NHTSA Complaint #10637685 — 2004 CADILLAC ESCALADE

ON 8/13/2014 WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT ON US ROUTE 22 IN MONROEVILLE, PA.; AT ABOUT 30 MPH, MY PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED TO LOW GEAR AND APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO NOT HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, ABOUT 2 FEET TO SPARE. PULLED OFF ROAD, OPENED HOOD, MASTER CYLINDER LOW, PUDDLE UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT. AS I WAS ONLY 1/4 MILE FROM MY FAVORITE MECHANIC AND WAS ON A LEVEL ROAD, I PUT THE 4 WAY FLASHERS ON, LOW GEAR, AND PROCEEDED AT 5 MPH TO THE SERVICE CENTER. ONLY BRAKES I HAD WAS EMERGENCY, NOTHING AT ALL FROM PEDAL ?????? WHAT USE IS A DUAL MASTER WHEN THE LINE TO THE ABS BURSTS. THIS VEHICLE HAS 45K MILES ON THE ODOMETER, IT MAY BE 10 YEARS OLD; BUT THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN ON A VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION, LOOKS NEW, DRIVES NEW. REPAIR TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD WAS $274.01 BUT; MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT ALL MY LINES WERE BAD AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. I JUST HAD ALL THE BRAKE LINES / FLEX HOSES / AND GEE EVEN THE GAS LINE WERE RUSTING THRU REPLACED AT A COST OF $1323.32. SO I'VE SPENT $1500.00 ON BRAKE / FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT. I AS WELL AS MANY OF MY FRIENDS WERE SHOCKED AT THIS FAILURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DRIVE 50 60 YEAR OLD TRIUMPH SPORTS CARS WITH ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES. NEVER HAVE I EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY AT 65 OR 70 AND NEEDED TO STOP I'D PROBABLY BE DEAD, AS WELL AS WHOEVER I MAY HAVE HIT IN FRONT OF ME. THIS IS A TERRIBLE PROBLEM AND I HAVE SEEN LOTS OF FOLKS WITH GM TRUCKS COMPLAINING OF THIS MALADY. *TR