NHTSA Complaint #761742 — 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

VEHICLE DELIVERED WITH 305 MILES. NOTICED PARKING BRAKE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY NOT HOLD VEHICLE WHEN PARKED ON SLIGHT INCLINE AFTER ABOUT 1000 MILES. INITIALLY, PARKING BRAKE PEDAL HAD A DIFFERENT FEEL TO THE LAST 2 TO 3 INCHES OF PEDAL TRAVEL, AS IF IT WERE 'GIVING WAY' DUE TO EXCESSIVE PRESSURE ON PEDAL. HOWEVER, WHETHER THE PEDAL WAS PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR OR STOPPED BEFORE IT HAD THAT STRANGE 'GIVE WAY' FEEL DID NOT SEEM TO AFFECT THE FAILURE OF THE PARKING BRAKE TO HOLD VEHICLE WHEN APPLIED. EVENTUALLY, AFTER ABOUT 10000 MILES, THE STRANGE 'GIVE WAY' FEELING CEASED. ALSO NOTICED THAT OVER TIME THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD FAIL TO HOLD THE VEHICLE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, AND AROUND 14000 MILES, QUIT ALTOGETHER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS ADVICED THIS PROBLEM WAS COMMON WITH THE NEW SUBURBAN BODY STYLE (2000). SERVICE ADVISOR SAID WOULD HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE PARKING BRAKE UNIT TO SEE IF PADS NEEDED ADJUSTMENT OR REPLACEMENT AND MORE THAN LIKELY WOULD BE NEEDING REPLACEMENT AND THUS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I TOLD HIM THIS WAS HAPPENING FROM THE BEGINNING AND HE SAID THE PADS FOR THE PARKING BRAKE ON THE NEW BODY STYLES WERE VERY SMALL AND WORE OUT VERY QUICKLY ESPECIALLY IF USED ON AN INCLINE OR DRIVEN WITH PARKING BRAKES APPLIED. THIS BEING THE CASE, IT DID NOT SEEM COST EFFECTIVE TO BOTHER REPLACING THE PADS AS HE WAS GOING TO CHARGE ME ABOUT $150. IS THIS A DESIGN DEFECT OR AN INTENTIONAL SCHEME TO RIP CUSTOMERS OFF WITH FREQUENT BRAKE PAD CHANGES?*AK