NHTSA Complaint #10204571 — 2002 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS

I RELIED ON THE PARKING BRAKE WHILE I WAS DOING SOME WORK. THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO HOLD, AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED. LUCKILY I NEARLY AVOIDED BEING STRUCK. FURTHER ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM ON ALL CHEVY AND GM PICKUP TRUCKS FOR 2002. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, BUT NOT THOSE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE RELIED ON TO HOLD THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES PROVIDE THE UPGRADED PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM FOR THESE VEHICLES. THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REDESIGNED ON 2003 VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO PROPERLY REVIEW THIS ISSUE, NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE COMPLAINTS FOR ALL GM AND CHEVY PICKUP TRUCKS. YOU WILL SEE A MULTITUDE OF LISTINGS FOR PARKING BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE RECALL OF NHTSA 05V161000 AS THERE IS NO MECHANICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEMS ON THE MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS. *TR