NHTSA Complaint #10342314 — 2003 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 K2500 CHEVY SUBURBAN, ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME FROM A SIDE STREET WHILE I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH AND I PRESSED THE BRAKES VERY HARD - HARD ENOUGH TO LOCK UP AT LEAST ONE WHEEL, BUT AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. I CONTINUED ON, BUT JUST A FEW SECONDS LATER, I APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED BY PUMPING THE BRAKES QUICKLY AND RAN SLIGHTLY INTO THE BUSY INTERSECTION. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT TO INSPECT WHETHER I HAD DAMAGED SOMETHING. I DECIDED TO RETURN HOME ABOUT 1/2 MILE AWAY AND SLOWLY DROVE HOME, WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER. WHEN I GOT HOME, I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE TO FIND BRAKE FLUID SPLATTERED AND LEAKING ALL OVER THE UNDERSIDE AROUND THE ABS UNIT. THE BRAKE LINES ARE EXTREMELY CORRODED, AND I SUSPECT ONE HAS BLOWN OUT. THE VEHICLE IS IN VERY GOOD AND WELL MAINTAINED CONDITION OTHERWISE, BUT THE UNDERSIDE SEEMS PARTICULARLY RUSTY. IF I WERE TRAVELING MORE THAN THE 30-35 MPH I WAS, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE. A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THESE ARE VERY COMMON VEHICLES, IF THIS IS TYPICAL, A SAFETY RECALL MUST BE INITIATED. *TR