NHTSA Complaint #10478813 — 1998 BOUNDER MOTORHOME

PARKING BRAKE LOCKED UP. NOTICED LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID COMING FROM THE PARKING BRAKE BOX. TRANSMISSION FLUID ACTIVATES THE PRESSURE SENSORS WHICH IN TURN ACTIVATES AND SHUTS OFF THE AUTOMATIC PARKING BRAKE. FIX WORKED FOR AWHILE, HOWEVER THE PARKING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO GO ON AND GO OFF. PARKING BRAKE DID NOT WORK BY EITHER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN PARK OR PULLING THE LEVER ON THE DASH WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO APPLY, AS WELL AS DEACTIVATE, THE PARKING BRAKE. THE SYSTEM REQUIRES CHOCKING THE TIRES EACH TIME WE STOP, AS WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PARKING BRAKE. IN READING THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT CAME THE VEHICLE, THE EXPLANATION OF THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM IS CONFUSING, AS WELL AS MAKING STATEMENTS TO THE EFFECT THAT "YOUR VEHICLES HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS. IF ONE PART ISN'T WORKING, THE OTHER PART CAN STILL WORK AND STOP YOU. FOR GOOD BRAKING, THOUGH, YOU NEED BOTH PARTS WORKING WELL." WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IN CALLING CHEVROLET DEALERS I HAVEN'T FOUND ONE THAT UNDERSTOOD THIS BRAKING SYSTEM ANY BETTER THAN I DO AND I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT AUTO MECHANICS. EXAMPLE: ON 2/18/2011, AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF CHEVROLET, I TOOK MY MOTORHOME INTO GILROY CHEVROLET. I ASKED THEM TO INSPECT AND FIX THE AUTOMATIC PARKING BRAKE AS THE LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS ON AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT HOLDING. I WAS CHARGED $375.00 TO CLEAN AND CHECK THE SYSTEM, AND ADVISED THAT THE SYSTEM WAS HOLDING MY MOTORHOME WHILE ENGAGED. AS I WAS LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, I TESTED IT AND FOUND IT DIDN'T EVEN HOLD GOING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY TO THE STREET. SO WE LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH THEM OVERNIGHT, AND WHEN WE PICKED IT UP, THE PARKING BRAKE WAS STILL NOT HOLDING. AT A LATER DATE, WHEN I CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER, HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO, AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE EVEN WORKED ON A MOTORHOME THAT SIZE. STILL TRYING TO GET THIS FIXED. *TR