NHTSA Complaint #10438149 — 2006 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500

THE LEFT REAR SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNT TORE COMPLETELY THROUGH AND SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN AXLE HOUSING. BECAUSE THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE WAS MOUNTED TO THE SHOCK MOUNT, WHEN THE MOUNT FAILED, THE SHOCK ABSORBER EXTENDED FULLY AND RUPTURED THE BRAKE LINE TO THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. THIS RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 40 AT 65 MPH. AT NO TIME DID THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER ON THE DASH INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. AFTER USING ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES TO SLOW AND STOP THE VEHICLE COMBINATION, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE MOVED TO A PARKING AREA. UPON SHUTTING OFF THE IGNITION, A NOTICE CAME ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER STATING, "SERVICE BRAKES SOON". UPON EXAMINATION, THE MASTER BRAKE RESERVOIR WAS DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 50%. THE LEFT REAR SHOCK ABSORBER, THE BRAKE LINE AND THE SHOCK MOUNTING BRACKET WERE ALL HANGING APPROXIMATELY 4" ABOVE THE PAVEMENT. THE TRAILER BEING HAULED WAS LESS THAN 1/2 OF THE RATED TOW WEIGHT AND THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN OPERATED ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM FOR ALMOST 5 WEEKS WITH NO OFFROAD OR HEAVY HAULING. WHEN TEMPORARY REPAIRS WERE MADE AT A WINGFOOT TRUCK CENTER, THE MECHANIC WHO WELDED THE SHOCKMOUNT BACK TO THE AXLE HOUSING INDICATED THAT HE HAD SEEN TWO FAILURES AT THE SAME POINT IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. HE THOUGHT THAT ONE WAS A 2007 GMC 2500 HD AND MY 2500 HD CHEVROLET DIESEL. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT LENLYALL CHEVROLET IN AURORA, CO THERE WAS NO FAILURE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM PROPORTIONING VALVE BECAUSE NONE WAS PRESENT IN THE HYDRO BRAKE SYSTEM INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. ALL OTHER SHOCK MOUNTS WERE EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE OK. . AT THIS TIME GM IS REFUSING TO TAKE ANY FURTHER ACTION DUE TO THE FACT THAT REPAIRS WERE ALREADY TEMPORARILY MADE. *TR