1990 Chevrolet C1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 CHEVROLET C1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CABLE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE WAS CORRODED. AS A RESULT, THE TIRE FELL FROM THE VEHICLE ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,000. UPDATED 08/04/09 *BF UPDATED 08/05/09.*JB

1990 CHEVY C1500 1/2 TON STEPSIDE PICKUP TRUCK. GENERAL GRABBER AP TIRES. SIZE 235/75/R15 M+S MADE IN MEXICO OTHER NUMBERS ON TIRE:OK-47410 P5501 25855 021943. 147,300 MILES ON VEHICLE WHEN LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH. TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO TRUCK, RIPPING FENDER MOUNTS OFF IN 4 PLACES, TEARING THE FUEL FILLER NECK FROM FUEL DOOR OPENING AND TEARING OFF THE GAS CAP. FIBERGLASS ON BOTTOM OF STEPSIDE FENDER WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED. TRUCK WAS IN OTHERWISE GOOD OPERATING CONDITION. TRUCK HAD LESS THAN 100 POUNDS OF CARGO; TIRE PRESSURES WERE VERIFIED TO BE 35PSI AT MOST 3 WEEKS EARLIER WITH NO LEAKS. PRESSURE GAUGE ACCURACY WAS VERIFIED BY COMPARING TO SEVERAL OTHER GAUGES. TIRES WERE INSTALLED AT 127,445 MILES WHEN DEFECTIVE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE REPLACED. TIRES WERE ROTATED AND BALANCED AT 144,000 MILES. SPARE TIRE WAS INSTALLED AT ROADSIDE. BLOWN OUT TIRE IS STILL IN TRUCK BED. TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED YET. *TR

THE SERPENTINE ACCESSORY BELT STARTED TO FAIL. AS IT DID, PARTS OF IT WHIPPED THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE RUPTURING THE HOSE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. SHE NEEDED MY HELP TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS NOT TOTALLY BROKEN. I HAD THE OLD BELT UNDER THE SEAT SO I SWAPPED IT FOR THE BELT THAT WAS FAILING. WITH MY HELP, WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND MAKE IT TO A AUTO PARTS STORE TO REPLACE THE HOSE. THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING HOSE DUE TO AN INCOMPLETE FAILURE OF THE SERPENTINE BELT IS INEXCUSABLE. GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SHIELD THE POWER STEERING HOSE FROM A SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE. IN MY EXPERIENCE, SERPENTINE BELTS DO NOT FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY. THEY MAKE NOISES AS THEY START TO FAIL GIVING ADEQUATE TIME TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE. IN THIS CASE, WE HEARD THE NOISE OF THE BELT FAILING. BEFORE WE COULD IDENTIFY THE NOISE AS COMING FROM OUR VEHICLE AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. *JB

DRIVING ON CITY STREET AT APPROX 30 MPH, STOP LIGHT CHANGED TO RED AS I APPROACHED. WAS CLOSE TO INTERSECTION, PRESSED HARD ON BRAKE PEDAL AND IT STARTED SLOWING VEHICLE, THEN AFTER ABOUT .5 SECONDS, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WITH MINIMAL BRAKING AT THAT POINT. DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AS SPEED WAS LOW ENOUGH THAT WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE HYDRALIC SYSTEM STOPPED VEHICLE. AFTER LIMPING VEHICLE HOME (WAS ONLY 3 BLOCKS FROM THERE), INSPECTION UNDER VEHICLE REVEALED STEEL BRAKE LINE RUBBING AGAINST FRAME RAIL JUST BEHIND FIREWALL, WHERE LINE TUCKS INTO FRAME RAIL, CAUSING WEAK SPOT THAT FAILED UNDER PRESSURE. REPAIRS NOT MADE YET, AS INCIDENT JUST OCCURED, WILL NEED NEW STEEL BRAKE LINE FROM ABS CONTROL TO REAR AXLE. CAN SAVE OLD PART. *JB

REPORTING NOW BECAUSE I HAVE BRAKE WARNING LITE AND NO APPARENT REASON FOR IT. FIRST AND SECOND FAILURES OF ISO VALVE WERE NOT LOSS OF BRAKES, ONLY A SQUISHY FEELING. I NOTE A CURRENT RECALL ON 91-96 GM UNITS THAT SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. NEED ADVICE ON HOW TO ATTEMPT RECOVERY OF OVER $500 WORTH OF REPAIRS THAT I PAID FOR WHICH NOW APPEAR TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT AND I NOW HAVE A BRAKE WARNING LITE WHICH MAY BE THE SAME ASSEMBLY GOING BAD AGAIN!. NOTE RECALL IS LIMITED TO 91 TO 96 UNITS AND I AM A 90. NEVERTHELESS I WANT TO TRY. DEALER HAS BEEN SERVICE HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL. NO COMPLAINT AGAINST THEM.