NHTSA Complaint #753432 — 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE

THE REAR BRAKES ARE INSUFFICIENTLY PROPORTIONED TO THE FRONT CAUSING THE FRONT TIRES TO LOOSE TRACTION EASILY UNDER MODERATE BRAKING. THERE IS A SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL AND I HAVE SUGGESTED THAT AIR IN THE BACK LINES MAY BE CAUSING THIS. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BECAUSE THEY SAY THEIR TESTS SHOW THE CAR IS WITHIN GM GUIDELINES. THE PROBLEM BECOMES READILY EVIDENT WHEN TRACTION CONDITIONS ARE UNFAVORABLE WITH ONLY SLIGHT BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE THE FRONT TIRES WILL OVERCOME THE AVAILABLE TRACTION AVAILABLE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE REAR BRAKES ARE BARELY ASSISTING, IF AT ALL. I HAVE 3 OTHER VEHICLES AND IN THE SAME CONDITIONS, I CAN'T EVEN GET THE TIRES TO BREAK LOOSE UNLESS I STOMP THE BRAKES. BUT WITH INTRIGUE, LIGHT PRESSURE CAUSES THE FRONT TIRES TO LOOSE TRACTION. ABS FUNCTIONS PROPERLY, BUT WOULD HAVE NEVER COME ON IF ALL 4 BRAKE WERE ASSISTING. AND IN AN ABS EVENT, NO MATTER HOW HARD OR SOFT I APPLY THE BRAKE, THE CAR'S DECELERATION RATE IS DRAMATICALLY REDUCED. ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS STOPPING ABOUT HALF AS WELL AS BEFORE ABS ACTIVATED. THESE ABS EVENTS OCCUR ALL THE TIME. THE CONSISTENT FEELING THAT THE FRONTS ARE ABOUT TO LOOSE TRACTION WHILE THE BACKS ARE JUST NOT CONTRIBUTING IS FRUSTRATING AND LIFE THREATENING. MY WIFE, BROTHER AND I HAVE ALL HAD THIS HAPPEN TO US WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR. I'VE GONE THROUGH INTERSECTIONS, INTO SNOWDRIFTS TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES, ETC. WHILE THE CARS NEXT TO ME CAN STOP WITH NO FUSS. ANOTHER ITEM THAT SHOWS MORE EVIDENCE TO THIS IS, THE FRONT ROTORS WERE TURNED TWICE FOR WARPAGE AND REPLACED, THEN TURNED AGAIN FOR WARPAGE, ALL UNDER 36000 MILES. ALSO THE BACK TIRES LOOK LIKE THEY'RE STILL NEW. LAST WEEK, DURING A NICE HEAVY RAIN, WITH ABS DISABLED (REMOVAL OF A FUSE), I SHOWED THE MECHANIC THAT I COULD NOT MAKE THE BACK BRAKES LOCK THE WHEELS. THIS WAS WITH BOTH FEET MASHING ON THE BRAKE. THIS IS WHILE THE FRONTS WERE SKIDDING ALL THE WAY. PLEASE HELP! ABS ISN'T GOING TO SAVE ME, BUT GOOD BRAKES SURE WOULD HELP.*A