NHTSA Complaint #10567281 — 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE

I WAS DRIVING HOME AROUND 9:30 PM. AS I WAS GOING DOWN A HILL I STEPPED ON MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO BRAKES AT ALL, NO SAFTEY FEATURES KICKED IN, NO WARNING LIGHTS. JUST A CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE. LUCKILY FOR ME IT WAS A SMALL HILL AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP BY GOING INTO LOW GEAR AND USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I TURNS OUT THAT THE BRAKELINES FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS CONTROL BOX WERE ROTTED AND FINALLY GAVE OUT. THIS IS A 2002 TRUCK WITH 62,000 MILES ON IT. I KNOW FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH OLDER CARS THAT IF A BRAKE LINE FAILS, THERE IS A VALVE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO CUT OFF THE OPEN LINE SO THERE IS SOME BRAKES LEFT. I REPEAT, NO SAFTEY FEATURES WORKED, NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO VALVE KICKING IN,NOTHING. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH GM. A QUICK SEARCH ON THE WEB BROUGHT UP THOUSANDS OF HITS ON THIS PROBLEM. JUST 20 MINUTES EARLIER I WAS ON THE NYS THRUWAY DOING 65 MPH. IF I LOST BRAKES AT THAT SPEED AND WITH THE OTHER TRAFFIC, THERE MOST CERTAINLY WOOD HAVE BEEN A CRASH AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.