Five problems related to brake fluid leak have been reported for the 2002 GMC Sierra. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
On the morning of Friday August 21, 2015, my wife went to move my 2002 GMC Sierra. She pulled out of our driveway and proceeded up-hill about 300-400 feet, and then turned around in a neighbor's driveway, when coming back down the hill she tried to brake to stop in front of our house, but the brakes totally failed without any warning. She then went up a slight hill on the other side of our house, but still couldn't stop, and didn't think to put the truck in park as she slowed. She rolled backwards down the hill and was able to steer into a neighbor's yard where the truck came to rest on a berm. At the time she said there were cars parked on both sides of the street and had a car been coming the opposite direction she would have crashed into it. Had there been pedestrians they could have been hit as well. When I came home that afternoon, I added brake fluid to the reservoir, and then pushed on the brake pedal. I saw a huge stream of fluid pour from below the driver's side door. I looked under the truck and found the brake lines surprisingly corroded. If sudden, immediate loss of brakes without any warning is not cause for a recall I do not know what is.
Started vehicle and began driving on street. Brake pedal went to the floor and brakes were not normal. Stopped vehicle and saw large puddle of brake fluid under vehicle. Had vehicle towed to repair shop and was told brake line rusted and all brake lines were corroded and that gm has had problems with this in many vehicles. Fortunate that failure had not occurred at highway speeds. Repair estimate was $3200 for replacement of brake lines and associated parts.
The rear brake line failed when trying to stop for a red light. The brake pedal went to the floor and I was not able to stop the truck before entering the intersection. Fortunately, there was no traffic crossing the intersection at the time. I got the truck home, and a puddle of brake fluid formed in the rear of the truck. Upon inspection, all of the brake lines are badly corroded.
The contact owns a 2002 GMC Sierra. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, he applied the brakes and the pedal depressed to the floor. The contact maneuvered to the shoulder and then applied the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. Upon exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed that brake fluid was leaking from the brake lines. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop and the contact was informed that the brake lines were fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000.
I stepped on the brake pedal to shift the truck from out of park and the pedal went to the floor. I got out of the truck and found a puddle of fluid in the area in front of the drivers side rear tire. It appeared as though the brake line going to the back brakes ruptured in the area behind the gas tank.