NHTSA Complaint #10732479 — 2009 CHEVROLET TAHOE

ON JUNE 16, 2015, I SLOWED TO GET OFF A HIGHWAY IN MAINE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT SLOWING PROPERLY. SOON AFTER I HEARD A CLUCKING NOISE AND THOUGHT I RAN OVER SOMETHING THAT SOUNDED LIKE METAL. I CHECKED BUT SAW NOTHING, BUT I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES LOOKED VERY BLUE LIKE THEY HAD BEEN RUNNING HOT. A SHORT DISTANCE DOWN THE ROAD THE SOUND GOT WORSE. I CONTACTED A CHEVROLET DEALER. FORTUNATELY THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ME THE NEXT MORNING. I DID NOT USE MY CAR FOR THE REST OF THAT DAY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FRONT NOISE THEY SHOWED ME THAT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF AND THE LEFT FRONT WAS GRINDING AND READY TO FAIL. THE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE HIGH HEAT, AND BLUING WAS CAUSING CHIPPING OFF AND BRAKE FAILURE. I SHOULD MENTION THAT THIS 2009 VEHICLE ONLY HAD 48,793 MILES ON IT, AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE BEST PART IS THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FULL INSPECTION ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. SO, THE END RESULT WAS THAT BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB BEARING ASSEMBLIES HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE BOTH FRONT ROTORS, BRAKES AND CALIBERS. THE DEALER TRIED TO TELL ME THAT THE CALIBERS WERE STILL GOOD, HOWEVER I HAD THEM REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE ALSO OVERHEATED. ANYONE WHO KNOWS MECHANICS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT IN THIS SITUATION AFTER RUNNING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THAT THERE WOULD BE OVERHEATING OF THE CALIBERS ALONG WITH ROTORS AND BRAKES WHEN THE WHEEL HUBS ARE NOT RUNNING SMOOTH. I QUESTION WHY THESE WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MY VEHICLES. ON 12/31/2013 AT 40,126 MILES I HAD NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS INSTALLED, AND HAD THE BRAKE FLUID CHANGED. STILL GM DOESN'T THINK THAT THEY HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE CALIBERS, ROTORS, AND BRAKES THAT WERE DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF MY FRONT WHEEL HUBS.