NHTSA Complaint #10512138 — 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

TRUCK EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE WHEN A CORRODED RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DURING AN ATTEMPTED HARD STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD NO EFFECT. SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION DOWN AND APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE EVENTUALLY STOPPED THE TRUCK. FLUID LEAKING FROM THE RUPTURE DRAINED THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR WITHIN FIVE MINUTES. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF ALL THE BRAKE LINES REVEALED SEVERE CORROSION AND PITTING AT MANY LOCATIONS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE TRUCK. DESPITE HAVING THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES ON SEPARATE HYDRAULIC CIRCUITS, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH BRAKING CAPABILITY REMAINING TO SAFELY DRIVE THE TRUCK, EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS WAS A VERY CLOSE CALL AND IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE CORROSION RESISTANCE OF THE BRAKE LINES IS SUBSTANDARD, POSING A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN.