Brakes Failed problems of the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while approaching a stop light, the the brake pedal was depressed but failed to operate causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of the another vehicle. The air bags failed to deployed. The police report was filed. The passenger from the other vehicle sustained unknown injuries which required medical attention. The independent mechanic diagnosed that the ignition switch caused the brakes to fail. The vehicle was repaired. However, the failure recurred and the contact mentioned that the key would fail to release from the ignition. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). However, the part to do the repairs was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. Ne.

Every 15,ooo miles brakes failed, and needed to be replaced. Also, dealer stated wheel bearing malfunctioned.

Odor associated with brake failure. @-day rest and brakes appeared to be okay. Am afraid to drive because this could happen again. I was on highway when I sensed faulty braking power. Off highway on hilly road brakes went aout completely and there was an odor like burning plastic. I had car towed to broome Chevrolet-Oldsmobile on Saturday. It stayed there until Monday when service shop opened. It was there for two days. The only thing I can get from the service manager is that they road tested it 3 times and they could not duplicate the problem. I tried to find out exactly what they had done to determine the possible cause. He did not know what his mechanics did except rod tested it and looked through the wheel. He could not define what looking through the wheel meant. I asked if they took a logical approach to solving the problem. He could not answer this. I gave some examples, such as, the brakes were engaged for some reason. They got hot and chemicals in the materials vaporized and thius the odor. Now what caused the brakes to lock. Then he said that he knew that the brake peddle would floorboard if the brakes got hot. He also said that hard braking would cause that and slow driving and braking would do that inferring that I did tht. I told him that I did not hard brake and I did not ride the brakes. I also said that if slow driving and braking would cause the problem I had then most everybody driving in the citu would experience what I did. I called general motors customer assistance office and got no help. I aske for sources (telephone numbers) where I could find out about similar problems and where I could talk with knowledgeable people on the subject. All I got was that theyb could not replace every part; she had not numbers; that the CA wass road tested by threer people at broome (she had called and talked with the service manager. I had given her the number. ). My wife will not drive the car, because the problem could happen again.