Re: Brake recall on GM products...beware

[Skywagon]

I have a 2017 Chevy Tahoe with about 15k/miles.  I got a brake recall from GM and the gubmint.  It was cited as a programming issue that could cause the brake pedal to fade.  I took it in, they did the software upgrade and off I went on a long trip.  About 100 miles down the road I encountered some stop and go traffic.  Imagine my surprise when I hit the brakes and zippo, nada, as in no brakes at all.  I hit the emergency brake and came to a halt without clobbering anyone.  GM is towing the truck in to fix it.  I'll let you know what I hear...

 

In the meantime if you have done the recall be very careful.  At first it sounded like the ABS was kicking in but quickly went to zero braking.  I was only going about 15 mph and it wasn't rapid braking.  They worked fine until....they didn't

[Rinkydink]

Wow, I count brakes as the most important vehicle component a mechanic ever touches. Making sure they’re right would seem pretty high on the final check before passing the vehicle back to the customer. Of course this software update crap can cause things like this. Good luck. I hope it gets sorted out. 

[Bill_Walker]

This points out one downside (besides the inability to do handbrake turns!) of the electrically-actuated parking brakes on many new vehicles:  I suspect they're pretty useless as a backup in case of primary brake failure.  Hell, they may not even use a separate mechanical actuation.  And you certainly can't modulate them to control your rate of braking.  

 

Years ago, I had a brake failure on my '99 F250 due to hitting some road debris just as I was going over the summit of I-5's "grapevine" north of LA.  I was able to use the e-brake (and the transmission) to very carefully drive the truck to a shop in Frazier Park and get some stuff to patch it up.  The ultimate fix involved a service bulletin from Ford and a kit that relocated the brake line behind the rear axle, where it was much safer from debris.

[Rougarou]

Gotta love a good ole fashion hand brake.

 

Had a '73 Beetle at one point.  Stationed at Camp LeJeune, I had to deliver some items to our scout swimmers at Onslow Beach, my buddy riding with me, wanted to stop for a hair cut, so we did and as we're pulling in the lot, I feel the distinct pressure loss of all my fluid migrating from their rusty tubes to the asphalt.  I immediately utilize the handbrake.  My buddy, not mechanically inclined at all, ask how are we going to get to Onslow Beach and back, I said the hand brake works fine.  I'll push the brake pedal for brake lights, and use the hand brake to stop us.  Worked perfectly fine for that trip and the rest of the day through Jacksonville traffic to get me home.  Once home, I determined which brake line ruptured and replaced it.

 

Methinks you can't do that anymore with the way the "on-off" "parking" brakes are set up.  " I love advancements in technology because we always lose a great capability"

 

So far, haven't received the notice for the wifes 2018 Sierra yet and it was just in for it's last "free" oil change on Friday.  I specifically asked if there were any recalls as I'd read an article that stated 600k trucks were being recalled due to brakes, but the tech said none on her truck......hmmmmm