Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Brake Problems

docbulldog · April 2010

I have an '03 Duramax and am concerned about this brake line failure especially with the extra weight of this truck.. Do most of these failures occur in states that use or used salt on icey roads?

bdh2 · May 2010

Hi edb3163,

I have a 2005 crewcab 1500 and wanted to upgrade to 20" ltz factory wheels and went to discount tire store to get tires and they said they couldnt do it because of a rear component issue on the '05 crewcabs only, but now it seems like other year models may be affected. I contacted GM and they couldnt give me the reason why the 20s wouldnt work only that 18" is the max. Really bummed me out. I recontacted discount tire to see if they could give me the reason why and this is the email they sent to me.........................

"I as you are somewhat dismayed that the dealer could not provide you with the following information. On 10/19/2004 GMC sent out a release (acc04-025) which halted the installation of 20" plus sizing on all crew cab models. They also had to down-size any existing inventory before it could be sold. No other body styles were affected. The dealer sould be able to provide you a copy of this release or I can mail or fax you one".

I know in this reply email the guy sending it stated dealer but I aIso contacted GM through the 1-800-gm number and got nowhere. I didnt get them to send me the release but maybe someone here can find out what it actually says. I just kind of gave up on the 20s on my truck for the time being. Hope this helps.

Robert

firecaptain44 · May 2010

thanks, replaced hose and fixed the problem

firecaptain44 · May 2010

My 1996 chevy 1500 5.7L V8 vortec, wont start, replaced the fuel filter and made sure the fuel pump is pumping the fuel. If i put gas in the carb it'll start right up. The minute i turn it off it wont start again. any ideas!

oconnorcrew · May 2010

I too have a 2003 Silverado and have spent huge money trying to repair brakes that suddenly go. Filed with NHTSA too, and nothing was done. Dealer denies its an issue and says its because we don't use the truck enough?!? It has 86,800 miles on it.

I

Hope you have better luck than us, and I'd advise you to take it to the dealer and make them replace the instrument panel cluaster while they will cover the cost!

dblevky · May 2010

I broke the bolt holding the emerg brake clip in place, and need to remove the axle to access to ez out the bolt. Anybody know the procedure? 2000 GMC Sierra 1500 2WD disc brakes 3.73 diff

stevel22 · May 2010

I have a 2003 2500HD and read about the possible recall. I spoke to more owners and who have the same problem. what do we do to register our name or get it fixed, etc.?
What is the reccommended upgrade?
Appreciate the help. I was taking out the trash with my 12 year old daughter when the line over teh gas tank went. Luckily i remembered the E-brake or we would have gone straight into 60 mph traffic. I have since let a dealer look at it and he said the whole thing is rusted from the master cylinder back.
Appreciate teh help

gmcustsvc · May 2010

Hello Steve 22,
If you would like to email me I can look up if you have a recall or not. Can you please email me so I can get some more information from you? You can get my email by clicking on my name. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

bluzplayer · May 2010

I can't find out how to remove and replace the rear disc brake rotors. I know I need to remove the axle, that's the easy part. I bought a Chilton's manual, but it does not cover the heavy duty version I have (Dual rear wheels, trailer tow package, diesel, etc). My rear rotors have a 4" 'shoulder' compared to the 2" shoulder on the front disc. Any 'how to' advice appreciated.

obyone · May 2010

If you don't receive any replies you can find an online manual at www.alldatadiy.com for a small fee or order the factory manual at Helm Inc

You can also find the factory manual on cd at ebay.

Found out years ago that Chilton's is pretty much worthless.

bluzplayer · May 2010

Thanks for the commercial interruption, which is unwelcome. None of the books I've found so far have info for the HD versions, so go away and don't bother me with your sales pitch.

Here's how to do these HD brakes for those with a 3500 Dually, Diesel, 2005 model, crew cab, trailer tow package, which might apply to other models as well.

1. Remove the wheels, obviously, mine were 'stuck' on from slight rust, crowbar got them off.

2. Take off the caliper and its cage: On rear (and front brakes too!) remove the two caliper alignment pins (two smaller of the 4 largest bolts inboard) and then the two largest bolts that hold the caliper 'cage' as well. The cage has to come off on front, and also on rear to get the rotors off. The cage bolts are big and tight, so be persistent. Remove the small bolt that holds the brake line support bracket at the rear of the axle so you can move the caliper around and lay it up on the rear leaf springs while you remove the rotor.

3. Ahhh, the rotor...what a piece of work. Remove the 8 bolts from the axle cap, and put a bucket below it since it will spill a bit of fluid, mine was only a few tablespoons that dripped out. Pull out the axle (easy to do once you unbolt it) and the axle cap and axle are one piece. It goes in any angle you want to put it in, but only one angle will line up with the holes. This is actually the easiest part to remove and put back!

4. Once the axle is out, there's a small clip ring on the bearing keeper ( a round nut with some half-holes on the edges to tighten and remove it with a special tool). Forget the tool, mine came out by needle nose pliers to remove the clip ring, then to remove the small piece of square 'key' metal, and then you can spin off the nut with your fingers or a screwdriver. It's not meant to be torqued down like 100ft-lbs or so, it is a 'keeper' nut, not a bearing nut like on a tapered bearing. The axle bearings are pressed into the hub assembly and are roller bearings, not tapered. If anyone has the torque values, pls post them.

5. With the axle out, and the clip ring and the square key and keeper ring screwed off, technically you can slide the entire hub/rotor assembly off. make sure you've released the PARKING brakes which you may have left on to get lug nuts off etc..., and lifted your weights earlier in the day cuz it will be a bit of an effort to wiggle the assembly off the axle, but it will come. Rotate the assembly in a 'cone' with the fat part towards the center of the truck, it will come off. I hear of folks using hammers...not on my truck!

6. Once you have the monster assembly sitting on the floor, you realize you need to take it to the local machine shop and have the lug studs pressed out to separate the hub/bearing assembly from the brake rotor. They know what to do at the machine shop, and if you rotors only need to be surfaced, this is easier for you and they won't need to be pressed out and new lug bolts put in. I took my new and old rotors down and I asked for new lug bolts, bearings, seals and new axle flange gaskets with my order. The machine shop charges are modest for this, and they will do it right. My shop will true the faces that mate together so the rotor is in the same parallel plane as the hub itself, which will make sure the rotor is not tilted at even the slightest microscopic angle relative to the axle.
7. Now, just re-assemble: Slide the newly pressed hub/rotor assembly back on (after cleaning the shaft...) then snug up the bearing keeper. I can't find a torque rating for it, but it can't be more than a few lbs-feet since I took it off with my fingers. Over tightening would put the bearing under lateral stress, which it's not designed for, so I think snug it up with fingers, and add 1/8th turn with a pair of needle nose pliers or so, and leave it at that. Put the square key back in (which determines how far you screw the keeper on since it has to line up two of the square holes to go back in. With that in place, snap the ring back around the axle housing at the threaded end, and insert your axle back so the holes line up (easy to do by hand) and make sure your new gasket is in place first.... Then tighten down the axle flange bolts (8 of them). Torque? No idea, I can't find that since none of the CHilton or similar books have info on the HD models.

8. On your brakes, make sure to use the new slider clips and put some high temp grease or graphite on them since these brakes tend to stick, and also lube the caliper pins liberally with high temp grease too.

9. The rest should be obvious, and if not, you may not want to do this yourself

10. Some observations: I cleaned off my brake hoses and put some rust converter all over them since I live in Salt-hio. My rotors were ruined from salt, and I had essentially no stopping power, so I got some premium rotors from NAPA and semi metallic pads (you can't use ceramics on this truck, don't even think about it). The trick is to make sure your brake pads can move, and yes, they only need to move a microscopic distance at a time, but over time will migrate half an inch, and if they can't move due to jamming or rust or whatever, they will lose their stopping power and possibly stick against the rotor and burn up. Hence, graphite, cleaning the area of rust where the slider clips sit on, and so on. Loose is good for brake pads in the caliper...

Hope this helps someone else.

Ed

KCRam · May 2010

End the sarcasm.

The prior post was not a sales pitch, but directions on where to find the correct answers. The vast majority of people are not mechanics, nor are they DIYers... and the mechanics who do post here would prefer you give them a visit so they can earn a living... thus the chances of someone willing to post step-by-step instructions for you are very small.

The instructions you have posted are only applicable to your truck. The rust you encountered was specific to you, not anyone else. And, not everyone has a machine shop nearby or a second vehicle to go there.

Your incivility to those who offered assistance means people will be far less likely to help you in the future.

kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host

yz2k20 · May 2010

My 2003 Silverado is doing a very similar thing except the lights are staying on and the fan is staying off. Did you ever get this issue resolved?

bluzplayer · June 2010

You might be surprised at the fact that all Chevy trucks in the rust belt have rusted brakes, and a little research on the forums will show you that there are hundreds if not thousands of posts across dozens of forums about Chevy's brake fiasco. The Gov is currently trying to force a recall on it, but perhaps all that is irrelevant to the discussion? I don't have anything against mechanics, at least not honest ones that do a good job. There aren't many of those, however, and I've never had any repair work done that didn't need to be done again to make it right, so I'm not exactly in your camp on this 'take it to a mechanic' thing. For the good mechanics, keep up the good work, folks. For the ones that give everyone a bad rap, stop it and quit ripping folks off.

I do go to mechanics, but only when I don't have the ability or tools or time, which is rare. There are lots of folks like me too. My personal track record is very good and I trust my own work. What the heck is wrong with that? I'm not cheating honest mechanics by doing my own work. There are plenty of average citizens to support the mechanics, including, occasionally, me.

If you want to troll the forums to offer folks a way to buy books or whatever it is you do, that's ok, but don't interrupt a question with a sales pitch, it's not welcome, and generally not helpful to people that have already mentioned that they are a DIY and have a question that's not in the book. Reading carefully might save you this sort of discussion.

My brakes are working properly now for the first time since I've owned this truck, and I have had to correct some of GM's design flaws to make it so, and will post them here for those that think and understand. If I'm making some awful horrible mistake, I'm open to hearing your suggestions, but I doubt that what I've done is unsafe, and almost certain it will work for my situation and those like it. And FWIW, I am not the only person in the rust belt that owns this truck, so it is NOT unique to me, Sir.

The little stainless steel clips that GM uses on the brakes (and which come with the replacement pads I got from NAPA) have a significant flaw, which causes brake pads to become immobile: Once the cast iron caliper mounting bracket, or 'cage' becomes rusted, the little stainless clips at the top and bottom of the brake pads become tighter and tighter due to the rust, which expands as metal rusts, and the pads become immobile as a result. Nice idea, GM, but in practical application, this is a poor design. While replacing my pads after replacing the rotors, I cleaned the area for the little clips, installed them and put the pads in. Shocked to find that it was very difficult to move the pads once they were in place. I realized they were too tight to be able to 'float' on their mounts like they should. Unless I'm crazy, a brake pad has to be able to move perpendicular to the rotor in order to apply and release force so it does not stick and overheat... I realized quickly that the clips made the pads too tight, defeating the design purpose of making the pads mobile. I think GM wanted them for 'anti chatter' or something like that, but what they are and how they work makes me think the real reason was to overcome rusted brakes sticking. That's not the way to do it, in my humble opinion.

I removed the lower one and filed down the bracket on the upper one to make sure the rust was gone, then replaced the old clip with the new one. I removed the lower one to allow for the space needed to let the pads move as they wear. Without the small clips, the brakes will function fine, and probably better than if you leave them in. The pads are captive and cars for decades have not relied on little clips like these to make brakes work, so why now?

Also watch the wear indicator tabs on the pads. They are never aligned properly out of the box, and on the premium ones I got from NAPA, I had to tap them down so the shoes could fit properly. Tap them about 1/16" toward the axle, not towards the rotor. That way, they will allow the pad to slide across it's guides over time, and will not change the time that the little indicator begins to touch the rotor. A minor annoyance, but if you put them in like they come out of the box, they may, or will, keep the brake pad from moving since the little 'wipers' that signal your pads are worn down simply get stuck on the caliper mounting bracket and you actually have to use some force to move them.

In my humble opinion, you should NEVER have to use force to move a brake pad across it's guides, otherwise you're looking at brakes that will overheat from being frozen in place. Sure, the pistons can move them but you want them to RELEASE too when you take your foot off the brake. They don't move far, maybe .01 inches or less, but they have to be mobile, and that's what I'm trying to describe.

With those two changes, leaving out the lower clip and adjusting the wear indicators, my pads fit nicely and can be mobile. The rust on the caliper mount was minor, but I did notice that sloppy casting molds allowed a lot of cast iron 'excess' where the clips go. Designers probably didn't take that into account when designing the clips. once I removed the rust, the pads were still immobile, just like the ones I was replacing, which is why I thought through this so carefully. I could have filed down the excess casting (just under the rounded top of the chatter clips) but removing it altogether made more sense since there won't ever be any force on the pads at the bottom unless you're applying brakes in reverse. The rest of the time, the pads will be biased to the upper stop, where I left the clip.

I think I met GM half way on this brake job, and I have stopping power now that I've never had before, and my brakes don't make any noise, and the pads don't chatter and they don't overheat (which happened many times before). I believe I can tow in safety now.

Ed

To those that read this and complain that I think I'm smarter than GM, I acknowledge that I'm not a design engineer, but I do have a couple of degrees in Engineering, including mechanical, and I can assure you that improving on a poor situation is never a bad idea if you think carefully about what you're doing.

Most cars with disc brakes don't use those little stainless clips. GM or some other genius invented that clip idea to allow brakes to be mobile in rusty conditions. what they forgot is that the rust takes up space and expands as oxygen combines with cast iron, and the result is that the brake pads stick. GM rotors come from China and are made from junk steel, so road salt eats them easily, and the pitting that results diminishes stopping power and causes all kinds of other problems for the brakes.

That's all for now, but I will continue to report on how I think I've improved on the GM 'standard' brake job for this truck, which will apply to other vehicles

KCRam · June 2010

If you want to troll the forums to offer folks a way to buy books or whatever it is you do, that's ok, but don't interrupt a question with a sales pitch, it's not welcome, and generally not helpful to people that have already mentioned that they are a DIY and have a question that's not in the book. Reading carefully might save you this sort of discussion.

In case you didn't notice, I'm the host here, not a "troll". It's MY call as to what is welcome, not yours. I suggest you re-read the Membership Agreement you accepted when you registered here - the link is down at the bottom of the page.

kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host

jimp99 · June 2010

Are there any class action law suits or anything of the sort out there for the brake issues with the Silverados? Recalls in some states on some trucks and many trucks having the same issues but they do not apply. My abs activates at under 5 mph and has been doing it for 3 years. Dealer wants 350 to change ABS sensors. They charged me 50 to tell me this. (Classic Chevy in Mentor OH) Now I have leaking/Rusty brake lines and need to replace all of them. I had rear pads/rotors replaced at 24k.

dcurry2000 · June 2010

Yesterday I just had an accident with my 2001 GMC Sierra 4 x 4. I was not aware of a brake issue with this vehicle until talking with my son who works for AutoZone. I was only going between 5 - 10 mph and stepping on the brakes and they just locked up. Caused somewhere around $5000 to the front end of my vehicle, $3000 to the 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I hit into, and about $1000 damage to the 1991 Dodge Caravan that the Jeep hit into. All because of the brakes locking up! I ended up with the $165 ticket for careless driving, and 4 points on my license. How can I find about if there is a recall on this vehicle for the brakes? Will I have to take the vehicle to the dealership for all the repairs to be completed? Will my insurance cover this? Any response I can get would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

myale · June 2010

I have a 2007 GMC Sierra 1500 Z71 with 48,000 miles on it. Front brakes are disks and back brakes are drum. Around one year ago I have to have the front disks machine becuase they were warped. Now they are warped again. what gives ? why do they warp ? have others had this same problem ? what is the solution ?

obyone · June 2010

Replace them with some aftermarket rotors and ceramic pads.

dsivertsen · June 2010

Yes, My 2007 Silverado 1500 HD had trashed front rotors at 40k. They were too bad to machine. Now at 48K the rear pads are at 10%. I also had a 2002 Jeep grand Cherokee and all four rotors were toast at 45K. I replace with aftermarket.
I owned both vehicles from new and did not drive them hard.

corkscrew · June 2010

There are a number of investigations in progress involving brake issues. Go here and follow the prompts: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/defectsearch.cfm
Corkscrew

99silverado2 · June 2010

1999 Silverado- In the Fall while driving- brakes failed, pedal went to the floor. Luckily my husband was able o get the truck to the side of the road as we were approaching a highway exit. Truck had to be towed to a mechanic, one brake line was replaced, ruptured due to excessive rust.

Then we started having issues with abs system kicking in when braking at low speed- like at a stop light or trying to park, after searching online I saw that this is an issue with 1000s of other chevy trucks.

2 months ago while driving my husband applied the brakes to stop for a red light, pedal to the floor and right through the red. Thank God there was no in front of him or in the intersection, he was able to get it in to an empty parking lot. This time we had the truck towed home, simply can't afford to pay a mechanic to overhaul the brake system.. Upon inspection- ANOTHER RUPTURED Brake Line. We are still trying to get the braking system fixed on this RUST BUCKET. We have bought all new lines, calipers. flexible lines for the front. This is absolutely ridiculous!

The Govt went after Toyota- what will it take to get the Govt to make GM fix all these TRUCKS that are going to fail to STOP and kill people?

We bought the truck used and have Never recieved a Recall Notice for this vehicle.

sgeorge1 · July 2010

2001 GMC sierra 2500 HD diesel with allison, total brake failure at 36k miles rotors and calipers, dealer fixed reluctantly, ONE MONTH LATER AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT total failure again, rusted out lines from master cylinder on (truck 3 yrs old) fixed at $250. then front wheel bearings at 21k and 36k both front dealer installed, next brake lines under cab at 40k miles, now at 50k miles total brake failure again rusted lines this time at the tank area while on a trip to MAINE 800 miles from home! nearly killed us and others, filed a complaint with NHTSA like before.. this is sick! who do you have to run over by accident before anyone does anything? I have cars over 40 yrs old with brake lines that are OEM never had trouble like this!
told this one will cost $500 to fix. anyone want to join a class action on this? email me scg13803@yahoo.com

sgeorge1 · July 2010

see my post on this same issue, my 2500 HD sierra did the exact same thing!
steve g..

barnowl3 · July 2010

2003 Sierra HD currently has 60K miles. Front brake lines failed at approx 4 years old and 40,000 miles. Nearly rear ended a tractor trailer. Will replace all other brake lines as $ permit, they are severely corroded right up to the master cylinder. Tranny lines seeped and replaced under warranty. Had to replace again at 55K miles and 6 years due to leaks and corrosion, including cooler. Fuel line corrosion and leak at plastic pipe union, about 4-5 years old. Fuel sprays under pressure. Replaced all PS lines at approx 5 years, AC condenser leak at 7 yrs 60K miles took out the compressor ... $1300. Rear rotors rusted and corroded at 3 yrs, 30K under warranty and then 3 yrs later at 50K miles. Engine cooler lines corroded and dumped all engine oil out at 3.5 yrs and 32K miles. Luckily it occurred in a parking lot. Yes GM, you have a problem, and being a lifetime GM person, I can't believe how you've ignored these repeat issues. My posts and others will unfortunately cause you much lost business due to your choice to ignore your customers. Buying a new one makes no sense if all these problems repeat again. Think!

sgeorge1 · July 2010

TO ALL THAT HAVE CORROSION ISSUES WITH GM TRUCKS

CALL THIS NUMBER AND FILE A CLAIM (888) 327-4236

THEY WONT KNOW WHATS GOING ON UNLESS WE TELL THEM!

DO IT AND DO IT NOW...

STEVE GEORGE, MARIETTA NY

astro48 · July 2010

Have 2002 GMC Sierra 1500 past few months it has not been stopping properly. The brake pedal goes to the floor and still the truck moves another 3 or 4 feet before coming to a complete stop. Sometimes the brake is hard to press down, takes everything i have to stop truck. Took it to mechanic, nothing showed on computer and of course it didnt do it when he drove it around. Now Im not driving it at all for fear I will hit some one or some thing. Any ideas?

obyone · July 2010

It's like visiting a doctor. If you don't like the prognosis go and get a second opinion. And if you fear that the brakes will completely fail when you're driving it, don't. Have it towed which is cheaper than a fender bender any day.

d_rod · July 2010

i have an 01 silverado 1500 when i press my brakes they lock up and the abs is showing up inside my truck

duru · July 2010

duru · July 2010

My e-brake light flashes 4 times, was told this fault code means somehting wrong with Grounded Antilock Pressure Relief Switch??? The only place this could be is in the RWAL control modual. Anybody have any ideas? Truck still has good brakes. 1993 xcab Z-71 auto 5.7 THANKS

stallion08 · July 2010

My Crew Cab 2007 GMC Sierra brakes locked up yesterday. Front calipers over heated. They got so hot the fluid reached extreme temperature. The rotor on the driver side turned black from the heat. Driver side rotor started wearing right after I purchased the truck. Went to the dealership to have other work done had them check the brakes and they said it was normal wear. Duh

navy11 · August 2010

I have a 2000 sierra 1500 4x4 61,000 miles I,m on my 4th set of rotors on all 4 wheel. The rotors rust out while brake pads look like new. Also Had 2 brake line rust out & had to have them replaced.Now had replaced bad front wheel bearing hub assemblies along with new brakes & rotors. Test drove truck & every now & then My brake pedal gets hard like a rock & brakes don,t engage. Now my ABS lights on dash are lit again. Funny since the new hub assemblies have new ABS sensors & cables. There are a ton of recalls on the braking system on sierras. I keep getting my vin shows my truck is not on recall list. However all my problems sound like the recall problems. This will be my last GM truck I buy. It,s a real money pit. Angelo V.

gmcustsvc · August 2010

Hello Navy11,
I apologize that you are experiencing a concern with your vehicle. Can you please email me your VIN so I can look into the situation further? Have you had all your brake work done at the same dealership? Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

tyler285 · August 2010

At least on my Suburban, the indicator tab is fine IF you use the correct one for the correct side. The bracket has clearance for it, but only on one side for the inside pad.

If only my 3500 brakes were as easy as the Suburban!

crusin57 · August 2010

Just got my 06, 4 weeks ago. it had new front rotors and pads done for certification. I have put 1500 miles on it and for the past 2 days my front brakes make a grinding noise like the pad warners - like i need new pads.

My ? is i have heard many people talk about ceramic brake pads. I want to know if ceramic pads give much brakeing improvement and do they have a better lasting performance over regular pads.

obyone · August 2010

The ceramic pads are harder than stock. So they will last longer, not make as much dust, and show a slight increase in braking distances

el_tuercas1 · August 2010

I got a 93 Chevy Silverado 1500 Awd.My brake aint working like they suppose to when i slam on my brakes truck wont stop and pedal gets hard and stays like that.Dealer ship put on brake booster,master cylinder,new abs pump,new brakes,rotors,calipers and deperusreizer valve.Vaccum pressure is okay it is at 22 psi,brake vaccum assist its okay also . Truck still not properly braking right.If i try to stop truck in an emergency truck will not stop even if i press pedal all the way down to the floor. Need help please!!

char11 · August 2010

hello l have replaced the front calipers and now am having a problem bleeding the brakes . does anyone know how to bleed the front brakes on this truck thanks

ttaupier1 · August 2010

Hi char11,

The best way I have found to do this is by having a few simple items..
> 12-15" of clear fuel line (I bought mine @ HomeDepot, lookes like fuel line)
> a small tray - (i use glass ware)
> a measuring cup (to pour out the bled liquid out)
> a small box 12x12x8 or my mechanics stool...
> two bottles (1qt) of new DOT rated (3-4) not sure for your truck
> Jack and take the tire off, might use a jack stand to stabilize the truck.. I do
> loosen the bleeder screw, and attach the hose, fill the measuring cup with 1/4 new brake fluid, and stick the measuring cup on the box or mechanics stool, and place the hose from the bleeder screw into the measuring cup so the end is submerged in the fluid in the measuring cup. (ensure this set up is stable ..) see my photo page of the set up.

> http://www.carspace.com/ttaupier1/Albums/2003-5_3truck/PC233015.JPG/page/photo.h- - - - - - tml#pic

>> here is a link to a new scan i did from the caliper company...

http://www.carspace.com/ttaupier1/Albums/2003-5_3truck/bleeding%20brakes%20steps- .jpg/page/photo.html#pic

(be sure to down load the original and print if need be.. hope this, helps & works!)

> start the vehicle and slowly pump the brakes long slow strokes, fill resi. with new fluid as needed, do about 5-7 pumps, tighten the bleeder and pump again.. see is that bleeds the air from the line.. repeat until breaks are hard... repeat 3-5 times... slow is the key.. pumping the brakes, take your time.

> to add an additional "more solid" feel replace the hoses with braided hoses.. this will also give you a more solid feel... and improve braking under harsh conditions..

BCouch · August 2010

In stopping my 1995 GMC Sierra, brake pedal slowly goes to floor. Have replaced wheel cylinders and master cylinder. Still have same problem. I don't detect any leaks. What is your suggestion to correct this problem? :sick:

help2004 · August 2010

I have 2004 Sierra crewcab 2wd. Purchase it new. Came with a 6" Procomp lift and 35" tires. About 3-4 months i started hearing a rattle sound. I took it back two different times to the dealer. They couldn't find. Then they started squeaking. that went on for months! So i finally got tired of this and had them replace. At that time, my truck only had about 35-40,000 miles on it. Again after a few months, the rattle came back. I know it has something to do with the calipers because when i put the breaks on, the rattle stop. Does ANYBODY have a fix for this? Please let me know.

bdh2 · August 2010

Hey, Try giving the folks over at wilwood a call or email. It's wilwood.com, they have a link to ask a question. They have some awesome brake components or might be able to tell you what you can do to remedy your situation.

deputystoneman · September 2010

my 2006 gmc brakes pulse just before stopping. i found a tsb about cleaning the abs sensors.

the abs warning light is not lit.

did that but no luck.
the truck only has 18,000 miles.

any ideas?

obyone · September 2010

If cleaning the sensors didn't work there's a good chance that your rotors are warped.

z71bass · September 2010

A year or so ago, I posted my story, which is quite lengthy. I'll try to keep it short.
Had the same issue, Dealer changed out wheel speed sensors, still had problem. Dealer changed out Master Cylinder, still had problem. Shortly thereafter left front started growling, wheel bearing was shot all this time (to some degree), but wasn't making any noise so it went undetected (until the growl). I changed the wheel bearing assembly, and the brake problem went away. The bearings being shot allows enough slop where the wheel speed sensors aren't making properly, they are simply a proximity switch.
Dealer refunded all my money for their parts and labor.
Check your wheel bearings.

terrybill · September 2010

Discovered a ruptured brakeline last week in my 2004 Silverado, which I purchased new. Totally caught me by surprise, since the truck only has 48,800 miles on it. Had it towed to the dealer, who said all the brake lines needed to be replaced due to rust, at a cost of $1300 plus tax. Called GM to complain. They contacted the dealer, who told them it was a northern car (Cincinnati), and such rust was to be expected. I wonder how many GM owners north of the Mason-Dixon line know they are driving death traps?

obyone · September 2010

$1300 to replace brake lines? Are the new lines made of 18K gold? You can order stainless steel braided lines which will outlast the truck for less than $100 online. That would leave $1200 for labor which should be around 1.5 hours. You need to find another dealer.

barnowl3 · September 2010

I believe he is referring to all the hard lines not just the flexible ones. A set of SS will run more like $250- 300 and take more than 1.5 hrs. Had to replace my front ones also at about 45,000 miles. GMs answer is lame and if you build a truck for the NE, well it ought to be designed for the conditions. There is an NHTSA inquiry into this problem, so you may want to report it to them, maybe GM will be forced to fix their problem.

ttaupier1 · September 2010

Hi TerryBill,
Yes this is a long time issue, for more than 9 years.. Most GM truck and some cars are all failing with corrosion .. and with the blog i just read GM is laughing in our faces..

Here is the blog that will shed additional light on the subject...

http://trucks.about.com/b/2010/04/08/brake-line-corrosion-suspected-in- -gm-trucks.htm

Like with food we vote every-time we spend money. My Truck is 8 yrs old and the brake lines, fuel lines, transmittion lines all need to be replaced (all are rusting, and I carry my children quite often in the vehicle).

I am buying a FORD, next year and looking for the right model now. I spent $45K on a SLE 1500 ZR1 - GMC truck in 2003, and everything is rusted... Its garaged and babied...I even put SSBC calipers and rotors on it so i could step on the brakes and stop...not sure why GM/GMC thinks this design approach is acceptable, Market share is suffering

maybe they could send their engineers to some workshops in GERMANY for the next 4 years and then bring them back to lead and run the company .. If its still around.. oh ya.. the government said they are too big to fail, so we as working tax payers get to pay them to build junk cars.. (sorry for the vent)

now i have to replace all the hard lines.... and you would be wise to see the other lines replaced as well... before something happens.

GM neeeeeeds to get it head out of its you know what...

As far as the total number of death traps.. 6-7 million are on the road...but word is that even trucks in Arizona are failing... so it could be their entire product line for the past 10years... can you say 50 million trucks... and OH yea.. GM can not even replace them with SS lines.. only the same old rust magnets they originally installed... Hmmmmmm ? FORD please..!!!

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/f150/

:sick:

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