NHTSA Complaint #10144717 — 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

MY FATHER, WHO IS A MECHANIC, HAD A 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD IN PERFECT CONDITION. ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH CLEAR CONDITIONS, HE WAS TRAVELING TO AN APPLE ORCHARD IN CONNECTICUT. TRAVELING ABOUT 30 M.P.H., HE NOTICED A LARGE VEHICLE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. AS A DUMP TRUCK OPERATOR, HE IS WELL AWARE OF THE LIMITED VISIBILITY IN THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. SO, HE PUSHED THE BRAKES IN HIS VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE. REALIZING HIS BRAKES HAD FAILED, HE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED HE NEEDED TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE SECOND VEHICLE. HIS QUICK RESPONSE AND EXPERIENCE BEHIND THE WHEEL ALLOWED HIM TO MISS THE SECOND VEHICLE. HE DIDN'T WANT TO HIT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE IMPACTED THE DRIVERS SIDE. INSTEAD, HIS TRUCK BOLTED INTO A STONE WALL, FLIPPED AND ENDED UP IN BETWEEN TWO TREES. HIS AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. HE LANDED IN THE YARD OF SOMEONE'S HOME AND THE HOMEOWNER CALLED THE POLICE. THE POLICE SITED IN HIS POLICE REPORT THAT THE AIR BAG FAILED AND THE BRAKES APPEARED TO FAIL AS WELL. MY FATHER ENDED UP WITH A FEW SCRAPES AND BRUISES AND HE IS JUST GLAD EVERYONE INVOLVED WAS ALRIGHT. CHEVROLET NEVER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS MATTER. HIS INSURANCE COMPANY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD PURSUE LEGAL ACTION BUT IT WOULD BE A LONG, DIFFICULT PROCESS. ON THE CONSUMER PROTECTION WEBSITE, IT DOES INDICATE THAT CHEVROLET HAD RECALLED A FEW OF THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE OF ANTI-LOCK PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, THE INCIDENT INVOLVING MY FATHER IS DUE TO ENTIRE BRAKE FAILURE. MY FATHERS MAIN MISSION NOW IS TO GET THE WORD OUT TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING TO ANYONE ELSE. AS A MECHANIC, HE ALWAYS KEPT HIS VEHICLES IN TIP-TOP SHAPE MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AND FREE OF DIRT, DEBRIS OR SALT IN THE WINTER. IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THIS MATTER TO PREVENT THIS UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. *JB