16 problems related to brake fluid leak have been reported for the 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
When braking the pedal was sinking all the way to the floor. I pumped brakes and was able to stop. Had a leak of brake fluid so filled brake fluid and attempted to drive home/closer to my mechanic. I was at a complete stop at a traffic light when my brake pedal sunk to the floor and my vehicle started to roll forward towards cross traffic. I pumped brake pedal but no effect. I shifted into neutral and was able to stop long enough to put vehicle in park. Called a tow to mechanic. Was told my brake line had rusted out. He fixed 2 lines. With in a week (5/8/15) I had another leak of brake fluid. Another tow to mechanic. He fixed another brake line. On 5/24/15 another brake line broke. Another tow. Mechanic is replacing the remaining 5 lines. All in all cost is over $1000 to fix.
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500. While driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle failed to stop when the brake pedal was depressed to the floor. The contact pumped the brake pedal and the vehicle came to a stop. The contact exited the vehicle and discovered brake fluid leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the brake lines were rusted and fractured. As a result, the brake lines needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.
I was travelling west on wendover avenue in greensboro, north carolina approximately 8:20 am on Thursday October 2, 2014. While travelling a traffic signal was turning red and I began slowing. As I was attempting to slow down the brake pedal continued to travel to the floor and the brake light warning and service brake system light came on. I was quickly closing in on the vehicle in front of me and reduced my speed by standing on the braked and using engine speed shifting from drive to 3rd to 2nd and then to first gear. I was able to stop within a foot of the car in front of me. After this I pulled over to inspect my vehicle. I located a blown brake line that was severely corroded on the drivers side along the frame of the vehicle. Brake fluid was leaking out. In addition, the other brake lines appear to be extremely corroded as well. This is a major concern considering brakes are such a critical component to safe driving. It appears the brake lines are not made for a suitable quality for such a critical system. The exhaust pipe, which is under the vehicle as well, is not corroded and is made out of suitable quality material. If there are other vehicles out there on the road with similar materials the results may be injurious or deadly. Please help to address and rectify this situation with Chevrolet.
I use my Avalanche only in the summer to tow a small trailer in my community. I used it in the winters from 2004-2008. I was backing the truck up and applied my brakes and smelled smoke and my brake light went on. I looked under the truck and it was leaking brake fluid. I got down under the truck to get a better look and noticed the brake line was completely rusted through causing all the fluid to leak out. My wife drove the truck to the grocery store that morning and I am so thankful this happened in my driveway because the brakes were fine one minute and it only took a second for the fluid to come out. In seconds I did not have any brakes. This is the first truck I have owned and I am shocked that something like this could happen. Brake lines should be much stronger than what I have on the truck. This is not something that you check on a regular basis. I don't use this truck for off road, plowing, driving in the snow. This is supposed to be a strong vehicle that cost me $44,000 in 2004. I would have been killed if this happened while I was on the road.
After applying pressure to brake pedal, the vehicle failed to stop and the brake pedal was to the floor. Once the truck coasted to a stop, we pulled to the side of the road and found brake fluid leaking underneath the truck. We had the truck towed to our local dealership. The dealership replaced all metal brake lines that left us with a bill of over $2,000 for parts and labor. The entire truck is in beautiful condition and rust free except for the faulty brake lines! gm should recall this issue.
While pulling out of driveway, pressure was applied to the brakes to stop at the end of the driveway. The brake pedal immediately went straight to the floor with the alarm then coming on in the vehicle to service brakes. There was no resistance or stopping power to the brakes. Using the emergency brake the vehicle was stopped before it went across the street into the ditch. The vehicle was backed up into the driveway and a puddle of brake fluid was found under the drivers side door area of the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was noted that the metal high pressure brake lines had rusted and ruptured leaking brake fluid causing the failure.
On the above listed date at approximately 0730 hours, I was running errands after getting off work and before returning home. I started to drive down a sloped road approaching a traffic light at a four way intersection. The traffic light turned red as I was approaching it and I applied the brakes while traveling at 30 mph. Upon application of the brakes, the pedal went straight to the floor with zero functioning of the brake system. The brake light then illuminated and a notification came across to "service brake system". I down shifted down from "d" to "3-2-1", all the while pumping the brakes. It wasnt until I reached around 5 mph that it seemed that the brakes had any affect, and I came to a stop in the middle of the intersection. Since I was roughly a mile from my house at this point I limped my truck home, mostly using gearing "2" and "1". I parked the truck, entered my house and informed my wife as to what happened. Then I returned to the truck to find a puddle of fluid under and around the drivers door. I checked the master cylinder reservoir and it was completely drained at this point. There is no doubt if someone would have been in front of me or coming through the intersection at the time this incident occurred I would have been involved in an accident. At no time prior to this have I had any indication of the brakes going bad, brake warning light or abs, soft brake pedal or fluid loss. It seems as if this happened all at once. The vehicle was then towed to a mechanics garage later on that day to be repaired.
I was approaching an intersection where the light was changing and when I applied the brakes, the pedal went to the floor and I couldn't slow down. I ended up going through the red light with my son in the car; luckily we didn't get struck. I had to utilize the emergency brake to stop on the shoulder of the road. I looked under the truck and saw brake fluid pouring out of a rusted brake line under the driver's side. I had to have the truck towed to a dealership. I had a full inspection on 12/23/13 at hudson Buick pontiac GMC in poughkeepsie, NY and asked them to specifically check the brakes, which they said were fine; I guess they don't check the lines during an inspection. I have read that this has occurred on several gm vehicles. Does someone have to die before there is some sort of action taken to correct this problem?.
Was hooking up my trailer to tow. Had my daughter step on the brakes to check the lights. The pedal went to the floor and alarm went off. Found brake fluid squirting onto the ground. Had to have all the brake lines replaced due to rust behind the drivers front wheel. Found out this is a common problem with this type and all the chevy trucks. All in the same area.
Traveling appx 35mph applied brakes to make left turn, peddle went to the floor. No trafic in front of me or we would have hit them. Brake fluid pouring from under truck, under driver side door area. Brake line ruptued due to rust. Local machinic replaced ruptured line. I inspected all line few months later and found they were also in bad shape due to rust. Took to local gm dealer $550 to replace all brake line. Gm sould have picked up cost for not using non-corrosive brake line. Very luck me and my kid did't get hurt.
My son was going to the store and when he applied the brake the pedal went to the floor and he had no brakes. After he parked the truck he noticed a puddle of fluid under the drivers side in front of the rear wheel. When I returned home I filled the brake reservoir I had my wife push the brake peddle and I found the leak in the rusty brake line.
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated that while in his driveway, he attempted to engage the brakes but the pedal sunk into the floor. The contact mentioned that once he inspected the vehicle he noticed brake fluid leaking on the rear differential. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 46,000.
My wife was driving our 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche with our 3-year-old son in the back seat. When she tried to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal went to the floor, and it took a great distance to stop the vehicle. She was close to home, so she returned and parked in our driveway. When I got home from work, I filled the reservoir with brake fluid, which was instantly drained. I looked under the door on the driver's side to find the brake fluid pouring out on to my driveway. I had the vehicle towed to a local repair shop. Estimated cost is $1600 to replace the brake lines and the cylinders that have become fused to the lines by the massive amount of rust. I do not live in an area of the country where roads treated for snow is a concern.
Tl - the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to brake from 5 mph, the brake pedal abnormally traveled to the floorboard. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the brake line was rusted, causing all of the brake fluid to leak out from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic for further inspection and repairs. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 80,200. Kmj.
Rear hydraulic brake lines rotted and leaked fluid causing loss of braking. Last year I had to have the rear brake calipers replaced due to excessive rust and rot. The mechanic performing current repairs stats that the front hydraulic lines are rusting and will have to be replaced soon. The front calipers have rotted out bleeder valves. The front calipers will have to be replaced as a result when the front hydraulic lines are replaced. Check engine light was diagnosed to an evaporative emissions system leak. The leak was traced to a damaged plastic fitting connected to the fuel pump at the top of the fuel tank. The fuel pump metal was rotted causing the joint to expand damaging the fitting and causing the leak. I do not trailer a boat and the truck has never been immersed in salt water. I have been driving for over 40 years and have never had this amount of undercarriage rust and metal damage on any vehicle I have owned with many more miles and years of service.
Letter from congressman carney on behalf of constituent re his concerns about rusted brake lines in gm vehicles. The consumer experienced sudden and unexpected brake failure due to a metal brake line that had ruptured and was rusted. The brake pedal went all the way to the floor. Fortunately, the consumer was able to bring the vehicle to a slow and safe stop. An inspection revealed all the brake lines under the drivers side door were severely rusted and were leaking braking fluid. The dealership replaced the brake lines to the front brakes, the master cylinder, abs control module as well as the rear backing plates and right rear caliper that were severely rusted.