Complaint 1012077

Complaint Summary

SERVICE BRAKES

Owner Narrative

ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 AM, I WAS APPROACHING AN INNER-NEIGHBORHOOD INTERSECTION AT LOW SPEED (APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH) AND BEGAN TO APPLY MY BRAKES TO BRING MY VEHICLE TO A REQUIRED STOP. UPON APPLYING MY BRAKES, THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED COMPLETELY WHEREBY THE BRAKE PEDAL LOST ALL PRESSURE AND DEPRESSED COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS TRAVELING UP AN INCLINE AT THAT POINT AND WAS APPROACHING A (FOUR-WAY) STOP SIGN, MY TRUCK CAME TO AN EVENTUAL STOP A FOOT OR TWO INTO THE INTERSECTION. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY ANYONE AS THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS PRESENT. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE POST-INCIDENT CONFIRMED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINE HAD BURST LEADING TO COMPLETE LOSS OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID AND IMMEDIATE LOSS OF BRAKE FUNCTION. BRAKE FLUID WAS SPILLED ON VARIOUS REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE AXEL AND ON THE PAVEMENT. AN SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE PERFORATED REAR DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LINE SHOWED THE BRAKE LINE TO BE SEVERELY CORRODED WITH EVIDENCE OF EXTREME CLUMPED AND LOOSE, FLAKING RUST LAYERS. THE PERFORATION WAS EVIDENT JUST ABOVE THE LEFT REAR AXEL. AN INSPECTION OF THE OTHER BRAKE LINES ON THE VEHICLE SHOWED VARIOUS DEGREES OF SIMILAR CORROSION. AFTER A FULL INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM, A CONCLUSION WAS MADE THAT ALL OF THE 1/4" BRAKE LINES ON THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE AND SEVERE ROT PRESENT. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT TO NOT DO SO WOULD SUBJECT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS AND/OR PEDESTRIANS TO POTENTIALLY FATAL CONSEQUENCES SHOULD ANOTHER ROT INDUCED BRAKE LINE PERFORATION OCCUR. *JS

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.