NHTSA Complaint #10247896 — 2000 GMC SIERRA 3500

ABS BRAKES ACTIVATE INAPPROPRIATELY AT LOW SPEEDS (UNDER 10 MPH) ON SMOOTH DRY SURFACES. THIS LENGTHENS THE STOPPING DISTANCE AND CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH WHEN AVAILABLE STOPPING DISTANCE IS LIMITED. THE DESIGN IS FLAWED IN THAT 1) NORMAL CORROSION, EXPECTED DURING THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, FREQUENTLY LEADS TO THIS FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM, AND 2) WHEN THIS NORMAL, EXPECTED CORROSION OCCURS, THE ABS SYSTEM DOES NOT 'FAIL TO SAFE', BUT INSTEAD FAILS IN A MANNER THAT REDUCES BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND INCREASES STOPPING DISTANCE ONCE PROBLEM BEGAN, IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. DEALER REMOVED THE FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSORS FROM THE WHEEL BEARINGS, CLEANED CORROSION OFF THE MOUNTING SURFACE, AND REINSTALLED THE SENSORS. THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME FAILURE MODE, SAME ROOT CAUSE, SAME CORRECTIVE ACTION AS DESCRIBED IN GM'S EXISTING PRODUCT SAFETY RECALL #05068C, HOWEVER GM REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER THE TERMS OF THE RECALL BECAUSE, AS IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER THE SMALL NUMBER OF TRUCKS BUILT AT THE FLINT PLANT. MY VEHICLE WAS BUILT IN THE AFFECTED TIME FRAME, WITH THE SUSPECT COMPONENTS, AND EXHIBITS EXACTLY THE SAME SAFETY DEFECT AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL, BUT GM HAS THEIR HEAD IN THE SAND WITH REGARD TO THE FACT THAT THERE WERE A BATCH OF AFFECTED VEHICLES BUILT AT FLINT. THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED AND GM SHOULD BE ASSESSED PUNITIVE DAMAGES FOR THE SHAMEFUL WAY THEY ARE TREATING CUSTOMERS WHO REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THEIR VEHICLE FIXED. I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND GM HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR. GM REP ACTUALLY SUGGESTED THAT I FILE THIS COMPLAINT, AS HE CLAIMED THAT HE WAS NOT EMPOWERED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WITHOUT A NHTSA COMPLAINT HISTORY TO JUSTIFY ACTION. *TR