IllustrationDRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD NO BRAKES, PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER EXAMINATION SAW BRAKE FLUID UNDER TRUCK. *TR
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Avalanche 2500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
00–25K
1025–50K
1250–75K
1875–100K
12100–150K
2150K+
54 reports with mileage · 6 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
60 reportsRUSTED BRAKE LINES BURST CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. *TR
THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS GOING 65 MPH AND MY ENGINE DIED I HAD NO POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD TO PUSH. I WAS ABLE TO PUT MY TRUCK IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART IT. THE SECOND TIME THE ENGINE DIED I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND IT SHUT OFF. THE THIRD TIME IT …
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THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS GOING 65 MPH AND MY ENGINE DIED I HAD NO POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD TO PUSH. I WAS ABLE TO PUT MY TRUCK IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART IT. THE SECOND TIME THE ENGINE DIED I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND IT SHUT OFF. THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK, JUST GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I MADE A LEFT AND WAS GOING TO THE NEXT LIGHT TO MAKE A RIGHT AND THE ENGINE DIED. I TRIED TO PUT THE BRAKES ON, BUT THEY WERE VERY TIGHT AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. I HAD TO FIGHT TO TURN THE WHEEL AND JUST MADE THE TURN WITHOUT HITTING THE OTHER TRAFFIC. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FUEL TANKS AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FUEL PUMP WIRES AND PORT WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT FUEL PUMP AND RELATED COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FUEL TANKS AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FUEL PUMP WIRES AND PORT WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT FUEL PUMP AND RELATED COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR WERE NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
AS I WAS ABOUT TO PARK MY AVALANCHE IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOME I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FIRM AND THEN BECAME SOFT AND DEPRESSED QUICKLY QUITE FARTHER THAN NORMAL. THE AVALANCHE CONTINUED TO ROLL AND I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO GET IT TO COME TO A FULL STOP. AFTER GETTING OUT OF T…
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AS I WAS ABOUT TO PARK MY AVALANCHE IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOME I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FIRM AND THEN BECAME SOFT AND DEPRESSED QUICKLY QUITE FARTHER THAN NORMAL. THE AVALANCHE CONTINUED TO ROLL AND I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO GET IT TO COME TO A FULL STOP. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE I INSPECTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND A GREAT DEAL OF BRAKE FLUID ON THE UNDER BODY AND PUDDLED ON THE GROUND. AS I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE HEAVILY CORRODED AND FLAKING OFF RUSTED MATERIAL. THE BRAKE LINE FAILED BECAUSE OF WEAKENED TUBING CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON AND THERE WAS NO PRELIMINARY WARNING OF BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKES CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE AN EXCESSIVELY LONGER DISTANCE TO STOP THAN NORMALLY WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE. I FREQUENTLY TOW A 6,500 LB PULL BEHIND CAMPER WITH MY AVALANCHE AND IF THIS BRAKE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED DURING TOWING AND IN TRAFFIC DURING A STOP IT MOST LIKELY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR
RUSTED BRAKE LINE FAILURE, DRIVERS REAR, PASSENGER FRONT, UNDER RADIATIOR. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE ON MY WAY TO WORK, IN MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE, GOING 65 WHEN EVERYONE IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. I FOLLOWED TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES BUT WHEN I PUSHED THE PEDAL IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, SO IN ORDER TO NOT REAR END ANYONE I PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER FLYING PAST THE CARS IN FRONT OF …
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE ON MY WAY TO WORK, IN MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE, GOING 65 WHEN EVERYONE IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. I FOLLOWED TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES BUT WHEN I PUSHED THE PEDAL IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, SO IN ORDER TO NOT REAR END ANYONE I PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER FLYING PAST THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME WITH MY BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED AS HARD AS I COULD, THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. I DROVE OFF THE RODE AND GOT MY TRUCK TO THE NEAREST GARAGE. WHEN THE GARAGE OWNER LOOKED AT MY BRAKES HE SAID MY REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT AND THAT THE FRONT WERE ABOUT TO DO THE SAME. HE ALSO SAID THE BRAKE LINES ARE SHOVED SO FAR INTO THE TRUCK FRAME HE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE BODY FROM THE FRAME TO FIX IT PROPERLY. *TR
VEHICLE STALLS AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, HIGHWAY DRIVING, TRUCK HESITATES AND JERKS, AND COMES TO THE NEAR POINT OF STALLING, AND LOW SPEEDS, VEHICLE DOES THE SAME, HESITATES, AND JERKS, STALLS, ALL SYSTEMS FAIL. STARTS BACK UP UPON SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL. MECHANIC SAYS IT IS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ON THE 8.1 L 8100 SERIES M…
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VEHICLE STALLS AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, HIGHWAY DRIVING, TRUCK HESITATES AND JERKS, AND COMES TO THE NEAR POINT OF STALLING, AND LOW SPEEDS, VEHICLE DOES THE SAME, HESITATES, AND JERKS, STALLS, ALL SYSTEMS FAIL. STARTS BACK UP UPON SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL. MECHANIC SAYS IT IS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ON THE 8.1 L 8100 SERIES MOTOR, THE SAME MOTOR THAT IS IN THE 2001 MODEL SILVERADO, SIERRA, AND SUBURBANS THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. LOCATION IS IN THE BACK OF THE MOTOR MAKING IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE OUT WITHOUT MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR WORK, REMOVING INTAKE MANIFOLD AND OTHER COMPLEX THINGS, TO REPAIR AN APPARENT $60 PART. DANGEROUS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATION THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AND HAPPENED ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN CARED FOR COMPLETELY. ALSO, DANGEROUS DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TASK OF STEERING IT TO A SAFE PLACE WITH NO POWER BRAKES OR STEERING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MECHANIC SAYS PART IT ALMOST 100% PLASTIC AND CAN SUCCUMB TO HIGH AND LOW VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE AND BREAK DOWN IN COMPOSITION. WHICH, IT HAS DONE IN THIS TRUCK, AGAIN WITHOUT NO WARNING, AND NO APPARENT COST EFFECTIVE REPAIR. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE 2002 MODEL YEAR AS WELL AS THE SAME 8.1 L MOTOR WAS INSTALLED IN THE CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 TRUCK (BY THE WAY, THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT IN 2001), WHICH, OTHER THAT THE DIFFERENT BODY STYLE HAS THE SAME CHASSIS AND MOTOR AS THE SUBURBAN. VERY DANGEROUS FOR A WOMAN, WHO CANNOT OR DOES NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO STEER A 7,000 POUND TRUCK THAT COMPLETELY STALLED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.
2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 2500 WITH 8.1 ENGINE DIES WITHOUT WARNING AT DRIVING SPEED. THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, AFTER THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO PROBLEMS WITH ALTERNATOR OR BATTERY CHARGE. NO SPUTTERING OR SLUGGISHNESS, NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO …
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2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 2500 WITH 8.1 ENGINE DIES WITHOUT WARNING AT DRIVING SPEED. THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, AFTER THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO PROBLEMS WITH ALTERNATOR OR BATTERY CHARGE. NO SPUTTERING OR SLUGGISHNESS, NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AND NO BRAKES FOR THIS 7K POUND VEHICLE! SOMETIMES, ONCE PULLED OVER AND SHUTTING EVERYTHING OFF AND TRYING TO RESTART IT WILL RESTART IMMEDIATELY, SOMETIMES IT TAKES UP TO 10 MINUTES OF TRYING TO CRANK IT INTERMITTENTLY BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. IT HAS DONE THIS TWICE IN THE LAST THREE DAYS AND A DOZEN TIMES AT RANDOM INTERVALS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS 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. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND FRIGHTENING ENOUGH AT "NEIGHBORHOOD" SPEEDS, BUT CONSIDERABLY MORE SO AT INTERSTATE 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! *TR
SOMETIMES MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 8.1 WILL NOT START. I LOCK CAR AGAIN WITH REMOTE FOB, UNLOCK AND USUALLY IT STARTS. SOMETIMES IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT LOCKING, UNLOCKING BEFORE IT WILL START. NOW VEHICLE STALLS WITH NO WARNING, NO POWER BRAKES, STEERING ETC. DOES THIS AT RANDOM SPEEDS WITHOUT NOTICE OR ANY APPARENT CONSIST…
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SOMETIMES MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE 8.1 WILL NOT START. I LOCK CAR AGAIN WITH REMOTE FOB, UNLOCK AND USUALLY IT STARTS. SOMETIMES IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT LOCKING, UNLOCKING BEFORE IT WILL START. NOW VEHICLE STALLS WITH NO WARNING, NO POWER BRAKES, STEERING ETC. DOES THIS AT RANDOM SPEEDS WITHOUT NOTICE OR ANY APPARENT CONSISTENCY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. TO RESTART I MUST TRY AND GET PULLED OVER SAFELY, LOCK AND UNLOCK TRUCK WITH FOB AND HOPE IT STARTS. SOMETIMES WILL DO AFTER ONCE, SOMETIMES AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. NOT REALLY SURE THE FOB RESETTING OF SECURITY SYSTEM IS THE DIFFERENCE OR IT JUST HAPPENS TO START. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO FIX THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEM??? *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3EA11001 · Brake Line Corrosion Failure
Opened Jan 5, 2011 · Closed Apr 8, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The subject vehicles represent the first five MY's of GM's GMT800 platform production, of which approximately 2,038,504 vehicles were sold in salt states (the subject vehicles).The GMT800 platform includes the following vehicles:1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 series pick-up trucks; 2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles; and 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Avalanche sport-utility vehicles.General Motors produced a total of approximately 10,427,062 GMT800 vehicles for sales in the United States, including almost 5 million that were sold in salt states.Although there are over 60 different brake pipe routing configuration used in GMT800 vehicles, with the exception of the rear crossover pipes in MY 200x-2007 vehicles that changed from rear disc to drum brakes, all of the vehicles use brake pipes from the same supplier with a common double-wall, brazed steel pipe design with a combination of hot dip Zinc-Aluminum corrosion protection coating and Aluminum paint outer layer known in the industry as AlGal (ASTM-B750). ODI analysis of field data regarding GMT800 vehicles identified a total of 3,645 complaints of brake pipe corrosion failures, including 107 alleging crashes, and 40 injuries.Though only 20% of total GMT800 production, due to age and region the subject vehicles account for a disproportionate share of the failure experience; with 2,702 of the complaints (75%), 88 of the crashes (82%) and 20 of the injuries (50%) reported in those vehicles.Analysis of the complaints showed strong correlations to vehicle age and region.For vehicles with less than 8 years of service, the complaint rates were minimal for all regions.In the salt states the failure rates begin to climb as the vehicles advance in age, particularly in the Northeast corner of the United States.The complaint rates in the salt states go from less than 0.1 incident per thousand vehicles (IPTV) at 7 years in service to over 1.0 IPTV after the 12th year of service for the subject pickup trucks and utility vehicles.Most of the failures reported to ODI occurred in vehicles with more than 10 years in service.ODI?s investigation did not identify any specific defect conditions that were causing or contributing to the brake pipe failures.Nor did the analysis isolate the problem to any subject vehicle sub-populations when analyzed by vehicle type or production range.The investigation found that vehicles experiencing brake pipe corrosion failures were likely to have general patterns of excessive corrosion on the majority of the brake pipe assembly and appear to be occurring due to expected wear out for the brake pipe coating material used in the subject vehicles and the environmental conditions in severe corrosion states.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor t
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The subject vehicles represent the first five MY's of GM's GMT800 platform production, of which approximately 2,038,504 vehicles were sold in salt states (the subject vehicles).The GMT800 platform includes the following vehicles:1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 series pick-up trucks; 2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles; and 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Avalanche sport-utility vehicles.General Motors produced a total of approximately 10,427,062 GMT800 vehicles for sales in the United States, including almost 5 million that were sold in salt states.Although there are over 60 different brake pipe routing configuration used in GMT800 vehicles, with the exception of the rear crossover pipes in MY 200x-2007 vehicles that changed from rear disc to drum brakes, all of the vehicles use brake pipes from the same supplier with a common double-wall, brazed steel pipe design with a combination of hot dip Zinc-Aluminum corrosion protection coating and Aluminum paint outer layer known in the industry as AlGal (ASTM-B750). ODI analysis of field data regarding GMT800 vehicles identified a total of 3,645 complaints of brake pipe corrosion failures, including 107 alleging crashes, and 40 injuries.Though only 20% of total GMT800 production, due to age and region the subject vehicles account for a disproportionate share of the failure experience; with 2,702 of the complaints (75%), 88 of the crashes (82%) and 20 of the injuries (50%) reported in those vehicles.Analysis of the complaints showed strong correlations to vehicle age and region.For vehicles with less than 8 years of service, the complaint rates were minimal for all regions.In the salt states the failure rates begin to climb as the vehicles advance in age, particularly in the Northeast corner of the United States.The complaint rates in the salt states go from less than 0.1 incident per thousand vehicles (IPTV) at 7 years in service to over 1.0 IPTV after the 12th year of service for the subject pickup trucks and utility vehicles.Most of the failures reported to ODI occurred in vehicles with more than 10 years in service.ODI?s investigation did not identify any specific defect conditions that were causing or contributing to the brake pipe failures.Nor did the analysis isolate the problem to any subject vehicle sub-populations when analyzed by vehicle type or production range.The investigation found that vehicles experiencing brake pipe corrosion failures were likely to have general patterns of excessive corrosion on the majority of the brake pipe assembly and appear to be occurring due to expected wear out for the brake pipe coating material used in the subject vehicles and the environmental conditions in severe corrosion states.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor t
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.The subject vehicles represent the first five MY's of GM's GMT800 platform production, of which approximately 2,038,504 vehicles were sold in salt states (the subject vehicles).The GMT800 platform includes the following vehicles:1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 series pick-up trucks; 2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sport utility vehicles; and 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Avalanche sport-utility vehicles.General Motors produced a total of approximately 10,427,062 GMT800 vehicles for sales in the United States, including almost 5 million that were sold in salt states.Although there are over 60 different brake pipe routing configuration used in GMT800 vehicles, with the exception of the rear crossover pipes in MY 200x-2007 vehicles that changed from rear disc to drum brakes, all of the vehicles use brake pipes from the same supplier with a common double-wall, brazed steel pipe design with a combination of hot dip Zinc-Aluminum corrosion protection coating and Aluminum paint outer layer known in the industry as AlGal (ASTM-B750). ODI analysis of field data regarding GMT800 vehicles identified a total of 3,645 complaints of brake pipe corrosion failures, including 107 alleging crashes, and 40 injuries.Though only 20% of total GMT800 production, due to age and region the subject vehicles account for a disproportionate share of the failure experience; with 2,702 of the complaints (75%), 88 of the crashes (82%) and 20 of the injuries (50%) reported in those vehicles.Analysis of the complaints showed strong correlations to vehicle age and region.For vehicles with less than 8 years of service, the complaint rates were minimal for all regions.In the salt states the failure rates begin to climb as the vehicles advance in age, particularly in the Northeast corner of the United States.The complaint rates in the salt states go from less than 0.1 incident per thousand vehicles (IPTV) at 7 years in service to over 1.0 IPTV after the 12th year of service for the subject pickup trucks and utility vehicles.Most of the failures reported to ODI occurred in vehicles with more than 10 years in service.ODI?s investigation did not identify any specific defect conditions that were causing or contributing to the brake pipe failures.Nor did the analysis isolate the problem to any subject vehicle sub-populations when analyzed by vehicle type or production range.The investigation found that vehicles experiencing brake pipe corrosion failures were likely to have general patterns of excessive corrosion on the majority of the brake pipe assembly and appear to be occurring due to expected wear out for the brake pipe coating material used in the subject vehicles and the environmental conditions in severe corrosion states.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor t
EA07013 · Trailer Hitch Receiver Failure
Opened Sep 14, 2007 · Closed Sep 12, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Trailer Hitches
COMPLAINT REPORTS ALLEGE POOR WELD QUALITY AND/OR BENDING OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER.THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATION INCLUDED ANALYSIS OF MANUFACTURER AND AGENCY INCIDENT REPORTS, REVIEW OF POLICE REPORTS, ANALYSIS OF THE AGENCY'S FATAL ANALYSIS REPORTING SYSTEM, A VEHICLE OWNER SURVEY, INSPECTION OF TOW VEHICLES/HITCHES AND ANALYSIS OF FAILED PARTS.INCIDENTS OF WELD FAILURE WERE RARE AND ASSOCIATED WITH VERY LOW-SPEED DRIVING (TURNING, BACKING AND SUDDEN STOPPING).INCIDENTS OF BENDING WERE ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROPER TRAILER HITCH ADJUSTMENT OR OVERLOADING. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH FILE FOR ADDITION INFORMATION.
PE07025 · Trailer Hitch Receiver Failure
Opened May 14, 2007 · Closed Sep 14, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Trailer Hitches
GM PROVIDED ADDITIONAL DATA REGARDING ALLEGATIONS OF FAILURE OF THE TRAILER HITCH.ODI REVIEWED THAT AS WELL AS OTHER DATA PROVIDED BY PEER MANUFACTURERS.BASED ON OUR REVIEW, ODI FINDS THE NEED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-013) FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT AND STUDY OF THIS ISSUE.