NHTSA Complaint #10482468 — 1988 CHEVROLET CAMARO

WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC I WAS MOVING AT A SPEED BETWEEN 25 AND 30 MPH WITH A 3 TO 4 CAR GAP BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THE LINE OF CARS IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY STOPPED QUICKLY. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD AND IT FAILED TO STOP, IMPACTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT ABOUT 5 TO 10 MPH. THE PEDAL FINE AND NONE OF THE BRAKES/WHEELS LOCKED OR SKIDDED (THIS CAR DOESN'T HAVE ANTI-LOCKS). EVEN MY FULL SIZED PICK-UP TRUCK WOULD HAVE STOPPED SAFELY IN THIS SITUATION AND DISTANCE, YET YOU COULD FEEL THAT THIS CAMARO SHOULD HAVE STOPPED AND COULDN'T. THE BRAKES WORK FINE IN ALL CONDITIONS EXCEPT PANIC STOPS WHEN IT COUNTS. I'VE READ A LOT OF FORUMS AND POSTS ON THIRDGEN.COM AND IT SEEMS LIKE THESE 4-WHEEL DISC BRAKE CARS OF THAT ERROR... ALL HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM. I KNOW THAT EVEN WHEN NEW, THE REAR DISC BRAKES WILL BARELY STOP THE WHEELS WHEN THE CAR IS IDLING IN DRIVE AND ON JACK STANDS. IT SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH ALL THE CAR ENTHUSIASTS AND YET NHTSA DIDN'T RECALL THEM EVEN BACK WHEN THEY WERE NEWER. IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR CALIPER AND PARKING BRAKE DESIGN AND FUNCTION AND PERHAPS AGGRAVATED BY A AN PROBLEM WITH THE PROPORTIONING/COMBINATION VALVE. I WOULD AT LEAST LIKE TO KNOW IF NHTSA HAS EVER RECEIVED ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE BRAKING SYSTEM THE 1986-1992 FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKE CAMARO'S. *TR