NHTSA Complaint #10519385 — 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

SPONTANEOUS FRONT AND REAR BRAKE FAILURE ON A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 LT PICKUP TRUCK. I WAS PULLING UP TO MY DRIVEWAY AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I TRIED TO PUMP THE BRAKE WITH NO SUCCESS. NO PRIOR BRAKE LEVEL OR ABS OR PROPORTIONING VALVE WARNING LIGHTS WERE INDICATED. I APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND CAME TO A STOP. ONCE I PARKED THE TRUCK I NOTICED BRAKE FLUID DRIPPING DOWN BELOW THE DRIVER'S DOOR. I CRAWLED UNDER TO DISCOVER THAT ALL FOUR STEEL BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND FLUID WAS STEADILY COMING OUT. A LARGE PUDDLE UNDER THE TRUCK HAD ACCUMULATED OVER A SHORT TIME. I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE ALSO SEVERELY RUSTED IN THE SAME AREA. I AM 65 YEARS OLD AND HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES OVER MY LIFETIME (INCLUDING CLASSIC CARS), BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD A BRAKE LINE RUST AS BAD AS THESE. I AM EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT I WASN'T ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO MAKE A QUICK STOP FOR TRAFFIC AHEAD. MORE SERIOUSLY THAN THE RUSTED LINES IS THE FACT THAT NO PRIOR WARNING WAS GIVEN BEFORE TOTAL FAILURE. DUAL MASTER CYLINDERS AND ISOLATED FRONT AND REAR LINES DID NOT PERFORM AS DESIGNED. I HAVE BEEN ON THE INTERNET TODAY AND UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. I CAN JUST IMAGINE OTHER PEOPLE/FAMILIES WHO WILL NOT BE AS LUCKY AS ME IF THIS CONTINUES WITHOUT SOMETHING BEING DONE TO WARN AND CORRECT THE SITUATION. THIS SHOULD BE ON THE NEWS AND GM SHOULD BE INVOLVED AND RESOLVING THE ISSUE. THANKS *TR