NHTSA Complaint #717262 — 1992 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

EMERGENCY STOPS ON DRY PAVEMENT AT 30 MPH CAUSED ABS TO ENGAGE AND CAUSED 2 ACCIDENTS. IN BOTH INCIDENTS, THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO "ROLL" INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. AFTER DRIVING 30 YEARS, I HAVE A SENSE OF HOW LONG IT SHOULD TAKE TO STOP AS WELL AS BEING VERY AWARE OF HOW LONG IT TAKES TO STOP THIS HEAVIER VEHICLE AND HAVE ATTEMPTED TO COMPENSATE BY ALLOWING A GREAT DEAL OF STOPPING SPACE IN FRONT OF ME. I DO NOT FOLLOW AS CLOSE AS MOST SEMIS. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN IN SUDDEN STOPS, THE ABS COMES ON AND MAKES A SORT OF POPPING/ROARING SOUND. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING SLIPPING. I HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE STEERING AS I ROLL/CRASH INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME! BUT, I FEEL THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OF THE BRAKES, AND THE DISTANCE IT TAKES TO GET STOPPED. OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE DRIVEN MY VEHICLE HAVE FELT THE ABS ARE UNSAFE IN SUDDEN STOPS. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE NOT HAD TO MAKE SUDDEN STOPS AT HIGH SPEEDS BECAUSE WHO KNOWS HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF FEET WOULD BE REQUIRED. SO FAR IN BOTH LOW SPEED CRASHES, TWO PEOPLE HAVE CLAIMED NECK AND BACK INJURIES, AND THEIR LEGAL SUITS ARE STILL PENDING WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY. I LIKE THE CAR BUT WOULD NOT BUY ANOTHER SUBURBAN BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FEELING SAFE WITH THE ABS. *AK