US regulators probe risk of brake failure in 6 million GM trucks (1999 to 2003 model years)

AFP on Yahoo ^ | 4/9/10 | AFP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US safety regulators are probing the risk of brake failure in about six million older-model General Motors trucks.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a preliminary investigation on March 30 after being contacted by a driver whose corroded brakes burst, ..

The safety administration has received a total of 110 complaints from drivers who reported a "loss of braking effectiveness due to brake line rupture because of corrosion" in the affected vehicles.

Three of the complaints involved crashes, but there were no injuries or fatalities.

[NormsRevenge]

I'm sure Ray LaHood will be all over this.

[bert]

The steel brake lines need to be maintained and replaced

[NormsRevenge]

brake failure

something Congre$$ional big spenders don’t worry about

cuz they don’t have brakes

[Red Badger]

BRAKING NEWS!....................

[MediaMole]

Maintenance is important, but these aren’t that old. The only car I’ve ever had to do a wholesale brake line replacement on was 20 years old.

[Red Badger]

FYI................

[Man50D]

The government investigating itself. I feel better.

[EagleUSA]

What? A fine GOVERNMENT MOTORS vehicle with a design flaw? I thought only Toyotas could have those.....shocking, I tell ya, shocking!!!

[Red Badger]

Plastic master cylinders aren’t that great.................

[TYVets]

Toyoda’s Fault

[bert]

.....The only car.....

The subject though is trucks.

You are correct about the age thing.

I had to replace a failed steel brake line on my 78 GMC Sierra and the mechanic replaced them all as standard practice. I don’t remember when. The truck was 28 years old when I sold it. I would suspect the problem is in the older trucks and extrapolated to those newer with identical brake systems

[bamahead]

The government investigating itself. I feel better.

I can't wait to watch them drag themselves in front of a committee.

[BitWielder1]

I think Toyota should fine GM.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Congressional hearings will start next week no doubt.

[Oldpuppymax]

But of course, no infractions were found by the Hussein Motors Corporation.

[CalvaryJohn]

I’ve got a 94 Chevy C1500 and the brake line to my rears has failed twice, once about six years ago and once just a few months ago. I guess they used crappy lines back then. I’d still rather deal with that than the awful peeling paint and rust I see on a lot of Chrysler products.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Wonder where the tubing came from? The brushed stainless steel panel on the front of my Whirlpool dishwasher is rusting out. Too many impurities in the steel mix I guess.

[Man50D]

I can't wait to watch them drag themselves in front of a committee.

And fine themselves!

[vetvetdoug]

Where was all of the concern back in the days of brake pads? It seems that a year didn't go by when the brakes failed on the trucks built during the 1950’s and because of this drivers were careful not to wear out the brakes and were always cognizant of brake pad pressure and the operation of the brakes. We learned to brake using the transmission and gearing down also. Nowadays, the drivers stomp on the brakes when ever the notion hits them, thereby wearing the brakes out on the disks. If a problem occurs, the drivers now days just panics....

[anton]

My K2500 Burb has crappy brakes but not because of corrosion.