Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARKING BRAKE | |||||
| 020526001B | 01/01/2005 | 020526001C | 10006115 | Rear parking brake shoe retaining spring clip service kit for drum-in-hat (dih) equipped vehicles. *tt update. *tt | 04/16/2004 |
| 020526002 | 10/01/2002 | 10000172 | Scraping noise from rear of vehicle. *tt | 02/14/2003 | |
| 010526001 | 04/01/2005 | 010526001A | 619514 | Low effort parking brake apply system. *tt | 06/04/2001 |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARKING BRAKE | ||||||
| DP05009 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 12/20/2005 | 05/31/2006 | PARKING BRAKE FAILURE | ||
| Odi's review of complaint data received since the close of ea04-011 revealed no indication that the investigation should be re-opened.more details can be found in the federal register notice enclosed in the dp05-009 public file.odi reserves the right to reopen the investigation in the future should conditions warrant. | ||||||
| PARKING BRAKE - CONVENTIONAL | ||||||
| DP05009 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 12/20/2005 | 05/31/2006 | PARKING BRAKE FAILURE | ||
| Odi's review of complaint data received since the close of ea04-011 revealed no indication that the investigation should be re-opened.more details can be found in the federal register notice enclosed in the dp05-009 public file.odi reserves the right to reopen the investigation in the future should conditions warrant. | ||||||
| PARKING BRAKE - CONVENTIONAL - MECHANICAL | ||||||
| DP05009 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 12/20/2005 | 05/31/2006 | PARKING BRAKE FAILURE | ||
| Odi's review of complaint data received since the close of ea04-011 revealed no indication that the investigation should be re-opened.more details can be found in the federal register notice enclosed in the dp05-009 public file.odi reserves the right to reopen the investigation in the future should conditions warrant. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PARKING BRAKE | |||
| 05/13/2011 | 146000 | ||
| The emergency brake on my 2001 chevy tahoe was diagnosed as having bad parking brake / e brake. i was unaware of this situation since i rarely need to use the parking brake. i will have to replace this item at a cost of approx. $575. many other 2001 tahoes have experienced the same problem.. i have replaced the parking e brakes twice since i purchased the tahoe and now they have failed a third time. i never use the parking brake!! virginia safety inspection has failed and i have already been pulled over for not having a safety sticker for the parking e brake. there is also a strong burning smell from the rear tire / brake area, i am sure the vehicle will catch fire from the friction the bad design has caused. parking brake pedal goes to the floor and will not hold the vehicle in drive, neutral, or reverse. also discovered that the passenger side parking e brake actuator lever is missing and the parking e brake cable is not connected to the passenger side, this same lever is reported online as mysteriously missing from other chevy trucks as well, it is bad when the same part on various vehicles is missing on the same side, coincidence or bad assembly line process, maybe defective part that breaks. repair is over 1000 dollars. parking e brake fails to hold the vehicle safely and is endangering lives. virginia law and safety inspections are not being met due to a serious design flaw of missing parts and a safety device not working properly on a vehicle. missing safety parts from the assembly is hazardous, if parts were not missing, then they fell off and is still dangerous. | |||
| 12/26/2010 | 80000 | ||
| Parking brake on 2001 tahoe fails to hold vehicle. it will not pass state inpesction until fixed. i have never used the brake and is my understanding that this is defect in 2001 tahoe that was never recalled. chevy needs to recall and fix the defected parking brake in all models. | |||
| 08/21/2010 | 115239 | ||
| 2001 chevy tahoe - emergency/parking brake not functioning. has not been functioning for years. i bought the vehicle new and i never used it, but when i was parked on a hill recently, i tried to use it but it did not work. from what i understand, this is a common problem with this vehicle. if it is a design defect that does not allow the vehicle to safely park without possibly hurting innocent people or damaging property, should the manufacturer be responsible? | |||
| 02/29/2008 | 1 | ||
| My parking brake does not work, although i have never used it. i tried to get my car inspected, but they would not pass it due to the brake. they said gm is aware of the issue but is doing nothing about it. *tr | |||
| 02/24/2008 | 49600 | 1 | 04/25/2001 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 chevrolet tahoe. while the vehicle was parked on a hill, the contact attempted to release the hand brake three times. the hand brake loosened and a piece of metal with cable attached to it detached from the vehicle. the vehicle began to roll and nearly struck an older couple. gm advised him to bring the vehicle in for diagnosis, but he has not done so at this time. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 49,600. update 04-02-08 *bf | |||
| 02/13/2008 | 1 | ||
| The left front and rear caliper are not working properly on my 2001 tahoe. the left rear is shot, and the pad has worn clear to the rivets witch ate up the rotor. the cooling shield has rotten away. i haven't checked the right rear yet. the brakes sound like they are grinding. the truck is now at my mechanic shop to be fixed. *tr | |||
| 08/04/2007 | 50000 | 5 | 04/27/2001 |
| Parking brake friction pad premature wear and failure. it creates a dangerous situation when parking on a steep slope when towing a heavy load if the transmission lockup mechanism should fail. operator manuals state to set the parking brake when parking a travel trailer. repair includes replacing the brake shoes an drums if necessary. *tr | |||
| 10/06/2007 | 54825 | 2 | 06/01/2007 |
| Failure of emergency bake system. both rear rotors had to be replaced with only 54,828 miles on vehicle because emmergency brake pad had worn all pad material off and was rubbing metal to metal cutting into the surface of the emergency brake part of the rotor. *jb | |||
| 11/24/2004 | 9 | 06/14/2003 | |
| Abs module, transmission, parking brake, throttle body, windows, rear a/c, steering suspension. since we purchased the vehicle we have had to spend over $4000.00 on repairs that should be recalled due to safety. *jb | |||
| 09/12/2006 | 85000 | 1 | 03/01/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the parking brake rubbed down the brake pads and shoes causing the pads and shoes to be replaced prematurely every two years. the parking brake was rarely used and does not hold. the dealership was aware of the problem and informed the contact there was a special spring that needed to be installed to keep the brake from rubbing against the pads and shoes. | |||
| 08/12/2006 | 45000 | 2 | 04/01/2001 |
| Our tahoe failed the state inspection due to the parking brake not holding. both parking brake pads were replaced and then 2 years later we failed the state inspection again due to the same parking brake issue. this time one of the rotors was destroyed with about a 1/4 groove in it which made the repair even more costly. our region is totally flat, so we don't even use the parking brake! there is no reason why there should be any wear on the parking brake what-so-ever. especially twice in the 5 yrs we've owned the vehicle. after asking around and researching on the internet, it appears that there is a serious recurring issue with this brake design and up to this point it has all been at the owner's expense. old brake discs are not available but destroyed rotor is. *nm | |||
| 07/26/2006 | 26000 | 1 | |
| 2001 parking brake worn down to metal to metal at 25,000 freeway miles. parking brake was only used when car was in the garage at night on level ground. local dealer said it was normal to wear out in that mileage. *nm | |||
| 01/04/2005 | 40000 | 500 | 01/01/2001 |
| Parking brake doesn't work. *jb | |||
| 12/09/2000 | 100 | 1 | 12/09/2000 |
| I have a 2001 chevy tahoe. the parking brake has always barely worked but i never had it repaired because i didn't realize it was a defective. i just thought it was a crummy brake. after reading some web sites i now realize it is defective and needs repair. i believe that this is a big problem but that people just don't realize it is not working. the only thing that holds my car from rolling down the hill and killing someone is the transmission. you really should make gm do a recall and fix this problem. *nm | |||
| 04/05/2006 | 76000 | 1 | 07/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated there was a grinding noise coming from the rear end, upon inspection the contact found the parking brake was completely worn. this occurred without the parking brake being used. the contact repaired the parking brake and the problem reoccurred. | |||
| 03/16/2006 | 1 | 06/01/2001 | |
| Applied parking brake while assisting another motorist with a dead battery. after reentering my vehicle i started to back up and noticed that my parking brake was not holding. i tested the brake as described in owners handbook. the parking brake did not hold. i feel lucky that the vehicle did not move while i was assisting the motorist with the dead battery. had the vehicle moved forward i would have been trapped/crushed between the two vehicles. i also own a 2001 chevy truck and it had a recall on the parking brake. why has general motors not recalled the parking brake on the 2001 tahoe. i guest it will take a death or serious injury before they will fix this problem at their cost not mine. *nm | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 68500 | 1 | 12/01/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact applied the parking brake and discovered the parking brake would not engage. there were no previous problems with the parking brake. the vehicle was seen by a dealer. the dealer replaced the parking brake shoes which remedied the problem. the consumer stated the parking brake still doesn't hold, more work is needed. updated 02/27/06. *jb | |||
| 11/21/2005 | 10 | 02/08/2001 | |
| I previously filed a complaint for the rear seat belt malfunctioning but this vehicle has several dangerous issues..the throttle sticks and happened with my 2 children in the vehicle driving 55 mph..not fun! the outcome could have been detrimental. the parking brake does not work and has been fixed 2 times..it still does not work and will not pass inspection...the antilock brakes engage for short stops and the vehicle slides!! this is just unbelievable to me. gm must have many lawsuits in the works and many to come. *nm | |||
| 01/05/2006 | 65000 | 1 | 02/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while having the vehicle inspected by an independent repair shop for a squeaking noise while braking, the repairman determined there was no problem with the service brakes but the emergency brake would not engage properly. the independent repair shop referred the contact to a dealer. the dealer confirmed that the emergency brake would not engage properly. although the contact did not use the emergency brake nor did the emergency brake display any noticeable problems. while driving the contact was unable to determine how the emergency brake failed. the dealer performed a vehicle history report based on the vin and noted that the previous owner had several service records concerning the emergency brake. *ak | |||
| 01/03/2006 | 1 | ||
| Would not pass inspection. man told me 3 out of 5 tahoes do not pass because parking brake does not work. *jb | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| Consumer 2001 tahoe brake did not catch, took vehicle to the dealer and was told that the rotors were damaged and brake pads needed to be replaced. *ts ***nar received 10-18-05*** the consumer was told a clip that was used to hold the pads was not very sturdy which caused the pads to shake and wear out prematurely. the emergency brake would not grab even though the consumer had never used it before. the consumer was told the reason why the rotors were damaged was because the emergency brake was never used and it was considered a wear and tear item. customer service informed the consumer that the emergency brake must be used periodically so that it would center the pads and keep them lasting longer. *jb | |||
| 10/10/2004 | 75300 | 1 | 05/13/2001 |
| I have a 2001 chevy tahoe i could not get my car inspected because the parking brake would not work .i took it to my repair shop and found the factory parking brake clips that hold the brake shoe in alignment were not designed properly. they now have an upgrade clip after the fact. the brake shoe causes $200 or more in damage to the rotor and pads and more concerning than that is you don't know you have a problem until the parking brake doesn't work! general motors does not take this serious enough to have a recall or warranty the repair this is a dangerous situation. people don't know about this problem. thank you david. *nm | |||
| 09/16/2005 | 1 | ||
| My complaint has to do with the running lights and the brake system for the 2001 chevy tahoe. i have had my running lights replace numerous times and there is an apparent short in the wiring connection that will have to be fixed. my parking and abs brake lights keep coming on even though the braking system has been replaced and the lines have been flushed. these lights go off once the car is restarted, but sometimes come back on. this will be my second trip to the mechanic to see what the problem with my brakes is. i think this is ridiculous because i have already spent several hundred dollars that i didn't have, in order to ensure my children's safety. now after reading about the parking brake, who knows how much more i will have to spend to have it checked to see if that is the problem? since there are parking brake issues, the vehicles should have been recalled at the cost of the company, not the consumer. *nm | |||
| 08/30/2005 | 18000 | 1 | 08/14/2001 |
| 2001 chevrolet tahoe emergency brake wore out pre-maturely at 18,000 miles of freeway driving. always parked on level ground and kept in a garage. when taken to the dealership they said brakes were not covered under warranty and that this was normal. they wanted over $300.00 to replace the brake shoes in the separate emergency brake drums. this is more than a complete brake job on that car typically costs. *nm | |||
| 07/28/2005 | 80000 | 1 | 07/01/2001 |
| Dt: consumer file a compliant regarding a parking brake failure. contacted general motors and spoke with tiffany. called 800-222-1820. general motors called the service center for this issue. spoken to the service manager ,and his response was to given the mileage on the vehicle, which was 80,000 miles. expected the brake pads to wear down or be replaced. when engaging the parking brake the vehicle went in a roll ing motion. the brake pads should still be in good because consumer did not use the parking brake. *ak | |||
| 07/25/2005 | 96000 | 1 | 06/20/2001 |
| The emergency brake on my 2001 chevy tahoe was diagnosed as having worn completely down to the metal. i was unaware of this situation since i rarely need to use the parking brake. i will have to replace this item at a cost of approx. $275. i understand that several other 2001 tahoes have experienced the same problem. i will hold onto the old part for awhile once the repair is completed. | |||
| 07/20/2002 | 22500 | 3 | 03/01/2001 |
| 2001 chevrolet tahoe parking brake defect: each year now for the last 3 years i have had to replace the parking brake shoes on my 2001 chevrolet tahoe due to the poor design of the parking brake system. the current design allows the brake shoe (1 piece) to shift position within the drum cylinder resulting in premature wear and eventually brake pad failure. i understand that gm is aware of this problem but refuses to take steps to correct the defect. i feel that this is a safety issue that needs to be addressed and corrected immediately. my vehicle will not pass the annual vehicle safecty inspection at this time due to the faulty parking brake system. it costs me about $350 annually to have the parking brake pads replaced. please have this safety problem fixed before someone is seriouly injured or killed. i do have the previous worn pads if needed for review. | |||
| 06/27/2005 | 05/30/2001 | ||
| Parking brake failed inspection and has never worked right since the time of purchase. parking brake pedal goes to the floor and will not hold the vehicle in drive, neutral, or reverse. estimated cost for repair is 400.00. repairs have not been made yet. it makes me very angry to read all of the complaints regarding the parking brake and all of the money people are having to pay to fix it temporarily. what makes me even more angry is that general motors/chevrolett seems to be aware of this problem and is not taking the responsibility to fix it. does there have to be a death first? | |||
| 05/15/2005 | 45000 | 1 | 04/12/2004 |
| Dt: consumer's wife pulled into driveway which had a small incline and applied brakes to park, and this particular style of emergency brake failed. felt it was worn out. had to be replaced by owner. no problems since the replacement, but felt it was poorly designed by gm. *ak | |||
| 05/05/2005 | 22000 | 1 | 05/08/2001 |
| Dt: parking brake was defective. nothing happened before failure. emergency brake did not hold. upon inspection it was found to have a problem. has to have brake pads replaced before it can be inspected.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 4 | ||
| Parking brake on 2001 chevrolet tahoe has failed, and dealer is unable to repair it. dealer is aware of this problem because it is common to this vehicle, but stated that gm has not developed a fix. we have spent several hundred dollars to repair the brake over the last couple of years without success. unfortunately, now we have to rely on the automatic transmission to hold the vehicle in place when parked on hills. i always use the parking brake with my other vehicles and have not experienced any problems like this. parking brake certainly would be unable to stop the vehicle in an emergency if the primary brakes failed. i certainly believe that gm should make it a priority to find a solution to this problem and recall the effected vehicles. *ak | |||
| 04/06/2005 | 28000 | 1 | |
| The parking brake goes to the floor when consumer presses it down. this could cause the vehicle to roll back on a hill. manufacturer was contacted by consumer.*ak | |||
| 02/18/2002 | 45000 | 2 | 01/06/2002 |
| Faulty emergency brake. *ak | |||
| 04/16/2005 | 2 | 04/30/2000 | |
| 2001 chevrolet tahoe: during texas required safety testing the parking brake has been found to be non-functional due to abnormal wear for the second time in three years. this requires hundreds of dollars in repairs each time.*ak | |||
| 03/21/2005 | 5000 | 3 | |
| Consumer complained about a parking brake problem. the parking brake will not hold. owner has to take the vehicle into the dealer for an adjustment to the parking brake every 5,000 miles. owner contacted the manufacturer and dealer, and owner was told that the parking brake has been redesigned, and to bring it in for an evaluation. provide further details. *ak | |||
| 02/05/2005 | 2 | ||
| Scraping noise from the rear of vehicle determined to be park brake shoe contacting drum when parking brake not applied. was previously repaired under warranty with re-designed parts, but failed again. parking brake does not hold. *jb | |||
| 12/30/2004 | 1 | 08/17/2002 | |
| Vehicle was purchased used with 21000 miles. parking brake was'nt operable and was repaired by dealer to close sale. parking brake inoperable 30000 miles later. needs left rear hub replaced, right rear was salvageable. dealer stated it was not repairable under extended warranty. during repairs i searched web and found it was not just my vehicle. *ak | |||
| 04/10/2004 | 35000 | 2 | 07/20/2001 |
| 2001 chevy tahoe parking brake failed - worn completely through in 35,000 miles. premature wear also damaged brake rotors. parking brake was completely inoperable. same issue occurred again october 29, 2004. next set of completely new rear main and parking brakes wore completely through within 6,000 miles. *jb | |||
| 02/10/2004 | 50000 | 1 | 11/15/2000 |
| For a 2001 chevrolet tahoe regarding the parking/emergency brake. this brake has been adjusted no more than three times since it was new, the first time being at about 15000 miles. it is now non-functional and the pedal presses easily to the floor. we feel this problem is a design defect as a parking brake should not 'wear out' this quickly.*ak | |||
| 10/14/2004 | 54900 | 1 | 09/01/2002 |
| Premature emrgency brake failure on 2001 chevrolet tahoe. i have noticed a very loud metal to metal noise. upon inspection it was found that the emergency brake was worn out. research on the internet revealed other complaints of this nature on 2001 tahoes.*ak | |||
| 10/04/2004 | 50000 | 1 | |
| The emergency brake was found defective when applied, the vehicle would still move at will, even with the brake pressed all the way to the floor. *ak *sc | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 79000 | 1 | 10/06/2000 |
| Parking brakes worn out pre-maturely.*ak | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 45000 | 1 | 01/01/2001 |
| The parking brake was inoperable. when parking on an incline and the park brake was applied, the vehicle rolled. *jb *sc | |||
| 07/15/2001 | 2 | ||
| 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. *ak | |||
| 09/15/2004 | 10000 | 1 | 10/18/2001 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 1 | 02/15/2001 | |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 38000 | 1 | 11/21/2000 |
| Parking brake / emergency on 2001 chevrolet tahoe is inoperable. parking brake has never been used on this vehicke. brown and brown advised 300.00 dollars to put new brake pads on emergency brake.*ak | |||
| 08/05/2004 | 44000 | 3 | 07/09/2001 |
| The consumer was concerned that vehicle would roll on any incline while the emergency parking brake was engaged. dealer was notified. *ak 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. *jb | |||
| 07/05/2004 | 64305 | 1 | 04/16/2001 |
| Parking brake failed to hold vehicle with engine running and in gear at idle. vehicle jumped curb and hit shrubbery by building.*ak | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 2 | ||
| 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. *jb | |||
| 06/21/2004 | 20000 | 20 | 08/28/2001 |
| Parking brake show wearing out prematurely, gm has issued a new retaining clip that allows the shoe to be centered and not wear prematurely. *ak | |||
| 05/25/2004 | 09/04/2001 | ||
| 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. $400.00 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. *nm | |||
| 05/20/2004 | 58685 | 1 | 07/25/2001 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 03/25/2001 | 56000 | 1 | 03/17/2001 |
| 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 $40,000,000.00 might be a class action. | |||
| 03/15/2004 | 30000 | 2 | 01/28/2001 |
| Parking brake, starts to malfunctioning every 15k, even when is rarely use, cost 130.00 to get it adjusted every time. *jb | |||
| 01/02/2004 | 2000 | 3 | 05/20/2001 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 10/09/2003 | 39707 | 1 | 07/28/2001 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| When the brakes were applied they would make a noise. when applying the emergency brake on an incline it did not hold. *ak *jb | |||
| 11/20/2003 | 24000 | 1 | |
| 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. *ph | |||
| 28000 | 1 | ||
| 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. *ak *mr | |||
| 10/11/2003 | 43600 | 1 | 01/27/2001 |
| Defects: abs light on at 43,600 miles. when car is turned off a loud noise is heard beneath the drivers side of the vehicle my independent mechanic said the abs unit is purging. at 20 miles and regularly there after, when the fog light power button is pressed, the rear window wiper briefly makes noise as if it had been activated. at 3000 miles and regularly there after , all four doors squeak at the hinges and must be lubricated weekly. at 10,600 miles the rear differential began to leak. both driver and passenger seat squeak and do not firmly lock into position. the driver and front passenger seats do not lock into position. the parking brake has not worked since i purchased the vehicle. *la | |||
| 10/01/2003 | 76128 | 0 | 04/26/2003 |
| I took my chevy tahoe (2001) in to get the inspection done on 10/1/03 -- this is the first time the inspection has been due since the car was manufactured. i bought this truck used 6 months ago. the inspector told me that he would have to fail my truck due to a defective parking brake. i was told that he had seen a lot of them recently and that he would let me take the truck back to the dealer to get it fixed. he said the other 5-6 that he had seen very recently had taken it to the dealer because it was a recalled part and they fixed it for free. unfortunately, when i took it to my dealer, he informed me that it was not a recalled part and would not be covered -- in fact, would cost me $200-$300 to fix. he said that six months ago, when he inspected the car, it was fine. so, in the past six months, my parking brake had gone bad. i only drive my truck back and forth to work and have not used my parking brake, so it seems to me that something else must be wrong!! please help -- if it is known by so many that these are failing, why will chevrolet not do something about it? if i used my parking brake everyday, that might be one thing, but i have not used it at all. | |||
| 09/18/2003 | |||
| Emergency brake failed causing vehicle to roll down a hill and collide with another vehicle. phone interview update (april 5, 2006): ms. arnecke said that the vehicle did not roll away; the vehicle failed the texas state inspection because of the parking brakes. | |||
| 08/29/2003 | 72000 | 1 | 10/15/2001 |
| I believe there is a serious problem with the emergency brake system in 2001 tahoe's. i learned of this problem when i went to have my car inspected in memphis, tennessee. when i drove up, the inspector said, we might as well try your emergency brakes first since they will probably fail. i asked her why and she said that almost all tahoe's do fail. mine did. the inspector told me i needed to have the brakes fixed at a dealer. i went to a chevrolet dealer and i told them i had a tahoe and it had failed the inspection, the service manager interupted and said, your emergency brakes failed, didn't they? i asked how he knew and he said. they almost all do. he said that the vast majority of them fail within one or two years. he explained that when you do not use your emergency brake there is something that makes them activate and rub against the drum. eventually they wear out. he stated he wished chevrolet would recall the system. i wrote to chevrolet. they claim my brakes wore out with regular use. to the best of my knowledge, i have never used the emergency brakes on my car. in fact i still have the same factory installed regular brakes on my car. i believe this eventual emergency brake failure in cars could cause a seriouse accident by failing at the wrong time. so do the mechanics i spoke with and the city inspectors in memphis. i find it hard to believe that chevrolet does not know of this problem. while i do not believe chevrolet will be honest about this situation, i believe any dealer mechanic will. the one that worked on my car volunteered that it was a serious problem and recommended i call you.*ak | |||
| 06/10/2003 | 30500 | 0 | 06/18/2001 |
| The emergency break went out (which made a metal to metal noise all times when the suv is moving) causing the rear brake to go out. i have been in contact with the dealer on previous occasions and they stated this is not covered under warranty therefore if they look it will cost me. the dealer stated i drove with the emergency brake, which caused the brake to go out, which is untrue. i went to a personal mechanic who stated that this should not have happened and it should be covered under the warranty. after speaking with other gmc / chevrolet owners they are experiencing the same issues with the e brake going out, all have had the same response from the dealers.. *nlm | |||
| 02/01/2003 | 19000 | 1 | 12/09/2002 |
| The emergency brake on this car and other models (suburban) is faulty. regardless of use, the emergency brake needs adjusted every 15-20k miles.(recommended by the dealer). the new emergency brake design does not use the normal rear brake pads..it has its own seperate brake pad inside the wheel well. this emergency pad burns out regardless of use. a chevrolet mechanic and dealership told me this is a faulty system and that i will need to return every 15-20 k miles to have approximately $130 of work done to adjust it...even if i didn't use it. this is a horrible design and i wish chevrolet would be responsible for their bad engineering and faulty system. | |||
| 01/14/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated the emergency brake failed to hold the vehicle, dealer had been notified, however consumer was informed the vehicle was no longer under warranty.*jb | |||
| 05/01/2001 | 15 | 1 | 05/01/2001 |
| When the parking brake would be engaged, the pedal would go all the way to the floor. if the vehicle was on an incline, and in neutral gear, the parking brake would not hold. the dealership indicated that was a normal position for the brake and they were self adjusting. please provide more details.*jb | |||
| Emergency brake fails to hold will not permit vehicle to roll back but will permit vehicle to roll forward esp on hills. dt | |||
| 10/24/2001 | |||
| Consumer states that twice in the past year the emergency brake shoes and linings have disintegrated resulting in damage to vehicle's rear brakes. the vehicle's rear brake pads and rotors had to be replaced. incidents occurred on 10/24/01 and 11/15/02 respectively. ts | |||
| 10/06/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that when vehicle is in drive or reverse, emergency brake will not hold truck. vehicle checked by dlr who advised that the lining on the rear emergency brake shoes has worn out. *mr | |||
| PARKING BRAKE - CONVENTIONAL - MECHANICAL | |||
| 04/06/2007 | 1 | ||
| Went to have a virginia state inspection done on the 2001 chevrolet tahoe and it failed because the emergency brake /arking brake was sticking, and that the emergency brake shoes were metal to metal. they stated that they had never seen this before. so to make it inspection worthy i had to pay $250.00 to replace the emergency brake shoes!! i have read this in many instances on the internet. *ak | |||
| 07/18/2005 | 0 | ||
| The parking brake does not prevent vehicle from rolling. this has been a problem since the vehicle was new. dealer heard our complaints several times and has serviced the brake. independent service station affirmed that the brake can not be reparied to the point that it will prevent the vehicle from rolling. with the parking brake pedal applied to the floor, the vehicle freely rolls on even gentle slopes. the only thing that keeps the vehicle from rolling when it is parked is having the gearbox in the 'park' position. this is not only harmful to the transmission but we are reminded daily that the car has no mechanical means of stopping if we lose our hydraulic brakes. | |||
| 09/22/2004 | 1 | 04/17/2001 | |
| 2001 chevrolet tahoe has an inoperative emergency brake system. problem is currently be investigated and repaired.*ak | |||
| PARKING BRAKE - CONVENTIONAL - MECHANICAL - LINKAGE AND CABLE | |||
| 10/15/2007 | 1 | 05/30/2001 | |
| 2001 chevrolet tahoe, went to have it inspected and the emergency brakes failed. i never used them so how can they be worn out? also, when i went to adjust the cable, it was already adjusted all the way that it could go. it should not have been adjusted out all the way. this came like this from the factory and i bought it new. now the garage want $300 to replace the emergency brakes which are different than the disc pad brakes. they even said that the rotor might be worn out also. this is ridiculous! that's another $300 plus labor. *tr | |||
| 10/07/2004 | 65000 | 1 | |
| The consumer stated the emergency brake cables has failed completely. please provide additional information. *jb | |||
| 07/10/2004 | 47500 | 1 | 08/20/2001 |
| My parking brakes failed the annual safety inspection. i was told it was a problem with a cable and that if not fixed could cause damage to a rotor. fortunately, i have an extended warranty to help pay the cost. however, it seems the parking brake on this vehicle has always been weak since purchase. yet it has passed the safety inspection in the past.*ak | |||
| 08/18/2004 | 59016 | 4 | 10/31/2001 |
| The consumer indicated that the parking brake failed and would not hold the vehicle when it was parked on a hill. the dealership inspected vehicle several times, and the mechanic advised the consumer that they replaced the mechanical part, but the problem was never resolved. *ak the rear brakes were replaced with factory parts. the consumer requested reimbursement. the a/c was inoperative, the vehicle would pull to the right while in motion and the brake shoes were worn and scored the rear rotors. *sc | |||
| 06/12/2003 | 45000 | 1 | 10/13/2000 |
| Emergency brakes - missing parts new from factory. (non functioning) yr and vehicle - 2001 tahoe 1500 i have all records on this vehicle from new. the emergency brakes on this truck, is missing the actuating pin(one passenger side) which allows the brake emergency shoe (inside the rotor) to expand when the cable is pulled. this caused only one rear wheel to work, ......wearing out the shoe and scoring the rotor..............(the other rotor and shoe are still new). since the vehicle has over 36,600 miles, it is out of warranty. what is more important is how many other, tahoe, suburban etc. are missing actuating pins inside the adjuster, rendering it useless. in the case of a brake failure, the e-brakes would be useless. this has been this way since new......i have the diagrams from gm showing the missing part, and photos of my brakes with the missing part (please note the part is inside an enclosed piston........not able to get lost, also one shoe is completely gone the other is still new. *jb | |||