NHTSA Complaint #10644900 — 2002 GMC SIERRA

DEAR SIR OR MA'AM, I HAVE A 2002 GMC SIERRA TRUCK THAT I BOUGHT NEW IN 2002. THE BRAKES RECENTLY FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 26, 2014. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT BRAKING ACTION. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP SAFELY AND WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. UPON EXAMINATION, THE BRAKE LINE TO THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. I EXAMINED THE REST OF THE LINES AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES, THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE AND THE FUEL LINE ALL SHOW SIGNS OF MAJOR CORROSION, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE FRAME. I HAVE LESS THAN 43,000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK AND IT WAS GARAGE-KEPT THE FIRST NINE YEARS I OWNED IT. I LIVE IN KY WHERE THE ROADS ARE ONLY SALTED A FEW TIMES A YEAR. THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS RELATIVELY RUST FREE. THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE NOW. EVEN IF I PATCH THE LEAK, THE REST OF THE LINES COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME. I COULD SUFFER CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE WHILE TOWING MY BOAT OR HORSE TRAILER OR SIMPLY GOING DOWN A HILL. FURTHERMORE, THE FUEL LINES ARE UNDER CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE AND IF THEY RUPTURE, THERE COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS FIRE HAZARD. IF THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES RUPTURE, I COULD HAVE A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH CHEVROLET AND GMC TRUCKS FOR YEARS 1999 TO 2003 AND THAT THE NTHSA HAS LOOKED INTO THIS IN THE PAST. IF OTHER TRUCKS ARE IN THE SAME CONDITION AS MINE (AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE), THERE IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM ON THE ROADS RIGHT NOW. YET, TO DATE NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. I THINK THIS IS COURTING DISASTER. IT IS MY OPINION THAT LINES MADE WITH INFERIOR STEEL WERE USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS VEHICLE, YET GM REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT. I URGE YOU TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS MATTER. THIS IS NTHSA CASE NUMBER: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR