NHTSA Complaint #10641029 — 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

I STARTED NOTICING RUST SPOTS ON THE BODY OF THE TRUCK. THEN I REALIZED IT WAS RUSTING OUT HOLES IN THE TRUCK IN CERTAIN AREAS. AFTER I STARTED NOTICING THESE SPOTS, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD TOWING MY LAWN EQUIPMENT AND HEADING TO MY NEXT JOBSITE. WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN I WENT TO HIT THE BRAKES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP AT ALL AND COURSE I WAS GOING DOWN HILL. SO I STARTED TO TRY AND SLOW DOWN THE TRUCK BY DOWNSHIFTING TO A LOWER GEAR AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN A FEW MILES PER HOUR BUT NOT NEAR ENOUGH. AS I WAS COMING AROUND A CURVE NOT LONG AFTER THE BRAKES STARTED FAILING. NOT TO FAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS STOPPED TRAFFIC. I TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO STOP BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH. I ONLY SLOWED DOWN TO 45 MPH BEFORE I WAS ABOUT TO HIT THE BACK OF A CAR HEAD ON. SO I DID THE ONLY OTHER THING I COULD TO MAYBE MAKE IT OUT WITHOUT A FATAL CRASH. I WENT OFF THE ROAD AROUND THE CAR AND HIT THE PARKING BRAKE AND NOTHING HAPPENED BECAUSE IT FAILED AS WELL. SO I TURNED THE TRUCK REAL SHARP TO DODGE THE TREES AND SLID SIDEWAYS FOR A WHILE AND THE TRUCK FINALLY CAME TO A STOP AND I WAS SO SICK I HAD A BAD PANIC ATTACK AND STARTED THROWING UP AND MY HEART FELT LIKE IT WAS BEING HIT BY A HAMMER AND MY BODY HURT SO BAD FROM THE TRUCK COMING TO A STOP AND ME SLAMMING INTO THE ARM REST AND THE SEAT BELT CUT MY NECK STOMACH AND CHEST. I GOT OUT AND LOOKED AT MY TRUCK AND NOTICED I HIT A PILE OF LOGS AND DAMAGED MY TIRES AND THE BODY OF MY TRUCK IN THE SEVERAL PLACES. THEN I TOOK IT TO A AUTO SHOP AND THEY FOUND OUT CHEVY DIDN'T PUT ANY CORROSIVE PROTECTION UNDER THE TRUCK OR ON PARTS. THE BRAKE LINES HAD BLEW OUT CAUSE OF THE RUST. ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE SHOT ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER BRAKE PARTS AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING UNDER THE TRUCK AND OUTSIDE THE TRUCK IS SOLID RUST. I COULD HAVE GOT KILLED IF I DIDN'T REACT WELL. NOW I PAY FOR A TRUCK I CAN'T DRIVE. *TR