2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Parking Brake Problems

MY PARKING BRAKE HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I DID NOT KNOW THIS UNTIL THE FIRST INSPECTION. IT DID NOT PASS AND I HAD TO PAY $150.00 TO "FIX" IT. EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT IS HAS FAILED. I HAVE CALLED MY DEALER WITH THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NOT HAD ANY LUCK. I SURE HOPE SOMEONE DOES NOT DIE BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT WORKING. THE CONTACT NEVER USED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD GO BAD IF IT WAS NEVER USED. UPDATED 9/13/2006 -THE VEHICLE FAILED STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE DID NOT WORK. *NM

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS WILL NOT INSPECT VEHICLE DUE TO FAULTY EMERGENCY BRAKE DESIGN. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT COVER AND MANUFACTURER WILL NOT WARRANTY. $600 DEALERSHIP REPAIR OR $400 AT LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. *JB

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. APPEARS PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM DEFECTIVE WHICH HAS CAUSED BRAKE TO BE INOPERABLE AND TRIGGERED A FAILED STATE INSPECTION ON 4/7/06. THIS WILL HAVE TO BE FIXED IN THE NEXT 15 DAYS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN INSPECTION. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE DEFECT IN THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM WILL NECESSITATE ANOTHER REPAIR AT THE 15K MARK FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL REPAIR, AS THE SYSTEM EATS THE BRAKE SHOES DUE TO THE DEFECT. THIS PROBLEM IS IN NO WAY RELATED TO USE OF THE PARKING BRAKE. *JB

WENT TO GET MY 2001 CHEVY SUBURBAN INSPECTED AND IT FAILED BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD NOT HOLD. THE INSPECTOR SAID THIS IS A EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES AND IF HE GOT 100 SUBURBANS IN TO BE INSPECTED 90 WOULD FAIL BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *NM

THE PARKING BRAKE ON OUR 2001 SUBURBAN HAS FAILED FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 4 YEARS. FROM DISCUSSIONS WITH REPAIR SHOPS AND OTHER SUBURBAN OWNERS, IT IS APPARENT THAT GM HAS A REAL DESIGN FLAW IN THE PARKING BRAKE MECHANISM FOR THE 2000 PLUS SUBURBANS. WE LIVE IN A VERY HILLY PART OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND A GOOD PARKING BREAK WOULD NORMALLY BE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL. I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA OPENS AN INVESTIGATION AND GETS THIS BAD DESIGN RECALLED BEFORE ONE OF THESE LARGE SUV'S ACCIDENTALLY BREAKS LOOSE WHEN PARKED ON A HILL AND KILLS SOME CHILD. *NM

I HAVE A 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1/2 TON WITH 39,000 MILES ON IT. THE EMERGENCY (PARKING) BRAKE IS DEFECTIVE. IT WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NEVER USED MY EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND WAS TOLD BY VARIOUS REPAIR PEOPLE THAT IT WAS A KNOWN DEFECT AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ORDERED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY UNKNOWING OWNERS WITH AN UNUSABLE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED: # 02-05-26-002A. *NM

2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, PARKING BRAKE (EMERGENCY BRAKE) HAS NEVER WORKED. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A SIMPLE ADJUSTMENT AND SINCE THIS VEHICLE IS NORMALLY DRIVEN ONLY ON LONG TRIPS--RATHER THAN DAILY USE I WAS NOT TOO CONCERNED. DID NOT BOTHER TO REPORT TO DEALER BECAUSE TOO MUCH HASSLE OVER OTHER DEFECTS UNDER WARRANTY. RECENTLY CONSULTED MY MECHANIC FRIEND (FORMER GM) AND HAVE FOUND THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT MANUFACTURING FLAW--WRONG PARTS INSTALLED AT DATE OF MANUFACTURER. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED TO DEALERS ON THIS PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE NOW IS FOUR YEARS OLD AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 58000 MILES THE DEALER WILL NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURE ON MY PART. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AT THE MANUFACTURERS EXPENSE. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER OWNERS OF SIMILAR VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. TIME AND MILEAGE SHOULD NOT DISCHARGE THE MANUFACTURE FROM THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

PARKING BRAKE ON 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WON'T HOLD. WHEN PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR, THE VEHICLE CAN STILL ROLL.

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT HIS 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN PARKING BRAKE HAS NEVER WORKED IN HIS VEHICLE. HE HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE TOLD HIM IT'S A FAULTY DESIGN AND THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. THE TRANSMISSION WON'T STAY IN PARK DUE TO THE PROBLEM. *TT

PARKING BRAKE ON 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 DOES NOT HOLD. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICKUPS WHICH HAVE THE SAME TYPE PARKING BRAKE. I AM HAVING TO PAY TO HAVE THE BRAKE REPAIRED IN ORDER TO PASS STATE INSPECTION. THE DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY OF THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM.

THE PARKING BRAKE WAS INOPERABLE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX BECAUSE THE BRAKE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE BRAKE SHOES WERE REPLACED. *BF THE PARKING BRAKE HAD NEVER BEEN USED, YET THE PARKING SHOES WERE WORN OUT. THE LOWER LEFT COWL COVER WAS BROKEN AND WAS BEING HELD TOGETHER BY PUTTY. *SC *JB

ON 2/12/04, I TOOK MY 2001 CHEVY SUBURBAN IN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE DID NOT WORK. BEING THE FIRST TIME I TRIED TO USE IT AND IT DID NOT WORK, I ASSUMED IT WOULD BE A WARRANTY REPAIR. THE DEALER SAID NO, THIS IS COMMON AND A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ADJUSTMENT. I SAID I HAVE NEVER USED IT, HOW CAN IT BE! NOT BEING SAFE W/OUT A EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE, I HAD TO PAY! AFTER THEIR "ADJUSTMENT" THE BRAKES OR SOMETHING SQUEALED. UPON RETURNING TO THE DEALER, I ASKED THEM TO CHECK THEIR ADJUSTMENT AND MENTIONED WHERE I HAD SEEN ON THE NHTSA SITE ABOUT PARKING BRAKES WEARING ALL THE TIME. THEY ADJUSTED AGAIN TO SPEC AND WHEN I GOT IT BACK, BRAKES STILL DID NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE WELL - IT WOULD NEVER HAVE HELD ON A HILL! I TOOK IT BACK AGAIN TO THE...

CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE OF NORMAL DRIVING EMERGENCY BRAKE WORE OUT, EVEN IF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NEVER BEING USED. CONSUMER DECIDED TO CALL DEALER BECAUSE HE FELT THAT IT WAS A SAFETY FACTOR, KNOWING THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. *AK

PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD WHEN DEPRESSED. PEDAL GOES COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. REMOVED REAR ROTOR AND PADS WERE VERY THIN WITH ONLY 48000 MILES, AND THE ONLY TIME THE BRAKE IS USED IS DURING INSPECTION ONE TIME EACH YEAR. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS ON THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS PUZZLING THAT CHEVROLET DOES NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK

BOUGHT 2001 SUBURBAN NEW. NEVER USED EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT BRAKE HAS FAILED AND WORN INTO MY ROTOR TO A POINT THAT BOTH ROTORS NOW NEED REPLACING. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET. ALSO HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT WORKS FOR GM AS A MECHANIC AND SAYS THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE SYSTEM. HE DOES THESE JOBS ALL THE TIME.*AK

2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN - PARKING BRAKE HAS FAILED. WE DID NOT REALIZE FAILURE UNTIL POINTED OUT TO US BY MECHANIC; THOUGHT IT NORMAL THAT THE BRAKE GOES TO THE FLOOR.*AK

COMPLAINT REGARDING MANUFACTURING DEFECT- PARKING BRAKE.*MR (NAR) *CB

PARKING BRAKE FAILS TO HOLD. *AK

I TOOK MY 2001 SUBURBAN FOR THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE SHOP CALLED TO SAY IT DID NOT PASS DUE TO THE PARKING BRAKE NOT HOLDING. THERE IS NEVER A NEED TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE IN HOUSTON, THEREFORE I HAVE NEVER USED IT. THERE ARE 4 PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE THAT HAVE HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM AND HAD TO PAY TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR. I CALLED CHEVROLET ZONE TO REPORT THIS, BUT OF COURSE THEY CLAIM TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE SHOP REMOVED THE TIRES AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE RIPPED TO SHREADS AND THE ROTOR WAS SO BADLY ETCHED THAT IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. TOTAL COST TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM ON A VEHICLE WITH 37,000 MILES WAS 350.00 PER SIDE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM SO HOPEFULLY CHEVROLET WILL HAVE TO ANNOUNCE THE CLEAR DEFECT...

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO HAVE A STATE INSPECTION DONE AND FOUND THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT HOLDING THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER, AND THEY FOUND THAT THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES WERE WORN OUT, AND BOTH BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE - 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN DURING STATE INSPECTION (TEXAS) APPARENT CAUSE OF PARKING BRAKE FAILURE IS DUE TO MISALIGNMENT OF PARKING BRAKE SHOE. CHEVROLET HAS REDESIGNED THEIR THE RETAINING CLIP WHICH HOLDS THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE IN PLACE. THE REDESIGNED CLIP DOES NOT ALLOW THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE TO FLOAT OR MOVE INSIDE THE ROTOR OF THE REAR PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY. IN THIS CASE THERE WAS ABNORMAL WEAR TO THE INSIDE OF THE PARKING BRAKE ROTOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AS WELL AS ABNORMAL WEAR ON THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE. THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE WEAR ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR BRAKE ROTOR OF PARKING BRAKE SHOE. CHEVROLET HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS WHICH ADDRESSES THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ENGAGED OR SET. THE FIX IS THE REDESIGNED CLIP WHICH REPLACES THE OLD CLIP. IN...

I RECENTLY TOKK MY 2001 CHEV SUBURBAN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR MISC REPAIRS. ONE OF WHICH WAS THAT THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE NO LONGER HELD THE VEHICLE AT ALL. EITHER IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. ONE DAY I WENT TO USE IT AND IT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. HOW LONG HAD IT BEEN THIS WAY? I RARELY, IF EVER, USE THE PARKING BRAKE SO I ASSUMED IT WAS BROKEN AND WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 2.5 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAS 18,900 MI. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE PARKING BRAKE NEEDED "ADJUSTMENT" AND THIS WAS A NORMAL WEAR CONDITION AND WOULD COST ME $65. I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE TO NOT HAVE MY BRAKES WORK, SO I COMPLIED. IT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR TO USE IT MORE OFTEN AND THAT WOULD KEEP IT IN ADJUSTMENT? I FEEL THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS BRAKE...

I TOOK MY 2001 SUBURBAN TO HAVE A STATE INSPECTION DONE AND FOUND THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT HOLDING. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES WERE WORN ALL THE WAY DOWN AND BOTH ROTORS NEEDED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTED INSIDE AND THE PARKING BAKE SHOES WOULD NOT HOLD. I ONLY HAVE 37000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS ONLY WILLING TO SPLIT THE COST OF THE ROTORS AND THE INSTALLATION OF THE ROTORS EVEN THOUGH THE PARKING BAKE WORE OUT AFTER ONLY 37000 MILES OR EVEN LESS. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 37000 MILES. I AM THE ONLY PERSON WHO DRIVES THIS VEHICLE AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NEVER LEFT ON WHILE DRIVING. THERE IS A DEFECT ON THE ENGINEERING OF THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM THAT IT WEARS OUT THIS...

I ASKED HUFFINES CHEVROLET [PLANO, TX] TO CHECK MY 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AS THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT HOLDING. THE PEDAL WOULD DEPRESS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL. THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOUND THAT THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE HAD CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR ON THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF THE BODY STYLE CHANGE IN 2000. THE NEW DESIGN OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PLACED IT IN CONTACT WITH THE ROTORS WHICH CAUSES PREMATURE WEAR. THIS IS NOT A REPAIR THAT IS COVERED UNDER THE 36 MONTH/36,000 MILE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY. DESPITE THAT, THE DEALER REPLACED THE PADS AND ROTORS AT NO CHARGE. I AM STILL NOT CLEAR AS TO WHY, BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE INCURRED THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIR IF THE VEHICLE HAS OVER 30,000 MILES. I'M LED TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS...

PARKING BRAKE FAILED. *AK

THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS NOT HOLD PROPERLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED, AND VEHICLE DIDN'T PASS THE LOCAL INSPECTION IN TEXAS. DEALER STATED , "WE WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WE DIDNT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT." *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE WOULD NOT RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE WHEN DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO HOLD. THE DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. SEVERAL OTHER SUBURBANS HAD FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF POOR PARKING BRAKES. *AK *CB *JB

PARKING BRAKE NOT HOLDING-- GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. *NLM

I AM CONCERNED THERE IS A CHEVROLET MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IF WHAT THE LONE STAR CHEVROLET REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME IS CORRECT AND AN UNUSED EMERGENCY BRAKE IN A 2001 SUBURBAN CAN DESTROY ITSELF AT ANY TIME MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ON 3/10/2003 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LONE STAR CHEVROLET FOR ITS 50K MILE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, EXCEPT FOR A SQUEALING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE WHEN THE BREAKS WERE APPLIED. I ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE BRAKES. ON THEIR FIRST CALL, THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THE MECHANIC FOUND THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS TO BE GLAZED OVER, CAUSING THE NOISE. I TOLD THEM TO FIX IT, A STANDARD WEAR REPAIR ITEM. LATER, THE REPRESENTATIVE CALLED AGAIN TO SAY THE MECHANIC FOUND THE EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE BROKEN,NOT HOLDING AGAINST THE DRUM, WHICH CAUSED, THE CAR TO BE UNSAFE TO THE POINT IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. WHEN...

THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE WEAR. *NLM

THE VEHICLE FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEING INOPERATIVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN FLAW WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE DESIGN OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PLACED IT IN CONTACT WITH THE ROTORS WHICH CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR. *JB

CONSUMER NOTICED FAILURE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RETAINER CLIP. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR