2005 Chevrolet Suburban Brakes Problems

The vehicle was idle for about 4 months. I took it to a carwash to clean the dust off. Upon returning (abt a 2 mile trip) the brakes failed and steam was coming out from under the hood. I opened the hood and brake fluid was sprayed all over the driver's side of the engine and wheel well. A brake line had rusted through and burst. Fortunately, I made it home carefully because I had noticed the brakes were soft.

ON 4/11/2020, WHILE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON N. MAIN STREET, FAYETTEVILLE, NC AND ACCELERATING FROM THE STOPLIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF CAMDEN ROAD, I WAS REQUIRED TO APPLY THE BRAKES FORCEFULLY AND SUDDENLY DUE TO THE ACTIONS OF ANOTHER MOTORIST. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES, I LOST ALL BRAKING POWER AND RESORTED TO UTILIZING THE MANUAL PARKING BRAKE TO BRING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL AND DRIVE IT CAREFULLY BACK TO MY RESIDENCE. AT THE MOMENT OF FAILURE, THE DASHBOARD BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT (AKA, IDIOT LIGHT) ILLUMINATED AND A "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE SPORADICALLY DURING THE TRIP BACK TO MY RESIDENCE WHEN TESTING THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR RESUMED FUNCTIONALITY. AFTER ARRIVING HOME, I PERFORMED A QUICK INSPECTION OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND FOUND THAT THE PORTION OF THE BRAKES LINES LOCATED ON THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRAME RAIL HAD RUSTED AND PERFORATED NEAR THE ABS MODULE, CAUSING THE FAILURE ALONG WITH MASSIVE FLUID LOSS (SEE ATTACHED PICS). I PERFORMED A CURSORY INTERNET SEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT THE NHTSA HAS ALREADY PERFORMED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS EXACT ISSUE AND THE INVESTIGATION WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLOSED WITH NO RECALL ISSUED BY GM. OF NOTE, GM VEHICLES USE A MANUAL PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL SWITCH LOCATED WITHIN THE BRAKE COMBINATION VALVE THAT ISOLATES THE DAMAGED CIRCUIT IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE AND ALSO ILLUMINATES THE DASHBOARD BRAKE LIGHT. THIS SYSTEM DID NOT OPERATE IN THIS INSTANCE AS EVIDENCED BY LOSING ALL BRAKING, AS OPPOSED TO REDUCED BRAKING, AS WELL AS THE BRAKE LIGHT NOT REMAINING ILLUMINATED. BASED ON THE APPEARANCE OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND INDICATION OF RUST IN SEVERAL SPOTS ON THE BODY (E.G, TAILGATE), I BELIEVE THIS TRUCK WAS OPERATED IN ONE OF THE RUST BELT STATES FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BY A PRIOR OWNER.

THE 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2500 WAS TRAVELING ON A CITY STREET AND THE BRAKES BECAME SOFT INSTANTLY, A COLLISION WAS AVOIDED BY STEERING AWAY FROM THE CARS AT THE INTERSECTION AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED. THERE WAS NO WARNING ON THE SUDDEN FAILURE, OTHER THAN A INDICATOR ON THE DASH. A SHORT DRIVE TO THE HOME DRIVEWAY, THE REMAINING BRAKE FLUID HAS ALL LEAKED OUT UNDER THE DRIVERS DOOR LOCATION.

I HAD A RUSTED BRAKE LINE (DRIVER SIDE FRONT) FAIL JUNE 25TH, 2017. THIS TRUCK IS 12 YEARS OLD AND HAS LESS THAN 90,000 MILES. IMMEDIATELY ALL BRAKING WAS LOST AND THE PEDAL PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. REPEATED PRESSING THE BRAKE ONLY PUMPED OUT ALL THE BRAKE FLUID. THIS WAS A SUDDEN AND CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF BRAKING. THE WORST PART IS, BRAKING IS SUPPOSED TO BE SPLIT AND INDEPENDENT BETWEEN FRONT AND REAR BRAKES, SO IF YOU LOSE THE FRONT, THE REAR BRAKES STILL WORK, AND VICE VERSA. WELL I LOST ALL BRAKING, I HAD NO FRONT OR REAR BRAKING! THIS SHOULD BE A CLEAR SAFETY PROBLEM AND A MANDATORY RECALL! I CRASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, BECAUSE OF COURSE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE DIDN'T WORK EITHER. DESPITE GM'S INSISTENCE THAT SOMEHOW THIS PREMATURE BRAKE LINE FAILURE IS NORMAL AND THE OWNER'S MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, IT SHOULD BE A VERY SIMPLE ISSUE FOR THE NHTSA TO SIMPLY OPEN A SINGLE BRAKE LINE AND TEST TO REALIZE THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DO IN FACT LOSE ALL BRAKING, NOT JUST FRONT OR REAR. I'VE ALREADY COMPLETELY LOST FAITH IN GM TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE THE NHTSA WILL STILL DO THE RIGHT THING, AND NOT LET GM OFF WITH A CLEAR SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THEIR BRAKE DESIGN. THIS CRASH WAS PULLING UP TO THE STOPLIGHT IN PRESCOTT, WI, HEADING INTO TOWN ACROSS THE PRESCOTT BRIDGE. I WAS DRIVING MAYBE 30 MPH WHEN I REALIZED I HAD LOST ALL BRAKES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND VEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, WHICH ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY ONSTAR TO DENOOYER CHEVROLET (127 WOLF RD, ALBANY, NY 12205, (518) 458-7700) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,795.

REAR BRAKE LINE FAILED. MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE IN THE 2005 SUBURBAN 1500, SHE MANAGED TO PRESS THE EBRAKE THEN TURN THE SUBURBAN INTO SOMEONE'S FRONT YARD WHERE IT EVENTUALLY CAME TO REST ON A HILL. SHE WAS HEADED DOWNHILL ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. TOOK TO HUNDRU CHEV IN MANHEIM PA I WAS TOLD THE REPAIR WILL BE SOMEWHERE AROUND $2300.00

AS I WAS ABOUT TO EXIT A PARKING LOT ONTO A FOUR LANE ROADWAY, THE BRAKES ON MY 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN FAILED. I LIVED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM THIS LOCATION AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME. IT WAS A LITTLE SCAREY WITHOUT ANY STOPPING POWER, EVEN THE EMERGENCY BAKE WOULD NOT HOLD. WHEN I GOT HOME, I USED A FLASHLIGHT TO TRY TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. FOUND A PATTERN OF BRAKE FLUID LEAKING. REMOVED THE SPARE TIRE TO GET A BETTER LOOK AND FOUND A BRAKE LINE BETWEEN THE ABS AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE HAD RUSTED OUT. FROM THE LOOKS OF THE LINE CONDITION, THEY NEED TO BE ALL REPLACED. NEVER IN MY 70 YEARS HAVE I SEEN BRAKE LINES ON A TEN YEAR OLD VEHICLE LOOK LIKE THEY DID, REALLY IN BAD SHAPE. LOOKED AT OTHER LINES, FUEL, TRANSMISSION, THEY ALL LOOKED LIKE THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED.

WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN I NOTICED MY BRAKES FEELING MUSHY AND THE PEDAL NEEDING TO BE PRESSED FURTHER INTO THE FLOORBOARD. MY "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM" LIGHT CAME ON AND UPON INSPECTION NOTICED THAT I WAS LOW ON BRAKE FLUID. I FILLED THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR TO THE MAX LINE. THE NEXT DAY THE SAME WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND I FURTHER INSPECTED THE BRAKE LINES TO FIND THAT THE LINES FROM THE ABS BOX TO THE REAR HAD RUSTED OUT AND WERE LEAKING BADLY. *TR

WE BOUGHT OUR CHEVY SUBURBAN IN MAY OF 2014, 73,000 MILES, GARAGE KEPT VEHICLE. THE SUBURBAN IS IN BEAUTIFUL SHAPE, ENGINE COMPARTMENT SHOWS VERY LITTLE SIGNS OF RUST OR CORROSION, SAME GOES FOR THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, VERY CLEAN. THIS PAST WEEKEND WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A LARGE HILL, MY WIFE HAD OUR TWO BOYS WITH HER IN THE VEHICLE AGES 5 AND 7 WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKES GAVE OUT COMPLETELY, NO BRAKING POWER AT ALL. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR WORSE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE WE FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES ARE COMPLETELY ROTTED, THE ONLY PART ON THE VEHICLE THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS. WE KNOW WHO OWNED THE VEHICLE BEFORE US, ONE OWNER, AND SHE DID NOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE VERY OFTEN IN WINTER WEATHER. SHE WORKS FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HAS OFF WHEN IT SNOWS. SHE ALSO HAD AN OLDER CAR THAT SHE DROVE WHEN THE WEATHER AND ROADS WERE BAD. THESE BRAKE LINES ARE FAULTY. THERE IS NO WAY THESE BRAKE LINES SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS AFTER 9 YEARS ON THE ROAD. MY NEIGHBOR HAS A 2005 YUKON AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. MY FRIEND [XXX] HAS A 2003 GMC PICKUP, SAME PROBLEM, HE ALMOST CRASHED INTO A LAKE WHEN HIS BRAKE LINES FAILED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS AND FAST AS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET KILLED. I HAVE PICTURES I CAN SHARE WITH ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SEE THEM. YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT ME AT ANY TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN HAS RUSTED BRAKES LINES THAT WILL COST ME $2,000 TO REPAIR. INTERESTINGLY I SEE MANY NATIONAL ARTICLES ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FILED. GM HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL TO COVER THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM; OTHER AUTOMAKERS HAVE DONE SO. THE NHTSA HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THIS FOR WELL OVER 3 YEARS AND DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT TO DATE. I DON'T HAVE $2,000 TO HAVE THE WORK DONE, HOWEVER I ALSO CAN'T RISK THE LIVES OF MY FAMILY AND THOSE OF OTHER DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS IMMEDIATE ACTION AND GM SHOULD TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. PRIOR TO THIS I WOULD CONSIDER BUYING ANOTHER SUBURBAN, HOWEVER, NO MORE GM FOR ME! ITS A DISGRACE THE GM DOES NOT VALUE ITS CUSTOMERS AND THEIR SAFETY AND THAT THE NHTSA HAS NOT STEPPED UP TO FORCE A RECALL. JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIE FOR ACTION TO OCCUR? *TR

FRONT BRAKE LINE FAILURE/BRAKE LINE RUPTURE. 6 MONTHS AGO IT WAS THE REAR BRAKE LINE FAILURE/RUPTURE. BRAKE FLUID CAUSED SMOKE AND SMALL FIRE ON THE EXHAUST HEADERS. *TR

FIRST INCIDENT EASTERN PA: 05/19/2014 APROX 119000 MILES: AFTER HITTING THE BRAKES HARD TO AVOID A VEHICLE THAT PULLED IN FRONT OF ME, THE BRAKES FAILED (BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR WITH LITTLE BRAKING ACTION). MANAGED TO SAFELY STOP. FOUND BURST BRAKE LINE IN THE REAR END OF VEHICLE. TWO REAR CORRODED REAR BRAKE LINES REPLACED BY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. SECOND INCIDENT MILFORD MA: 09/17/2015 127336 MILES: HIT BRAKES GOING DOWN DRIVEWAY. BRAKES WERE SOFT AND SANK TO FLOOR. BRAKE LINE GOING TO FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS BURST. ALL THE BRAKE FLUID DRAINED QUICKLY OUT OF THE MASTER CYLINDER ONTO THE DRIVEWAY. ORDERED ACDELCO 22932592 GM ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT HYDRAULIC BRAKE PIPE KIT AND AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING ALL BRAKE LINES AS ALL OF THEM OTHER THAN THE TWO REPLACED IN PA ARE VERY CORRODED. THE REPLACEMENT LINES ARE NOT REALLY OEM AS THEY HAVE A NYLON COATING FOR BETTER CORROSION PROTECTION

CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE, WITHOUT ANY WARNING , CAUSED BY COMPLETE CORROSION OF ENTIRE BRAKE LINE! RAN CAR OFF ROAD TO AVOID CARS AT STOP. EMERGENCY BRAKE ALSO FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOORBOARD IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE ROTTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

BRAKE LINES HAVE CORRODED AND YESTERDAY ONE OF THE LINES BELOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR RUPTURED RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING. *TR

TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO STEEL LINE CORROSION OR RUST. *TR

WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES SOMETIMES THEY SEEM TO LOCK UP THEN SOME TIMES THE BROKE PEDDLE FAILS TO BE JUMPY SOUND LIKE A AIR BOOSTER FROM UNDER THE DASH BOARD THE CAR HAS NEW BRAKE DISC AND ROTORS. *TR

LOSS OF BRAKES DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID FROM RUSTED MAIN LINE OFF OF MASTER CYLINDER. *TR

BRAKE AND FUEL LINES ARE CORRODED. I LEARNED YESTERDAY FROM WIN KELLY CHEVROLET IN CLARKSVILLE, MD THAT MY BRAKE LINES ARE SO CORRODED I SHOULD REPLACE THEM IMMEDIATELY. ALSO OBSERVED WERE RUSTY FUEL LINES. I, AND MANY OTHER SUBURBAN/SILVERADO OWNERS APPARENTLY AGREE, THAT THIS IS DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY A MANUFACTURE RECALL. THIS WAS MY FIRST GM PRODUCT; ALL OTHERS WERE DODGE. I NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE WITH ANY OF THE 17 OTHER VEHICLES I'VE OWNED OVER THE PAST 34 YEARS. IF THE CORROSION IS THAT BAD I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY IT WASN'T NOTED IN PREVIOUS "BUMPER TO BUMPER COURTESY INSPECTIONS". *TR

WENT TO MOVE VEHICLE TO ATTACH LANDSCAPE TRAILER. BRAKES WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR. UPON INVESTIGATION, FOUND BRAKE FLUID ON GROUND FROM DRIVER SIDE RIGHT FRONT. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO REPAIR STATION AND ASKED MECHANIC TO REPLACE BRAKE LINE AND CHECK ALL OTHER BRAKE LINES. MECHANIC ENDED UP REPLACING 80% OF LINES DUE TO CORROSION. THIS COULD HAVE ENDED UP RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT IF THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING WITH THE TRAILER ATTACHED CARRYING ATV'S. IN ADDITION, THE CABLE HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE HAD TO BE CUT IN ORDER TO GET ACCESS TO REAR BRAKE LINES. THE CABLE WAS RUSTED MEANING THAT A TIRE COULD NOT BE CHANGED IN THE EVENT OF A FLAT. *TR