Complaint 922306

Complaint Summary

SERVICE BRAKES

Owner Narrative

WHILE PULLING A SMALL ENCLOSED TRAILER AND GOING DOWN A HILL I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR BRAKES. I ENDED UP GOING THROUGH A REDLIGHT AND MISSED ANY VEHICLES IN THE INTERSECTION, STARTED TO DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW MY SPEED. CROSSED OVER AN INTERSECTION FOR A BIKE TRAIL WITH NOONE IN THE WAY. THEN HAD TO MAKE A HARD RIGHT TURN TO GO UNDER A TRAIN TRESSEL NARROWLY MISSING AN ON COMING CAR. WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE VEHICLE STOPPED I HAD DROPPED VERTICALLY 80 + FEET IN THE MATTER OF LESS THAN A HALF MILE. ON THE GROUND WAS A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID FROMTHE CORRODED BRAKE LINES THAT HAD BURST RENDERING MY TRUCK IN TO AN UNSTOPPABLE DOWNHILL BOBSLED. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WE SUNNY AND 80 DEGREES. LUCKILY NOONE WAS IN MY WAY AND I WAS ABLE TO MISS ANY OBJECTS AND STEER THE TRUCK TO A SAFE SPOT. I AM ALSO THANKFUL THAT NEITHER OF MY KIDS WERE IN THE TRUCK WITH ME AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY IN TO WHAT A MANUFACTURE USES FOR VITAL SAFETY ITEMS IN A VEHICLE. BRAKES LINES SHOULD BE A PART THAT SHOULD OUTLAST THE USEFULNESS OF THE VEHICLE . NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE A POSSIBLE FAILURE POINT ANY GIVEN TIME. THIS IS A MATTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE OR GET INJURED DUE TO A COST SAVINGS OF USING REGULAR STEEL LINES ON THE ONE PART THAT MAKES YOU VEHICLE STOP? I HAVE HEARD OF PLENTY OF PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE VEHICLE TYPES WHO HAVE HAD THEIR BRAKE LINES FAIL. THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE THANK YOU FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU MAY TRY TO DO ON THIS ISSUE . *TR

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