2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

THE BRAKE LINES ON MY 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO ARE BADLY CORRODED AND ONE OF THEM HAS FAILED. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK HAD NO BRAKES WHATSOEVER. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I LIVE IN KENTUCKY AND I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK SINCE NEW. WE RECEIVE A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF BAD WINTER WEATHER HERE SO I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY SALT. THIS TRUCK IS ONLY 13 YEARS OLD.

THE LOSS OF STEERING CAUSED MY 2004 SILVERADO 1500 TO VEER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WHILE GOING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED VEERING TO THE LEFT, DESPITE ME TRYING TO GAIN CONTROL OF IT. THE VEHICLE LEFT THE HIGHWAY AND ENTERED A SANDY FIELD. I APPLIED BRAKES WITH ALL OF MY FOOT FORCE, BUT THE TRUCK SEEMED NOT TO SLOW UP ANY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOW HEADED TOWARDS A WOODED AREA. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT WHEN IT IMPACTED WITH A BIG PINE TREE. THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED AGAINST MY ARMS AS I USED THEM TO SHIELD MY FACE. I SUDDENLY NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I GRABBED MY PURSE AND HURRIEDLY VACATED THE VEHICLE. I CALLED 911 AFTER GETTING FAR ENOUGH FROM THE SMOKING TRUCK. I SUFFERED BACK AND NECK PAIN. I HAD DIZZY SPELLS, BECAUSE MY HEAD FELT LIKE A HUMONGOUS BASKETBALL. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I DID NOT LOOSE MY LIFE. I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF A RECALL OF A STEERING COMPONENT. I AM FOR CERTAIN THAT THIS ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION OF A STEERING COMPONENT ON MY 2004 SILVERADO 1500. I RECEIVED NO LETTER OR PHONE CALL MAKING ME AWARE OF THE RECALL. THIS NEGLIGENCE ALMOST GOT ME KILLED. THE VEHICLE IMPACT INTO THE PINE TREE CAUSED A TOTAL LOSS OF MY SILVERADO. I WILL BE CONTACTING MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THIS INFORMATION. ALL THESE YEARS I HAVE BEEN BEWILDERED ABOUT WHY MY SILVERADO VEERED OFF THE ROAD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I DESCRIBED THE INCIDENT LIKE A TWIGHTLIGHT MOMENT (A WEIRD UNEXPLAINED HAPPENING).

2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. DRIVING DOWN A SHORT HILL, BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED COMPLETELY TO FLOOR WITH NO BRAKE RESPONSE OR STOPPING AVAILABILITY. DRIVING @ APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD LITTLE EFFECT AND HAD TO TURN INTO A DIRT HILL TO STOP THE TRUCK. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, 4 BRAKE LINES DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE CAB ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED WITH 2 LINES FAILING SIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASING BRAKE FLUID ONTO THE GROUND. THE 2 LINES FROM THE PROPORTIONING VALVE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO THE ABS AND THE 2 LINES FROM THE ABS TO THE 2 FRONT WHEELS RUN PARALLEL UNDER THE CAB AND ARE SEVERELY CORRODED IN 2 PLACES ONLY. THE 4 LINES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AT THE POINT OF THE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT SECURE THE LINES TO THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. THE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT HOLD THE BRAKE LINES HOLD MOISTURE AND SALT AND CAUSE ALL THE BRAKE LINES TO CORRODE AT THOSE POINTS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO RUST IN THE LINES TO THE REAR OF THE TRUCK OR AT BOTH REAR BRAKE CALIPERS. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR OR LACK OF MAINTENANCE. I CLEAN THE UNDERSIDE OF MY VEHICLE EVERY WINTER. THE LINES ARE RUSTING AS A RESULT OF THE CLIPS RETAINING SALT AND CORROSIVES AND CAUSING YEAR ROUND CONTACT TO THE BRAKE LINES. IS ANYONE READING OR INVESTIGATING HERE? THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS HERE REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE POST THAT LIST THE CORROSION IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT AS MY TRUCK. THESE LINES RUST NOT FROM NORMAL WEAR BUT BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE CLIP DESIGN. REPAIR ESTIMATE FROM CHEVROLET DEALER IS $1250 TO REPLACE ALL LINES. WHEN WILL GM CONSIDER THIS A DEFECT OR WRITE A SERVICE BULLETIN? *TR