NHTSA Complaint #10454685 — 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

OWNER WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED ONTO THE HIGHWAY FROM THE SHOULDER. DURING THE EMERGENCY STOP THE BRAKES BEGAN TO FAIL, AND COMPLETELY FAILED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE STOP, WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO RESULTING ACCIDENT, THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAS VERY PREVALENT. UPON INSPECTION, BRAKE FLUID WAS FOUND DRIPPING FROM THE FRAME RAIL JUST BELOW THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BLOCK AREA. THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE WHERE THE LINES WAS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME AND HELD IN PLACE BY PLASTIC RETAINING CLIPS..ON ADDITIONAL INSPECTION, THE OTHER BRAKE HARDLINES WERE FOUND TO BE RUSTED AS WELL. THE ONLY VIABLE FIX WOULD SEEM TO BE A TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING LINES, TO PREVENT CONCATENATED FAILURES. *TR