2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

WITH MY AVALANCHE, I WAS TOWING A TRAILER WITH A CAR LOADED AND TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 10 MPH, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW FOR A TURN AND LOST NEARLY ALL THE BRAKING POWER. I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES FORWARD OF THE ABS MODULE LOCATED INSIDE THE LEFT FRAME RAIL DIRECTLY BENEATH THE DRIVERS SEAT HAD RUPTURED DUE TO CORROSION. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED ALL BRAKE LINES IN THAT AREA WERE COVERED WITH CORROSION. ALL BRAKE LINE WERE REPLACED WITH NEW STAINLESS STEEL LINES AFTER RESEARCHING THAT THIS VERY COMMON PROBLEM WAS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR RECALL. REPAIR COST: $950.00. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT BRAKE PROBLEMS OF THIS FREQUENCY AND MAGNITUDE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL AS IT IS APPARENT THAT IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND VERY DANGEROUS.

2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 2500 WITH 8.1 ENGINE DIES WITHOUT WARNING AT DRIVING SPEEDS. THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, AFTER THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AND NO BRAKES FOR THIS 7000 POUND VEHICLE. SOMETIMES, ONCE PULLED OVER AND SHUTTING EVERYTHING OFF AND TRYING TO RESTART IT WILL RESTART, SOMETIMES TAKING UP TO 10 MINUTES OF TRYING TO CRANK IT INTERMITTENTLY BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. IT HAS DONE THIS, OFF AND ON, AT RANDOM INTERVALS OVER THE YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET OTHERS FROM WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND MOST LIKELY SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WHICH SOME SAY HAS BEEN RECALLED ON THE 2001 MODEL ENGINE FOR THE SILVERADOS, BUT CANNOT FIND ANYTHING FOR THE SAME 2002 ENGINE, WHICH IS THE SAME ENGINE. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND FRIGHTENING ENOUGH AT "BACK ROAD" SPEEDS, BUT CONSIDERABLY MORE SO AT MAJOR HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, LEAVING THE DRIVER UNABLE TO STEER, BRAKE OR IMMEDIATELY RESTART THE VEHICLE LEAVING IT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE THERE IS NO CODE IN THE ECM SO THE DEALERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE?

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2002 AVALANCHE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING OR DASH LIGHTS. ALTHOUGH HE DID GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION HE WAS TRYING TO STOP FOR THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AND NO ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM WAS A BRAKE LINE FAILING.

SATURDAY JANUARY 23, 2016 DURING A SNOW STORM MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 2500 VIN# [XXX] LOST ALL BRAKE CONTROL DUE TO FAILED AND CORRODED BRAKE LINE UNDER DRIVER SIDE DOOR AT RETAINER CLIP ON SIDE OF FRAME WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGNS OF SOFT PEDAL OR INTERMITTENT BRAKING. THIS IS THE SECOND TRUCK DRIVEN A 2004 1500 WITH THE SAME FAILED LINE IN SAME PLACE ON FRAME. JUST BEFORE THE BRAKE LINE FAILED THERE WAS A SMALL CAR IN FRONT OF ME WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT THAT TURNED RIGHT IF THEY CAME TO A FULL STOP I WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AROUND THEM THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY AND OR DEATH OF THE OTHER OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR. I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN FOR ALL NOT JUST DRIVERS OF THE AFFECTED TRUCKS BUT ANYONE OR OBJECT IN ITS PATH. I ASKING FOR GM TO RECALL ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES FOR A REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF ALL BRAKE LINES AT THE COST OF GENERAL MOTORS WITH BRAKE LINES COATED LIKE THE POLY ARMOR LINES TO AID IN THE RESISTANCE OF CORROSION. THE CURRENT LINES ARE ONLY MADE OF STEEL WITH NO TOP COATING AND ARE ROUTED IN DIRECT SPRAY OFF OF TIRES AND ROAD WITH NO SPLASH SHIELD TO PROTECT LINE FROM SPRAY OR FOREIGN OBJECTS FROM STRIKING LINES. SINCERELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IDLING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND AFTER PULLING OUT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. AFTER TRYING FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES IT RESTARTED. THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INSTANCE, BUT HAS NOW HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND EVEN WHEN IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT. *TR