NHTSA Complaint #11082615 — 2000 GMC SIERRA 1500

DURING A NORMAL STOP AT A STOP SIGN ON A RURAL ROAD, A STEEL BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO EXCESS CORROSION. THIS ONE LINE BETWEEN THE MASTER CYLINDER AND ABS MODULE IS THE ONLY LINE THAT PROVIDES PRESSURE TO THE FRONT BRAKES, WHICH SUPPLY ROUGHLY 75% OF THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING POWER. THE RUPTURE RESULTED IN RAPID FLUID LOSS AND THEREFORE A LACK OF PRESSURE IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM TO ALLOW FOR ADEQUATE BRAKING. NEEDED TO SWERVE INTO A DITCH TO AVOID A CRASH WITH CROSS TRAFFIC.VISUAL INSPECTION INDICATES MOST BRAKE LINES ARE EXTREMELY CORRODED, AND WERE OBVIOUSLY MADE WITH SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS AS COMPARED TO OTHER MANUFACTURERS. I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS AN OLD VEHICLE, HOWEVER OTHER VEHICLES OF SIMILAR AGE AND DRIVEN IN SIMILAR ENVIRONMENTS DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. ONLINE RESEARCH, MOST NOTABLY THE COMPLAINTS FILED TO NHTSA, INDICATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVY/GMC TRUCKS OF THIS ERA. ALTHOUGH OTHER OEM'S (SUBARU) HAVE ISSUED RECALLS IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS, IT APPEARS THAT THE GM THAT THE PUBLIC BAILED OUT JUST A FEW YEARS AGO HAS DECIDED TO DENY THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM, GAMBLING THAT THE THE COST OF LAWSUITS ASSOCIATED WITH DEATHS DO NOT EXCEED THE COST OF A RECALL.