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Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Brake Problems

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Comments

  • jomanjoman Member Posts: 2
    where is the best deisel repair in mohave valley?
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    What if there's some air still some where how best to try and get it out.

    The old fashioned way. Have someone pump the pedal and bleed each unit.
  • hogwildnbamahogwildnbama Member Posts: 6
    I've done that (have a real person pump the pedal) 3 times and my brakes are still soft. I'm looking for anything i may have missed. If there's air in there what other things can I do to try and get it out?
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    The brake pedal is softer now as compared to before the brake job?
  • johnc65johnc65 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks. Appreciate the info. Didn't know about the turning part. I'll watch out for that.
  • johnc65johnc65 Member Posts: 3
    I've read where Silverados have an engineering problem with the parking brakes and that a new designed spring clip is the solution for premature wearing of the emergency brake shoes. I never use my emergency brake and yet my emer. brake shoes are worn out. Does this issue with the spring clip account for the brakes being worn out even when they are rarely if ever used?
  • fixer3291fixer3291 Member Posts: 1
    change rubber hoses to calipers :shades:
  • hogwildnbamahogwildnbama Member Posts: 6
    no it's just seems inconsistent. At times the pedal will go to the floor and other times it won't. However, i can never slam on the brakes & lock up the wheels. I spoke with my dad and he seems to think it may be the rear drums. I've not adjusted those is a long while. So i'm going to over haul those and i'll let you know.
  • etrexleretrexler Member Posts: 1
    My 2002 Silverado 2500HD has 28000 miles on it. Recently,while driving the truck, I applied the brakes and the pedal went completely to the floor, leaving me with no brakes. Fortunately, I was going very slow and was able to roll to a slow stop with no injuries or damage. I found a hole had rusted through one of the brake lines. I then called General Motors and was told that a dealer would need to inspect the truck before any further action could be taken. The result is this: I was charged $175.09 for hauling the truck 20 miles to the nearest Chevrolet dealer and 'inspecting' it; The lines had rusty spots with a hole in one area; General Motors would provide no assistance with repairs since my problem may be the result of 'low mileage'; And the dealer wanted to repair the truck for $1000.00. I am sure the sudden and unexpected loss of brakes is a major safety defect and have reported the problem to NHTSA.
  • ttaupier1ttaupier1 Member Posts: 50
    Hi etrexler,

    check the post with my name on them this will lead you too many threads with this subject.. just click on the green linked (ttaupier), there have been a lot of posts ..about this >> and the NTSB/NHTSB.. could not careless, unless you cause a 300 car pileup.. just my .5 cents

    There is a stainless steel kit you can order ($300~), then about $300-$400 to put on.. as far as the problem being >>> a Low millage thing.. I'm not understanding.. sounds like someone talking out of their silly part, BUT..I don't know.

    let us know how you make out..
  • barnowl3barnowl3 Member Posts: 70
    Etrexler and Ttaupier1,
    I reported my brake line which failed on my 2003 to the NHTSA about a year ago and recently they have responded asking for more details on the problem. Who knows, maybe something will come of it if more people continue to report the issue.
  • hogwildnbamahogwildnbama Member Posts: 6
    I thought i would follow up to my brake job issue. I ended up replacing - the front calipers, front brake lines, master cylinder, front pads, rear shoes, springs & wheel cylinder and that didn't fix the problem. I called my uncle and explained the situation and he told me to "slam" the brakes a couple of times and then rebleed. I did and that solved the problem. He said that valve gets stuck over a period of time and needs to be "kicked". Now the brakes are better then when I purchased the truck new.
  • firecaptain44firecaptain44 Member Posts: 4
    I inherited a 1996 chevysilverado 1500 extended cab. The right front brake pads wont release the pressure on the rotor. I have replaced the caliper, but it didn't seem to fix the problem. The left side is fine. Anybody have any other suggestions?
  • akjbmwakjbmw Member Posts: 231
    If the brake hoses to the calipers were not replaced, it might be a good idea to do that. Also look for compression damage to the brake line from a possible previous off-road (or not) debris attack.
  • airpacairpac Member Posts: 2
    I had an appointment on 1/30/2010 for a simple LOF,and tire rotation,before I was able to leave the dealership the service manager had me talk to the mechanic that was servicing my truck,at this time he pointed out that the inside brake pad was only using 1/3 of the rotor surface on both rear rotors,I asked him if this was common and I was told only on the 2000-2005 trucks,the repair will cost me $426.00 and he tells me this will happen again in about five years,and GM doesn't know why this occurs,,,this should be a recall item on our braking system as a safety device hazard if you ask me!
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Which third of the rotor was the pad in contact with? What did he do for $426.00? Did he explain why it would happen again within 5 years? If he did suspect it to happen again did he use the same parts to correct the problem? and was that why he expects it to happen again?
  • docbulldogdocbulldog Member Posts: 2
    my 2008 2500 Duramax had brake failure twice in the past month. Once backing up the peddle went to the floor and the second time approaching a stop light and the peddle also went to the floor. Unfortunately the truck went through the light and was hit by a car. Fortunately no one was hurt. But a ticket was given to the driver. It wasn't me driving this time. The local GM dealer towed the truck to their shop and tested every componet they could but no failure resulted. Any help out there?
  • airpacairpac Member Posts: 2
    It was the inside third of the rotor closest to the hub,I didn't have the dealer fix the problem because they are going to use the same brand replacement parts that will promote the same situation in app. five years according to the mechanic,mind you he was very limited to what info. he would give me,however he claims that GM doesn't know what makes this happen,that is all he would say so he would still have a job!!! I'm getting a couple estimates from neighborhood repair shops and want to see what their professional input will be,I will update my repair status when I get this [non-permissible content removed] resolved.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    I have seen the same problem. The rubber hose that runs between the steel line at the frame and the caliper can come apart internally when it gets old. Just replace the hoses, front and rear would be a good idea, and flush the brake fluid to get any reamaing garbage out of the system. On a vehicle this old, not a bad idea to flush the brake system anyway.

    Good luck
  • mmaple16mmaple16 Member Posts: 3
    I have been having brake issues with my 2005 GMC Sierra 1500. When I purchases the truck the brakes worked fine, and after about 10,000 miles of driving they started to get bad. I changed out my front rotors and brake pads hoping that would fix them but it hasn't.

    My problem is when I am coming to a complete stop and I brake, the peddle begins to go down, the truck keeps moving slowly, the brakes push down a little further, then I come to a complete stop. It's almost like the peddle goes down, you can feel the brakes being applied, then it feels like the brake crunches and goes down a little further coming to a complete stop. Also when I am turning and braking, sometimes there is a weird grind noise coming from my front rotors.

    I took the truck into the shop, they bled the brake line, adjusted my rear drum brakes, and even put on two new tie rods. They told me they saw NO leaks and everything was ok. After I drove it away, the problem still occurs.

    My thoughts are it might be the a bad master cylinder, or ball joints, but I am not sure why it does this. ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED PLEASE!!! I WANT TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED!
  • barrailbarrail Member Posts: 27
    I just changed out my rear brake shoes and rotors. my driver side had a leaking wheel seal. After changing the seal and test driving the truck, the driver side made a chirping noise and became extremely hot, in 20 degrees weather. my conclusion was the caliper was dragging. a machanic friend thought the hose to the caliper was the suspect. after replacing the hose and bleeding the rear brake lines, the dragging brake seems to be fixed. unfortunetly, the wheel seal (new) is still leaking. did the extreme heat from the rotor cause distortion in the seal? I did have to tighten the nut that holds the hub two more full turns. could that be the reason? Anybody got any thoughts?
  • barrailbarrail Member Posts: 27
    can t seem to get rear brake from dragging, even after replacing pads,rotor, rubber hose, and caliper, and bleeding more than a quart of fluid. Does any one know if theres something I should be doing that I m not?
  • moorechevymoorechevy Member Posts: 1
    What I would try next would be ABS, look for fuse's controler's or sensor problems. Whatever the case may be you could have a fault somewhere in your ABS system that fools your truck into a "hard braking situation" when in fact you are simply slowing down. From the noises and situations your describing thats what leads me to believe your ABS system could be at fault, and the fact that you bled and replaced pads and rotors there's not much left.
  • ttaupier1ttaupier1 Member Posts: 50
    Hi Barrail,

    Sounds like the parking brake may need to be repaired or adjusted, if there is a grinding noise and all the "DISC-BRAKE", side seems good. I would be leaning to investigate the back side.. the non visible side or parking brake linkage and springs....

    I have a about 65K miles since my last brake job(130K total on truck)...and need to do a brake job.. I also never use my parking brake...so my guess is.. this is the part that may be rubbing and not resetting..

    I also have SSBC/Tri-piston in the rear and notice that the brake pads wear much quicker than the front. The rotor seems fine but the pads definitely see more action than the stock pads. I've not had any issues with anything sounding like rubbing...with the SSBC calipers, however..

    The reason I changed the calipers in the rear to begin with, was my front rotors were warping once a month due to the back calipers, factory one piston disc, were frozen to the slide guide pins, just make sure your rear calipers are not frozen to the guide slider pins that allow the caliper to align on the rotors..

    Hopefully this helps.. let us know what you find..

    Cheers, Ted
  • ttaupier1ttaupier1 Member Posts: 50
    Hey Airpac,

    wow sounds very close to my original posts, way back when I was having my new truck brake issues.. The rear calipers are junk.. I'm so disappointed with GM on this full size truck issue, for about $1500, at the factory they could have upgraded the brakes to something worth while..

    My truck had the same issue, and GM mechanics have know about the issue and the TSB for some time, maybe the problem its so old now none of the new mechanics are even trained on it.. search my name and look for my earlier post's i describe this problem and the issue that GM knows they have..

    Basically.. the rear calipers freeze on their slider guide pins and then the caliper can not grab the rotor...
  • barrailbarrail Member Posts: 27
    Hi ttaupier1 thanks for the response. drivers side rear brake has a new rotor,caliper, and flex rubber hose to the caliper. a new wheel seal that has been a constant nuisance. the original had failed and the first replacement also leaked between the inner seals. so i about to reinstall the second replacement seal. As far as the brakes are concerned, the
    e-brake was backed off all the way so as to eliminate any confusion about brake adjustment. what I hope is the solution is that some how (1) to much grease on the caliper bolts, (2) bled the rear brakes incorrectly and I hope this is the solution. Heading back out to reinstall the new seal and take it for a testdrive, hope it works.
  • barrailbarrail Member Posts: 27
    I think the brake problem is solved. the wheel seal, only time will tell. stay tuned.
  • barrailbarrail Member Posts: 27
    front left wheel started squeling on this mornings roadtest. After returning to the garage, realized front brake rotors were shot. $216.00 later, new rotors and pads are installed. after the road test, squeling still there.
    i noticed while i had the rotor off, the the spindle was pretty woblly.
    hey ted, have you ever had the front knuckle apart? it seems pretty straight forward.any tips or cautions would be appreciateld. also after bleeding all the brake lines again, I dont have a great pedal. Has it become obvious that I dont do this very often. any suggestions would be welcome.
  • mooseyemooseye Member Posts: 2
    I don't see how they can call this a regional problem. My truck has faulty anti-lock breaks and also the rusted brake lines. I am pretty sure the truck came from up north somewhere but I now own it in Tennessee. And guess what? The problem did not magically disappear when the truck was resold in TN.
    Why should some owners be burdened with the cost of repair and some not?
    Why is this real safety problem not addressed? Is Toyota's problem bigger?
    Do I have to have a break failure and run over a lady with a baby for it to be a recognized problem in all states?
  • tcbusatcbusa Member Posts: 4
  • tcbusatcbusa Member Posts: 4
    I have an 08'sierra sle crewcab & recently noticed a pulseing feel@ the pedal when braking from about 40mph to 0.It as if the abs system is operating without cause.Left frt.rotor is slightly grooved,24,000k.Anyone else having same issue on 08 model.Thank's tcbusa959
  • annmacannmac Member Posts: 1
    ANY ONE HAVING ISSUES FINDING AND RELEASING THE PARKING BRAKE WITHOUT GETTING OUT OF THE TRUCK?
  • jdio121jdio121 Member Posts: 1
    i bought a 09 silverado LT 1500 ext 4x4 w/rear drums and out of the blue 3000miles my brakes started pulsating good at hard stop as well as slightly at slow speeds(doesn't feel like abs tripping) i took the rotors and had them cut, re-installed and made no difference. im taking it to dealer this week regardless, but the only thing that makes sense is rear drums,brakes? anybody else have this issue?
  • duke30duke30 Member Posts: 2
    86,000 kms on my truck on my second set of pads this year will soon have to replace my rotors i put on six months ago. Front disc grab and stick on occasionally and can smell burning in cab.I have had it to several garages tell me they cannot find problem.I replaced calipers anyway and pins are clean and new.Seems to be worse on passenger side,braking hardest. Anyone have any ideas?
  • chomp1974chomp1974 Member Posts: 7
    edited April 2010
    I recently changed the front pass wheel bearing hub assembly 2001 Silverado 4x4 and now everytime I go to use the brakes the ABS is kicking in making it actually hard to stop. No ABS light coming on or other problems noted. I have removed the ABS fuse and everything is back to normal but technically there is no ABS capabilities right now. I was surprised that the ABS light has not come on on the instrument panel---PUZZELED--anybody come across this?????? I personally do not like ABS anyway.
  • edb3163edb3163 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2006 1500 crew cab, recently i installed 22" wheels and tires. Since i put these wheels on the front end shakes and vibrates. I have replaced rotors and pads on the front, and still the front end vibrates. I have drums on the rear and was gonna replace them next to see if it made a difference. I stumbled on this site and figured I would inquire before I do any further repairs/mods that will cost me more money. Could someone help me determine what my next move should be?
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hello,
    I am from GM Customer Service. I would recommend taking it to the dealership to have the concern diagnosed. Thank you,
    Mariah GM Customer Service
  • akjbmwakjbmw Member Posts: 231
    Since the change was adding the wheels and tires, have a tire shop with the appropriate equipment check that the wheel/tire assembly is balance and true.
    If the front and rear are the same size, see if rotating them makes the problem move.
  • stutsstuts Member Posts: 2
    just bought used gmc z71 sierra and found abs fuse pulled. well i replaced it wow talk about affecting braking almost hit someone and pulled fuse immediatly.been doing some research 700.00 to replace unit . is it worth it ? does it affect four wheel drive wheel sensoring . can just the electronics be repaired or does the whole unit have to be replaced? please help! maybe a pulled fuse is the only answer will say the location of ehcu is poor at best hoo ray for our engineers in design 101
  • edb3163edb3163 Member Posts: 2
    I replaced the tires, computer balanced them. The vibration got better but still there. Could it be the rotors? wheel bearings? What else could it be?
  • mrthomasmrthomas Member Posts: 1
    Hi:
    I hope someone can advise me. I'm a senior who buys Chevy's all the time. This is the first time I have experienced the problems I am having with my vehicle. I don't know where to go as the dealership is giving me poor service. The service personnel are the pits. I have been having problems with the brakes from the time of purchase on 2007. I have taken the vehicle back to the dealership many times and they keep saying they can't find the problem. The ABS light stays on and when I can hear a 'hissing' sound in the brakes; sometimes they even hesitate when applying them and often there is a squeaking noise. Additionally, the right front door makes a cracking sound every time you open it and all the dealership did was oil it. I have taken the vehicle back to no avail. Now they say my warranty has expired without notice. Any advice would be helpful. (My granddaughter found this site and typing for me ;) I am not computer savvy to say the least. My vehicle has only 24,717 miles as I am afraid to drive it with the brake issues.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hello Mr. Thomas,
    I am from GM Customer Service. Can you please email me at socialmedia@gm.com so I can ask you a few more questions about your concerns? Thank you,
    Mariah GM Customer Service
  • brachbrach Member Posts: 4
    I have 75 k on it and am about to replace the rears again but the fronts are original. Is that normal?

    Also, is there a way to do this without loosening the leaf springs and sliding them over to get at the bolts to the caliper?

    Lastly, the cv boot on the front passenger side ripped and the bearing is going bad. A mechanic I talked to said I am better off cutting the shaft off than spending a bunch of money on labor to do it. Is this something a pretty good back yard mechanic can do on his own.
  • akjbmwakjbmw Member Posts: 231
    If it did not vibrate before the wheel/tire change, the brake rotor/hub/bearings are not likely to be the problem unless something was damaged at that time.

    The wheels/tires should be checked for trueness and roundness. I watched with a little anxiety while a machine shaved rubber off the tread of a set of Continental tires 35 years ago. The results were an excellent ride instead of the previous washboard. The Continentals came with the car from the factory, but I didn't buy Continentals as replacements when the time came for new tires.
  • duncanm2duncanm2 Member Posts: 2
    I have to replace the rear right brake line on my 2004 Sierra it failed at low speed, thank god for the emergency brake. It rusted out on top of the rear axle, what gives? I drove a 1950 chev truck until the 80's and nothing rusted out like this. They can't build brakes that last more than 5 years? Scary, and everyone is worried about Toyota? I'm scared to drive this thing down the highway, what line will blow out next?
  • kohmkohm Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I have a 1997 chevy pickup 4x4 and when i step on the brakes the anti-lock brakes come on, it acts like your on ice even in the summer,i know they are not supposed to do that, any ideas.
  • mrw601mrw601 Member Posts: 1
    I, too am having the ABS kick in at low speeds on dry roads on our 2001 Silverado. I called the dealer to inquire about a recall, and was told it had expired. I called GM, they said it had already been performed on our vehicle and that it wouldn't be covered a second time. The dealer quoted $450-500 to fix if there wasn't something wrong other than the sensor. A co-worker said his FIL had the same problem, got the recall done, had the problem return after six weeks, and after going around with the dealer, finally gave up and disconnected the ABS fuse. It is an outrage that GM won't adequately address these safety issues.
  • z71bassz71bass Member Posts: 6
    Not sure if you're describing the same problem I had or not. With my 2002, I had brake problems/ ABS Problems at very low speeds, such as pulling into my garage or a parking space, (bounced off several parking curbs). After the dealer replaced the wheel speed sensors, then the master cylinder, I discovered the problem still existed. Then one of the front wheel bearings began to growl, replaced the wheel bearing kit and the brake problem went away. That bearing was apparently going out for a couple months and had never made a sound, till after the sensors and master were replaced. Seems the failing wheel bearing resulted in enough slop that the wheel speed sensor was getting confused and screwing with the ABS. So your brake problem may not be a brake problem at all. By the by, the Dealer refunded my money on the wheel speed sensors and the Master Cylinder
  • stutsstuts Member Posts: 2
    looking for used abs module now can leave fuse out as long as sensors are not tied in with your four wheel drive some are assoc. what a pain
  • barnowl3barnowl3 Member Posts: 70
    You also need to watch the front left brake line where it mounts near the frame above the axle. Mine rusted and let loose suddenly, and luckily there was room on the should to avoid rear ending a tractor trailer. I have an 03 and it failed in 08, with less than 50K miles. NHTSA is doing some investigation on it as I reported it to them. Thanks for the tip on the rears, have not replaced them yet. Also check your engine oil cooler lines if have that option. Mine failed at 3.5 years.
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