1994 Chevrolet Suburban

WHEN THE PROBLEM ORIGINALLY STARTED ABOUT 2 YRS AGO, WE IGNORED IT. THEN, WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT IT WASN'T AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP (NOT THE SELLING DEALERSHIP). DURING A TEST DRIVE, THE EVENT OCCURRED, AND THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THIS WAS "NORMAL," AND THAT OTHER SIMILAR MAKES DID THE SAMETHING. THE EVENT THAT HAPPENS IS THAT WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES, THERE IS A GRINDING SOUND, AND THE BRAKES DON'T "TAKE". THE VEHICLE CONTINUES ALONG ITS COURSE, NOT SLOWING APPRECIABLY FOR A WHILE. THE BRAKES WILL EVENTUALLY GRAB, AND THEN THE VEHICLE STOPS. THE SERVICE REP SAID WE JUST NEEDED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN WE DRIVE. *AK

ABS ENGAGED DURING MODERATE BRAKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO A "COAST" SITUATION RESULTING IN A REAR-END COLLISION WITH VEHICLE AHEAD. WITNESS 1 VERIFIED BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING. WITNESS 2 VERIFIED HEARING ABS ENGAGE, BUT ALSO STATED VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES PREVIOUSLY (NOT RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS), BUT DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER AFTER ACCIDENT, AT INSURANCE COMPANY REQUEST, BUT AGAIN, NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. HAVE ASKED FOR GMC SERVICE REP. TO INSPECT VEHICLE. DEALER COMMITTED TO CONTACT FACTORY REP. AND HAS STATED FACTORY REP. WILL CONTACT US THIS WEEK TO DRIVE VEHICLE FOR EXTENDED PERIOD. CURRENTLY WAITING TO HEAR FROM FACTORY REP., BUT DEALER DOES NOT EXPECT HIM TO FIND ANY PROBLEM. IT IS OUR OPINION THAT VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE DUE TO THE RANDOMNESS OF APPLYING BRAKES AND HAVING VEHICLE GO INTO "COAST" MODE. DUE TO NUMBER OF TIMES THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE FACT THAT IT FINALLY RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES, WE FEEL THAT GMC SHOULD TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY. FIRST, NECESSARY REPAIRS SHOULD BE MADE TO MAKE THE VEHICLE SAFE. SECOND, GMC HAS A FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO COMPENSATE FOR DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE MALFUNCTION OF THE FACTORY EQUIPMENT. RESEARCH INTO THIS SITUATION HAS FOUND INFORMATION INDICATING GMC IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

MY WIFE PLACED K2500 SUBURBAN IN PARK IN GARAGE. REMOVED 9 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER FROM CAR SEAT, OPENED FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR AND STEPPED FROM TRUCK. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD NOISE AND BEGAN BACKING OUT OF LEVEL GARAGE, DRAGGING THEM TO DRIVEWAY. THEY GOT CLEAR OF TRUCK AND IT WENT DOWN STEEP DRIVEWAY ACROSS ALLEY AND UP NIEGHBOR'S STEEP DRIVEWAY THROUGH BRICK TRASH STRUCTURE AND INTO NEIGHBORS HOUSE. AT TIME OF RECOVERY ENGINE WAS RUNNING WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE APPROXIMATELY 1/3 OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER IT JUMPED FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR WAS NEVER FULLY IN PARK TO BEGIN WITH, HOWEVER THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT TIME BETWEEN VEHICLE BEING PLACED IN PARK AND BEGINNING OR ROLL BACKWARDS. IN ADDITION, AT TIME IT BEGAN TO ROLL, NO ONE WAS IN THE TRUCK AS MY WIFE WAS STANDING NEXT TO IT, AND WAS CAUGHT BY THE OPEN DRIVER'S DOOR. HER RIGHT LEG WAS CAUGHT BY DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE AFTER BEING KNOCKED TO THE GROUND. *AK

THREE CARS IN FRONT STOPPED SUDDENLY, I APPLIED BRAKES WITH FULL PRESURE FROM MY FOOT (I DID NOT RELEASE PRESURE AT ANY TIME), MY SUBURBAN DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH WITH EXTENCIVE FRONT END DAMAGE. THE ROADWAY WAS WET AND THE SPEED WAS 35 MPH. DRIVER WAS ONLY OCCUPANT AND WAS WEARING A SEATBELT, MINOR NECK INJURY.