NHTSA Complaint #10245020 — 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE

WHEN I SLOW DOWN AT LOW RATES OF SPEED, OCCASIONALLY THE BRAKES BEGAN TO PULSATE AS IF IN THE ABS MODE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE CORROSION ON THE ABS SPEED SENSORS, LOCATED WITHIN THE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY, FORMED BY ROAD SALT. THIS PROBLEM JUST APPEARED WITHOUT WARNING OR PROVOCATION. WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND LOW SPEEDS, STOPPING DISTANCES ARE LENGTHEN BY 10 TO 30 PERCENT. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN OTHER STATES. FOR SOME INEXPLICABLE REASON, IT DOES NOT PERTAIN TO WISCONSIN. EVEN AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS, THE PART TO REPAIR MY TRUCK REMAINS ON BACKORDER. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER CAN ONLY PROVIDE THEM IF I PURCHASED THE WHOLE BEARING ASSEMBLY WHICH IS QUADRUPLE THE PRICE OF THE PART THAT I NEED. OF COURSE, I FEEL THAT THIS IS UNFAIR AND WHILE I WAIT FOR THE APPROPRIATE PART TO REPAIR MY TRUCK, I AM PUTTING MY SAFETY, AS WELL AS OTHERS, IN JEOPARDY (THIS IS SAD TO SAY BUT I AM NOT USING PRUDENT DECISION-MAKING SKILLS). I BELIEVE THAT IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT IF THERE WERE NOT OTHERS IN THE AREA HAVING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM, THE PART WOULD NOT BE ON BACKORDER THROUGHOUT THE DEALERSHIPS IN WISCONSIN. I BELIEVE THAT THIS MATTER SHOULD BE LOOK INTO AND ADDRESSED AND REFUNDS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE PAID THE ENORMOUS PRICE OF THIS REPAIR SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND BECAUSE THIS DEFECT IS A SAFETY HAZARDS. *TR