NHTSA Complaint #10862781 — 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

A FRIEND AND I WERE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY STREET IN FORT MYERS, FLORIDA AT THE 45 MPH LIMIT. WHEN TRAFFIC SLOWED FOR A RED LIGHT I APPLIED THE BRAKES ONLY TO HAVE THE PEDAL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY THE STREET HAS A WIDE BERM AND I WAS ABLE TO STEER AROUND TRAFFIC AND ROLL TO A STOP AFTER ABOUT 75 YARDS, CROSSING 2 BUSINESS DRIVEWAYS AND TAKING OUT 1 REFLECTOR. THE CAUSE WAS A BRAKE LINE RUPTURE DUE TO RUST. AN ON-LINE SEARCH FOR PARTS REVEALED THIS TO BE A RATHER COMMON PROBLEM THAT YOUR OFFICE IS WELL AWARE OF. I UNDERSTAND SUCH RUST HAPPENING IN THE NORTHERN STATES BUT MY TRUCK IS A FLORIDA VEHICLE THAT HAS MADE ONLY ONE WINTER TRIP NORTH AND I DON'T RECALL ANY SNOW EVEN THEN. THOUGH THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES INSTRUCT THE OWNER TO INSPECT (OR HAVE INSPECTED) THE BRAKE SYSTEM, NO MENTION IS MADE OF RUST OR THAT THE LEFT FRONT INNER FENDER MAY NEED TO BE REMOVED TO SEE THE CRITICAL AREA (FOR RUST). WORSE IN MY OPINION, IS THE DUAL SYSTEM WHICH DID LITTLE TO SLOW MY TRUCK WHEN THE LINE FAILED. WHILE IT DOES STOP THE TRUCK IN NORMAL SLOW DRIVING, THE PEDAL HAS TO BE HELD ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND IN NO WAY DOES IT SEEM LIKE A SAFE "BACKUP". I UNDERSTAND THAT RECALLS OR EVEN NOTICES TO OWNERS CAN BE EXPENSIVE AND THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN NO INJURIES DUE TO THE RUST PROBLEM. BUT HAD THE STREET I WAS DRIVING ON NOT HAD A BERM TO ESCAPE TO OR HAD THERE BEEN A PEDESTRIAN ON THAT BERM, OR ANOTHER VEHICLE IN ONE OF THE BUSINESS ENTRANCES, MY INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY TRAGIC. AS IS I AM STILL FACING A COSTLY AND VERY DIFFICULT REPLACEMENT OF ALL THE BRAKE LINES. AND I'LL BE LOOKING AT EVERY CHEVY IN THE AFFECTED GROUP AS A "TIME BOMB".