABOUT A FIX BEING AVAILABLE BUT THE OWNERS ARE NOT AWARE OF IT. THE DEALER CHARGED APPROXIMATELY $200.00 TO REPLACE THE COMPONENTS DUE TO THEIR VIEW THAT IT IS NORMAL WEAR. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED.*AK