NHTSA Complaint #10410099 — 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE

THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON MY 2001 CHEVY TAHOE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING BAD PARKING BRAKE / E BRAKE. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS SITUATION SINCE I RARELY NEED TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THIS ITEM AT A COST OF APPROX. $575. MANY OTHER 2001 TAHOES HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.. I HAVE REPLACED THE PARKING E BRAKES TWICE SINCE I PURCHASED THE TAHOE AND NOW THEY HAVE FAILED A THIRD TIME. I NEVER USE THE PARKING BRAKE!! VIRGINIA SAFETY INSPECTION HAS FAILED AND I HAVE ALREADY BEEN PULLED OVER FOR NOT HAVING A SAFETY STICKER FOR THE PARKING E BRAKE. THERE IS ALSO A STRONG BURNING SMELL FROM THE REAR TIRE / BRAKE AREA, I AM SURE THE VEHICLE WILL CATCH FIRE FROM THE FRICTION THE BAD DESIGN HAS CAUSED. PARKING BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL, OR REVERSE. ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE PARKING E BRAKE ACTUATOR LEVER IS MISSING AND THE PARKING E BRAKE CABLE IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE, THIS SAME LEVER IS REPORTED ONLINE AS MYSTERIOUSLY MISSING FROM OTHER CHEVY TRUCKS AS WELL, IT IS BAD WHEN THE SAME PART ON VARIOUS VEHICLES IS MISSING ON THE SAME SIDE, COINCIDENCE OR BAD ASSEMBLY LINE PROCESS, MAYBE DEFECTIVE PART THAT BREAKS. REPAIR IS OVER 1000 DOLLARS. PARKING E BRAKE FAILS TO HOLD THE VEHICLE SAFELY AND IS ENDANGERING LIVES. VIRGINIA LAW AND SAFETY INSPECTIONS ARE NOT BEING MET DUE TO A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW OF MISSING PARTS AND A SAFETY DEVICE NOT WORKING PROPERLY ON A VEHICLE. MISSING SAFETY PARTS FROM THE ASSEMBLY IS HAZARDOUS, IF PARTS WERE NOT MISSING, THEN THEY FELL OFF AND IS STILL DANGEROUS. *TR