NHTSA Complaint #10486561 — 2004 GMC SIERRA 3500

I PICKED MY STEPDAUGHTER AT SCHOOL AND AT THE STOPLIGHT TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL THERE WERE NO BRAKES. I USED THE CURB TO SLOW THE TRUCK ENOUGH TO THE LIGHTS TO CHANGE. IT WAS NOT A BUSY TIME AND STUDENTS WERE NOT PRESENT OTHERWISE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. I DROVE THE TRUCK HOME WITH FLASHERS VERY SLOWLY HOME ON A BACK ROAD DOWNSHIFTING AND RELYING IN THE ALLISON TRANSMISSION. WHEN I REACHED HOME THE LIGHT CAME ON TO SERVICE BRAKES. THAT WAS OBVIOUS ALREADY. THIS IS A 1 TON DUALLY THAT USUALLY HAULS SKID LOADS, PAVING BRICKS, ETC. I COULD NOT IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE BRAKE LINES BLEW DURING THIS TIME. THERE IS A SMALL RUSTED PIN SIZED WHOLE IN THE FRONT BRAKE LINE THAT RUNS ON TOP OF THE TRUCK FRAME. I STILL HAVE BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE TRUCK. THERE WAS NOT WARNING AND THOSE LINES ARE TUCKED UP ON THE FRAME OUT OF SITE FOR INSPECTION. THIS INCIDENT WENT TO FINE TO DISASTER IMMEDIATELY. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS VEHICLE WERE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH AND NEEDED TO STOP? THIS IS FATALITY WAITING TO HAPPEN. THIS SIZE OF TRUCK WOULD HAVE KILLED ME AND ANYONE I WOULD HAVE HIT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SHAME ON YOU GMC. BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED 4 YEARS AGO. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS REPAIRED BY GMC CERTIFIED SHOP ALSO 4 YEARS AGO DUE TO FACT THE VACUUM PLATE RUSTED OFF. THEY DID NOT INFORM ME OF ANY ISSUES OF BRAKE LINES RUSTING LIKE THIS OTHERWISE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED! *TR