2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

BRAKE FAILURE 2004 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500. LOUD GRINDING NOISE IN THE RIGHT REAR AREA OF MY PICKUP LED ME TO STOP AT THE NEAREST REPAIR LOCATION TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. INSPECTION INDICATED BRAKE PAD ON INNER RIGHT REAR WHEEL WAS WORN DOWN TO METAL AND WAS GROOVING INTO THE ROTOR. ADVISED TO DRIVE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND BRING TRUCK THE NEXT DAY FOR REPAIRS. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT BACK AND HAD TO HAVE A ROTOR REPLACED AND ALL FOUR REAR BRAKE PADS, EVEN THOUGH THE OTHER THREE PADS STILL HAD 75% OF THE PADS LEFT ON THEM. TECHNICIANS WHO WORKED ON MY VEHICLE RECOGNIZED COMMON PROBLEM SEEN IN MANY 1500 CHEVY SILVERADO'S OF THIS AGE/ERA. TECHNICAL BULLETIN FROM CHEVROLET (00-05-23-005B, DATED MAY 27,2003) STATES PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK INCLUDING YEAR MODELS 1999-2004. SOLUTION TO PROBLEM WAS TO INSTALL MUD FLAPS IN FRONT OF REAR TIRES TO PREVENT ROAD DEBRIS FROM BEING THROWN UP ONTO CALIPER ASSEMBLIES AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE RIGHT REAR INNER BRAKE PAD. WE PURCHASED THIS TRUCK IN DECEMBER OF 2003, WELL AFTER THIS BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED AND THEY SOLD IT TO US WITH NO MUD FLAPS INSTALLED AND NO MENTION OF THE NEED FOR MUDFLAPS OR THAT THERE WAS A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW IN THE VEHICLE THAT COULD CAUSE REAR BRAKE DAMAGE. CHEVROLET SHOULD HAVE INSTALLED MUD FLAPS ON ALL AFFECTED TRUCK MODELS SOLD AFTER THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS FLAW. THEY DID NOT, NOR DID THEY LATER ISSUE A RECALL TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. MUD FLAPS THEY RECOMMEND ARE NOT LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED BY THEM. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH CHEVROLET AND THEY HAVE REFUSED ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR ASSISTANCE IN OBTAINING THE MUD FLAPS (PART # 15765007) OR REIMBURSING US FOR THE BRAKE WORK THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN DONE, IF NOT FOR THIS KNOWN DESIGN FLAW IN OUR TRUCK. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF TRUCK OWNERS OUT THERE THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM AND PERHAPS DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE BULLETIN, AND ARE UNAWARE OF CHEVROLETS KNOWLEDGE OF THE DESIGN FLAW AND THE MUD FLAP SOLUTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AS IF THE BRAKES WERE DRAGGING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEN ENOUGH. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 9,000. UPDATED 09/25/08 *BF UPDATED 09/25/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS BRAKES HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED AT 18,000 MILES. THE ROTOR WAS RUSTED, CORRODED, SOFT, AND SPONGY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKES FOR FREE. CURRENTLY, AT 28,000 MILES, THE BRAKES ARE IN WORSE CONDITION THAN BEFORE THE PREVIOUS REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR; HOWEVER, THEY WANTED TO CHARGE HIM FOR THE SERVICE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY SINCE THE BRAKES WERE NOT PROPERLY REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME. INSTEAD, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC FOR REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,300.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD ISSUES WITH HIS BRAKING SYSTEM. WHEN HE BEGAN TO DRIVE AND ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH, THE BRAKES WOULD RESIST. HE COULD HEAR THE ABS MOTOR RUNNING, BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT APPLY AT ALL. IN ADDITION, THE RPM WOULD ALSO REV AND THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO MOVE. UNLESS THE CONTACT REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AND DEPRESSED THE PEDAL AGAIN SLOWLY, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE DROVE INTO A SNOW BANK BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THREE OTHER CRASHES BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OVER TEN TIMES AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE APPROXIMATELY 3-4 TIMES. THE DEALER CHANGED THE FRONT ABS HUB, BUT THE REMEDY WOULD ONLY CORRECT THE ISSUE FOR APPROXIMATELY 1-2 WEEKS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,360 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000. UPDATED 7/17/09. *LJ UPDATED 07/20/09*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND ALMOST STRUCK A SCHOOL BUS. THE FAILURE WORSENED OVER TIME. HE STATED THAT 4 OUT OF 5 TIMES, WHEN HE WOULD ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE ABS WOULD MALFUNCTION AND PREVENT SUFFICIENT BRAKING CONTROL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HUBS WERE CORRODED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. UPDATED 6/2/08 *CN 06/02/08

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED AND TURNED THE ROTORS DOWN. AFTER 7,000 MILES, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS TO REPLACE THE BRAKE ROTORS. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 06/02/08 *BF UPDATED 06/02/08 *TR