NHTSA Complaint #10812011 — 2001 GMC YUKON XL 2500

WHILE ON A HILL HOLDING THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES ACTIVATED, A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SMOKE CAME BILLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE FLUID WAS CLEAR AND DRIPPING ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE BRAKE RESERVOIR DROPPED WITH SUCCESSIVE BRAKE APPLICATIONS. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MULTIPLE FIXED METAL BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODING AND ONE HAD ENOUGH TO CORROSION TO CAUSE A FAILURE OF THE METAL CAUSING A LEAKING BREAK LINE. ALL FIXED METAL BRAKE LIES WERE REPLACE AT A VERY HIGH EXPENSE DUE TO THE LABOR TO INSTALL THE NEW LINES. PART WERE ONLY A FRACTION OF THE LABOR TO INSTALL NEW BRAKE LINES ALONG THE BODY FRAMING. IRONICALLY, THE REPAIR SHOP OWNER HAD A 2500 SERIES GM PICKUP TRUCK WHICH EXPERIENCE THE SAME BRAKE LINE FAILURES JUST MONTHS BEFORE. IN ALL MY YEARS OF VEHICLE OWNERSHIP, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF A FIXED METAL BRAKE LINE. THEY ARE USUALLY MAKE OF MATERIALS WHICH PREVENT CORROSION OF THE METAL AND THEREFORE REMAIN USEFUL FOR STOPPING THE VEHICLE THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE USEFUL LIFE.