NHTSA Complaint #10430282 — 1998 GMC ENVOY

I WAS DRIVING ON A 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY WITH MULTIPLE STOPLIGHTS. AS A LIGHT TURNED RED, I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ACCOMPANIED BY THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I PULLED OFF INTO A PARKING LOT AND DISCOVERED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING IN THE VICINITY OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES ARE SEVERELY CORRODED AND THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE STEEL BRAKE LINE THAT GOES TO THE REAR BRAKES. ALL OF THE STEEL LINES ON THIS VEHICLE (BRAKES, FUEL LINES) ARE SEVERELY CORRODED ALONG WITH THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THIS VEHICLE. I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS NEW AND IT'S BEEN LOCATED IN DELAWARE WHICH GENERALLY HAS VERY LITTLE SNOW (AND THEREFORE SALT) DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. THIS BRAKE FAILURE AND THE CONDITION OF THE FUEL LINES ARE A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE AND WARRANTS AN IMMEDIATE RECALL. HAD I BEEN GOING SLIGHTLY FASTER OR HAD BEEN TOWING, I WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OR LOSS OF LIFE. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. I CANNOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE NOW WITHOUT REPLACING ALL OF THESE LINES--THE CONDITION OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THIS VEHICLE IS INEXCUSABLE AND I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER GM PRODUCT. *TR