This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Parking brake failure. I asked my dealer to check out my brakes and was told the parking brake ruined the rotors and needed a complete replacement costing $ 800. I have never used the parking brake. I still could hear a squeak and returned for inspection, now I was told the backing plate is rusted, they cut off the bottom of the plate stating is doesnT need it? something is very wrong with GM not taking responsibility for an obvious mistake.
Ever since I purchased my 2001 Chevy Tahoe, I have experienced problems with my parking brake. It never has worked properly, having slipped on numerous occations. When I push it down, it goes all the way to the floor. I went to have it fixed under warranty on 12/7/002, but it continued to fail. Currently, there is a service bulletin out on it that says they're supposed to be inspected, and Chevrolet has put no demand on the dealers to inspect them. This is a serious safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately.
- Scottsdale, AZ, USA
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I just watched this a.M.'s local news and saw a local man extremely upset and concerned about his 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe's parking brake system failure. I, too, have a 2001 Chevy Tahoe and have had consistent problems since shortly after I purchased it brand new in February 2001. The man claimed his parking brake was not safe and in fact had failed to the point of him having to pay to replace it because GM would not. (over $300) this, after he had discovered GM had sent notices to all Chevy dealerships due to the number of complaints on this very issue. The fact is that my parking brake does not work and I feel as the man in the news report said; that GM should send out a nationwide recall to have this very dangerous problem fixed! we bought our vehicles in good faith and GM should stand behind their products, particularly when safety is an issue! GM...do the right thing! for your reference, the local news channel is nbc affiliate channel 12 in phoenix, AZ.
Parking brake / emergency on 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe is inoperable. Parking brake has never been used on this vehicke. Brown and brown advised $300 dollars to put new brake pads on emergency brake.
The consumer was concerned that vehicle would roll on any incline while the emergency parking brake was engaged. Dealer was notified. The consumer stated the vehicle was on an incline and the vehicle was in neutral, the consumer pushed the park/emergency brake to the floor and took his foot off the regular brake pedal and the vehicle just all of a sudden rolled away. When the consumer took the vehicle took the dealer he was told the left rear rotor drum assembly and both side shoes were worn beyond limits.
As with many other Tahoe owners, I have the problem of premature parking brake failure in my 2001 Tahoe. I rarely use it. At 50,000 miles it needs a second replacement. It is definitely a safety issue, because if you don't test it you will never know that there is a problem until your transmission park feature fails. Then it is just a matter of who or what is down hill.
I took my 2001 Tahoe to get a yearly inspection. I was then notified by the service dept. That the parking brake was not holding the vehicle and it would cost approx. $400 to repair. I told him that was crazy since we have only used the parking brake a couple of times and that was the first vehicle that I have ever owned that had needed a parking brake repaired at just 40000 miles. Upon further research of the problem, I have come to find out that the 2001 Tahoe has had a problem with this. I checked recalls and was positive I would find a recall for the parking brake, but to my mistake, there has never been one for a fault parking brake. I have yet to get it fixed as I have just found out, but I would only wish that Chevy would take a look at this problem and have it recalled. I would hate to find out about a vehicle parking brake failing and rolling over a child.
I went to have my 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe inspected and the vehicle failed the inspection due to the parking brake failing to function. I told him that I had only engaged the brake no more that 5 times since I had bought the vehicle new. The inspector told me that practically every 2001 Tahoe he inspected failed due to the parking brake not functioning. I went to another repair shop that did inspections and asked if they were aware of any issues related to my 2001 Tahoe. They immediately mentioned that the parking brake probably did not function. I then searched the internet and came to the NHTSA site and found all of the complaints regarding this issue. I took my Tahoe into champion Chevrolet in austin and had them inspect the parking brake. They called me and said that the parking brake shoes were completely worn out and the parking brake rotor/drum was rendered unusable. They told me that the cost would be over $750 to fix. I told the service manager that I was aware of the defective design of the parking brake system and requested that the work be done at no charge. They called me back and said that cheverolet would cover approximately 60% of the cost. I ended up paying over $300 to fix the manfacturers defect. I told them that I was concerned about the parking brake becoming defective again and they said that the replacement system had been redesigned to fix the problem with the original parking brake. I feel that the NHTSA should begin a defect investigation and force Chevrolet to recall these vehicles and fix the defective parking brake system.
Park brake failure, premature wear-out. Park brake shoes drop and rub on inside of drum. Looking at the shoes, clips and the wear on the shoe surface it is obvious that the design of the shoe retention system is not adequate for the duty these brakes see. Normal driving heats the rear brake disc repeatedly. After several hundred heat cycles the spring clips holding the park brake shoes relaxes, allowing the shoes to drop (by gravity) from their intended design position, and the lower brake shoe rests on the normally rotating brake drum. With a brake shoe resting on the rotating drum the result is lower shoe premature wear-out and leaves the upper shoe without wear. This will happen even if the park brake is never used. Having worked for GM myself, in cpc-advanced suspension design group, I understand the complexities of brake system design. During my employment with GM, I worked with delco brake engineers and I am sure this failure information has been reported back to them and the appropriate department. I will be requesting to see a 2004 Tahoe system to see if the design has been improved. If it has changed it indicates that there was a problem and that GM addressed it by implementing a change. Since many GM customers are experiencing this problem at $200 per fix, at 200,000 vehicles thatS $40,000,000 might be a class action.
Parking brakes are not designed to hold vehical on slopes in excess of 11 degrees. Chevrolet "claims" that it is not a parking brake but rather " a parking assist". on a vehical that weighs about 3 tons, with a 8,000 lb towing capacity it seems to me that a parking brake in a requirement.
I had my vehicle serviced because I was hearing a scraping noise coming from the rear of the vehicle and the parking brake not engaging. Parking brake pads were replaced at 39,707 miles. I paid $246.99 to have this repaired. I have never, (never) driven the vehicle with the parking brake on and was shocked to find out that the pads needed replaced. I have owned two new vehicles in the past 17 years as well as used vehicles and have never had any parking brake issues. I feel there may be a problem with the braking system which is causing the brakes to engage on there own.
At 24,000 miles the parking brake failed. The dealer states because they produced a thinner part the brake wears prematurely. Please provide additional information.
Emergency parking brakes failed to hold vehicle when it was engaged due to premature brake pad wear. Dealership indicated if vehicle was driven within 10 feet with the parking brake still engaged the pad would wear out. That was the way the pad was designed.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Homestead, FL, USA