NHTSA Complaint #10537360 — 2002 GMC SIERRA

THIS IS AN OLD INCIDENT; HOWEVER, UNTIL JUST RECENTLY, I DID NOT REALIZE THERE WAS A WEBSITE SUCH AS YOURS. ALSO, I AM REPORTING A SPECIFIC INCIDENT, BUT ALSO WANT TO INCLUDE OTHER GENERAL INFORMATION. THE INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED WAS RELATED TO MY BRAKE FLUID LINES RUSTING COMPLETELY THROUGH WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY TWO SMALL GRANDCHILDREN. WHEN A VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME, I PUSHED ON MY BRAKES ONLY TO FIND I COULD NOT STOP. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A FIELD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I DROVE INTO IT, RATHER THAN HITTING THE VEHICLE. WHEN MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE BRAKES, THE LINES LITERALLY FELL APART. WE STILL HAVE THIS TRUCK, BUT THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF IT (FRAME, SPRING HANGERS, FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, ETC) ARE ALL RUSTED. ANOTHER ISSUE THAT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS SUMMER - THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER HAD BECOME SO RUSTED, MY SPARE TIRE ACTUALLY CAME LOSE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY IT WAS HELD UP BY A CHAIN. UPON LEARNING THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH MOST ALL GM TRUCKS, I FELT OBLIGATED TO BASE MY COMPLAINT IN THE HOPES THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE. TOYOTA FACED SIMILAR PROBLEMS, BUT FORTUNATELY STOOD BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS AND MADE IT RIGHT WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS AND I FEEL GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO LIKEWISE. WE HAVE TRIED TO TRADE THIS TRUCK IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT ARE BEING OFFERED WAY BELOW KELLY BLUE BOOK PRICE BECAUSE OF THE RUST ISSUE. *TR