2008 Chevrolet Silverado

THOUGH MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKES MAY BE WORKING JUST AS THEY WERE DESIGNED, THEY SEEM TO INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER WHAT WOULD BE ATTAINED WITH JUST THE WHEELS LOCKING UP AND SLIDING OR SKIDDING. ON DRY PAVEMENT, STOPPING POWER OF THIS TRUCK IS FANTASTIC UP TO THE POINT WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE, THEN ITS AS IF THE BRAKES ALMOST COMPLETELY RELEASE THE WHEEL THEN REACTIVATE THE BRAKE TO THE POINT IT STARTS TO SKID THEN RELEASES IT COMPLETELY AND SO ON AND SO ON. THIS ACTION OF COURSE HAPPENS VERY QUICKLY, BUT SEEMS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER ANTI LOCK VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED. BECAUSE OF THIS CYCLE OF COMPLETELY RELEASING THE BRAKES THEN HITTING THEM SO HARD THEY INSTANTLY LOCK UP THEN RELEASING THEM AGAIN, THE STOPPING DISTANCE SEEMS GREATLY EXAGGERATED. ON A REDUCED TRACTION SITUATION SUCH AS SNOW, ICE, OR DIRT, ITS AS IF THE BRAKES DON'T WORK AT ALL. AS I STATED IN THE OPENING STATEMENT, THIS TRUCK HAS WONDERFUL BRAKES UP TO AND UNTIL THE POINT OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, SO WHEN THIS OCCURS IT IS QUITE SHOCKING. AS FOR MY BRAKING TECHNIQUE, I'VE BEEN TOLD AND HAVE FOLLOWED THE ADVICE THAT ONCE THAT ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE, YOU KEEP FIRM STEADY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE RECENT ICE AND SNOW IN OUR AREA TO TEST AND CONFIRM THAT I AM USING PROPER TECHNIQUE IN USING THE BRAKES AND I'M MORE CONVINCED THAT THIS SYSTEM IS CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT SOLVES. I WOULD RATHER HAVE STANDARD BRAKES THAN THIS. I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST IF THIS SYSTEM WERE CHECKED BY SOMEONE WITH THE ABILITY TO CONFIRM THAT THESE BRAKES MEET THE SAFETY STANDARD EXPECTED BY SAFETY REGULATORS OVER SEEING THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT TAKING THIS VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO SOLVE ANYTHING, IN THAT I EXPECT THEY ARE GOING TO TELL ME THAT THEY ARE WORKING FINE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT IF THE CONTACT SLIGHTLY REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER BOTH STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SLIGHTLY RELEASED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER COULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 7,000. UPDATED 07/01/09 *BF WHILE TOWING A TRAILER, THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD WHEN BRAKING. THE ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES SEEMED TO FUNCTION OFF OF THE VEHICLE BRAKE LIGHTS, WHICH CAUSES THE TRAILER BRAKES TO DISENGAGE EVEN WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE. THE VEHICLES BRAKE LIGHTS ALSO FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE BRAKING. UPDATED 07/02/09.*JB