NHTSA Complaint #10393492 — 2007 CHEVROLET AVEO

THE MECHANICAL BRAKE SWITCH STICKS IN THE OPEN POSITION. THE DRIVER DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE SWITCH DOES NOT CLOSE AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON. AT LEAST EIGHT OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE APPEAR TO BE LISTED ON THE NTSB WEB SITE, HOWEVER, MANY DRIVERS APPEAR TO BE UNAWARE THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AND INSTEAD, THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT A SECOND SYMPTOM OF THE STUCK SWITCH: THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO SHIFT THE CAR OUT OF PARK. THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES DESCRIBE A WAY FOR THE DRIVER TO OVERCOME THE SHIFT INTERLOCK PROBLEM BUT FAILS TO MENTION THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS MAY FAIL WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS. IT APPEARS THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ENCOUNTER THIS PROBLEM CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR AND RELY ON THE SHIFT INTERLOCK OVERRIDE WITHOUT REALIZING THAT THEIR BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS SAME SWITCH IS USED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT IT IS COMMON IN OTHER VEHICLES FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH TO ALSO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. IF THAT IS THE CASE WITH THIS MODEL, THEN THE STUCK SWITCH MIGHT ALSO PREVENT THE CRUISE CONTROL FROM DISENGAGING WHEN A DRIVER TAPS THE BRAKES.