NHTSA Complaint #10629776 — 1997 GMC SAFARI

THIS VAN BELONGS TO MY MOTHER. MY SISTER WAS DRIVING THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. SHE IS 60 YRS OF AGE AND A VERY GOOD DRIVER. HER DESCRIPTION: "JUST PULLING AWAY FROM ONE LIGHT & COMING UP TO ANOTHER. WASN'T GOING MORE THAN 20 MPH. STEP ON THE BRAKES & THEY WEREN'T THERE." THE ACCIDENT CAUSED ABOUT $500 IN DAMAGE TO THE HONDA AUTO THAT WAS STRUCK, AND SIMILAR LIGHT DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER OF THE SAFARI. I INSPECTED SYSTEM AND FOUND NO LEAKS, AND CONCLUDED THAT MASTER CYLINDER MAY BE FAILING, SO I REPLACED IT. AFTER THAT REPAIR, HAD EXCELLENT PEDAL. I BORROWED THE VAN A FEW DAYS LATER, AND WHILE DRIVING IT, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME NO BRAKE CONDITION 3 TIMES, ONCE WHICH LEFT THE FRONT END OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION (LUCKILY, NO COLLISION). I RECOGNIZED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ERRONEOUSLY KEEPING THE FRONT BRAKES FROM APPLYING, AND THAT WAS WHAT CAUSED THE NO BRAKE CONDITION. A GM MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO PULL THE ABS FUSE. I DID SO, AND NOW THE VAN HAS GREAT BRAKES, EVERY TIME. I HAVE DONE THE SAME TO ANOTHER FAMILY VEHICLE ALSO EQUIPPED WITH THIS DANGEROUS SYSTEM; I'M NOT WAITING UNTIL IT CAUSES ANOTHER ACCIDENT. THIS CONDITION SCREAMS FOR YOUR ATTENTION. NO ONE WAS HURT BY THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE INCIDENT (EXCEPT FINANCIALLY), BUT IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE ENDS UP GLIDING INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION, OR OVER A CROSSWALK, AND DOES CAUSE A DEATH OR TWO. PLEASE HAVE ALL THESE DANGEROUS ABS VEHICLES RECALLED, AND HAVE THESE SAFETY FEATURES-TURNED-SAFETY HAZARDS DEFEATED, BEFORE SOMEONE DOES BECOME A VICTIM.