2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WORSE OUT PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED AND THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 27,000. UPDATED 7/16/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED TURNING THE ROTORS AND REPLACING THE PADS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WORN OUT PADS AND ROTORS ARE SYMPTOMS OF ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE CALIPERS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE METAL BRAKE LINES AND OTHER SIMILAR METAL LINES SUCH AS THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES ALL SHOWED EXTREME RUST ON THE OUTSIDE. UPDATED 07/22/10*JB

WHILE STOPPING AT A STOPLIGHT A MILE FROM MY HOME, I NOTICED THE BRAKES SEEMED SOFT ON MY 2003 CHEVY SILVERADO 2500HD DIESEL WITH 95,000 MILES. AFTER COMING TO A STOP I PUMPED THE BRAKES AND FELT AND HEARD THE BRAKE LINE BURST AS THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY GONE. USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE I WAS ABLE TO TURN AROUND AND MAKE IT BACK TO MY HOME WHERE I PARKED THE TRUCK AND IT HASN'T MOVED SINCE. I CRAWLED UNDER THE TRUCK AND DISCOVERED THAT THE RUSTY BRAKE LINE GOING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS UNIT JUST BELOW THE DIVERS SIDE DOOR, HAD BUST OPEN AND FAILED. THE OTHER BRAKE LINES ALSO APPEAR VERY HEAVILY RUSTED, AND AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE I WOULD NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK AGAIN UNTIL THEY ARE ALL REPLACED. IN ALL MY YEARS OF LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND AND OWNING SEVERAL GM VEHICLES, I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE LINES DUE TO RUST OR CORROSION. I FEEL VERY LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN MOVING WHEN THAT PARTICULAR LINE BURST. I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO STOP AS IT CAUSED A IMMEDIATE AND COMPLETE FAILURE TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM. IT SEEMS CLEAR TO ME THAT A HIGHER QUALITY BRAKE LINE SHOULD BE USED TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. *TR

MY 2003 SILVERADO HAS A GREAT DEAL OF RUST ON THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE TRUCK. MOST WOULD CONSIDER IT SURFACE RUST, BUT THE BRAKE LINES DISTURBED ME. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THEM RUSTING THROUGH. SURE ENOUGH, WHILE TOWING MY TRAILER I HAD TO STOP FOR A QUICK CHANGING TRAFFIC LIGHT, AND MY FOOT WENT TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING DID NOT HELP MUCH SINCE BOTH MAIN LINES GOING TO ABS UNIT (LOCATED UNDER THE TRUCK) BLEW OUT. I USED MY TRAILER BRAKES TO HELP STOP THE TRUCK. I HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND WE FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK WITH THE OTHER BRAKE LINES IN THE SAME CONDITION. WE REPLACED ALL THE LINES WITH STAINLESS STEEL ($350). BUT SINCE THE RUST EFFECTED ALL OF THE CALIPERS, THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE ROTORS. I HAVE THE OLD LINES FOR INSPECTION UPDATED 05/11/10.*JB

WE OWN TWO CHEVROLET VEHICLES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM WITH DEFECTIVE AND/ OR ERRATIC OPERATION OF SPEEDOMETERS. ONE IS A 2003 SILVERADO K-2500 H-D WITH APPROX 87,000 MILES. WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 2 YEARS THIS MONTH, AND THE PROBLEM STARTED JUST AFTER BRINGING IT HOME. IT WAS BOUGHT USED, SO PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR MUCH LONGER. THE SECOND IS A 2003 TAHOE LT WITH APPROX. 67,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED ALSO; IN MAY 2008. THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN MALFUNCTIONING IN FALL 2009. THIS IS APPARENTLY A VERY COMMON, AND POTENTIALLY SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. WE FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP, AND NOT AN EXPENSE TO REPAIR THAT SHOULD BE WHOLLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LOYAL VEHICLE OWNERS. WHO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE IF THIS CAUSES, AT BEST ONLY EXPENSIVE CITATIONS, AND AT WORST POSSIBLE FATAL OR SERIOUS ACCIDENTS? *TR