GM CEO Mary Barra Ignores Brake Corrosion Safety Issue

NLPC ^ | June 11, 2014 | Mark Modica

[jazusamo]

Well, it looks like New GM is not much different than Old GM when it comes to addressing serious safety issues on its vehicles. The Associated Press reports that General Motors CEO, Mary Barra, claims that GM has not turned up any other major safety issues. I guess Ms. Barra feels that two tons of steel traveling at high speeds with brake lines that can burst at any moment is nothing to be concerned about. The continued denial by GM that there is no safety issue with their trucks that are prone to brake line corrosion proves that the company has a long way to go before they change a culture that puts profits ahead of motorists' safety.

Last month we sent a letter to GM and Ms. Barra requesting that GM trucks that are prone to brake line rust be recalled . The problems plague Chevy Silverados, GMC Sierras and a few other GM trucks / SUVs. There are thousands of complaints recorded on the internet, to GM dealers and on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) website. In fact, NHTSA has an ongoing investigation on model year 1999-2003 GM trucks which started in 2010. I recently exposed new evidence that later model GM trucks are also prone to brake line corrosion resulting in brake failure. NHTSA has yet to expand their investigation to newer model GM trucks, despite receiving numerous complaints on those vehicles.

Newer model year GM trucks up to 2007 have hundreds of complaints of failed braking due to brake lines bursting due to corrosion. We have also notified NHTSA of our concerns. In addition, I have emailed GM spokesman, Greg Martin, of the safety issue when I discovered the newer model GM trucks with the complaints. Mr. Martin has yet to reply to my emails.

American motorists should be very concerned that they and their families are sharing the roads with GM trucks that might lose their brakes at any time due to the corrosion problem. Mary Barra's recent denial of a problem echoes that of GM spokesman, Alan Adler, who says that brake lines rusting out in as soon as six years is a normal wear and tear issue. Mr. Adler is the spokesman who initially came out during GM's ignition switch fatal recall delay scandal and claimed that the victims were at fault for accidents involving defective GM vehicles.

As far as brake failure not being considered a serious problem by GM, a look at the complaints on NHTSA's website shows that motorists whose brakes fail as a result of rusted brake lines feel differently. Here's an excerpt from a complaint involving a crash of a 2004 Chevy Silverado (a model not even under investigation by NHTSA) which resulted in the injury of a pedestrian in December of 2012:

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BRAKING FOR A TRAFFIC STOP, THE BRAKES ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A PEDESTRIAN. THE PEDESTRIAN WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED.

I will continue to attempt to have GM address the brake line rust safety issue with its trucks. I have notified congressional representatives as well, with emails going to representatives of the house committee in charge of the GM recall investigation, my local representative Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) who is a GM dealership owner with extensive knowledge of the industry. Owners of GM trucks with corroded brake lines, as well as other concerned motorists, are encouraged to use social networking and correspondences to their local representatives in congress (good luck with that one) to help spread the message that GM is again failing in its responsibility to address safety issues with its vehicles.

Mark Modica is an NLPC Associate Fellow.

[4Liberty]

[headstamp 2]

Never could understand why the brake lines aren’t made out of stainless steel tubing. Tremendous hydraulic pressure builds up in these lines to operate the brake system. Doesn’t take much corrosion to compromise their integrity.

[sopwith]

Stainless steel tubing is a pain to work with. if you have your car checked over on a regular basis its easier and cheaper to go with coated steel line.

[jazusamo]

I agree...It would add cost to the trucks but if they wind up having to recall these to replace them it’ll cost them much more in the long run.

[freekitty]

Gee, I thought women were sooooo much better at leading than men.

[sopwith]

And its harder to get a good seal with stainless. I just had this problem doing a fuel line on a ford flat head v8. it was a pain.

[headstamp 2]

I have noticed on the foreign cars that their lines are some kind of ceramic coating like the new coated screws for PT lumber.

I’ve bought galvanized steel lines at the auto parts stores and they tend to corrode pretty badly within a year here in the snow belt.

I’ve double flared some SS lines without a heck of a lot of trouble over the years. It’s a softer alloy for bending. Hell, we used to use 1/8” copper lines on our dune buggies for brake lines and never had a problem.

[Cold Heart]

I change my brake fluid anually, spray the underside with anti-corrosion cleaners. I regularly crawl under my truck to change oil & inspect. I also live on the coast & haul max loads in the mountains.

Think I’ll go crawl under my truck right now.

Also, this is a truck that GM sold with failing Firestone tires.

[cyclotic]

It’s a 2004 car. What do you expect. About 6 years ago, my daughters 1999 Mercury Sable had the same failure. She was driving, lost brakes and put he car into a spin so she could hit the curb. She was only a block from home. I drove it real carefully to the mechanic. Brake lines rusted out.

I never called Ford, nor a lawyer. I got my checkbook and had the car repaired.

The cars in question are now ten years old. Maintenance is the responsibility of the owner, not the people who made it a decade ago.

[SgtHooper]

In her defense, at her level, she should not have to be concerned about brake lines. But she gets tagged for it.

[SgtHooper]

Now wait a minute...is the failure due to the INTERIOR of the line, or exterior?

[Neidermeyer]

we used to use 1/8” copper lines on our dune buggies for brake lines and never had a problem.
*****************************
VW based dune buggies have drum brakes ,, and very low brake operating pressures.. thin copper won’t work for discs.

I had a mid 90’s Chevy that the rear brake lines rusted completely through ,, not very fun at all ..

Factory brake lines are pre-bent ,, I like the idea of a soft stainless or continuing with mild steel but powder coat it... the plastic powder coat is flexible , permanent and won’t flake off if the line is re-bent.

[headstamp 2]

My guess would be the exterior. Interior should be moisture free.

You are dealing with high hydraulic pressure when the brakes are applied. Lose some thickness on the lines due to corrosion and they will burst easily.

[Mogger]

Maintenance is the responsibility of the owner, not the people who made it a decade ago.

Ditto.

I just got new copper-nickel brake line tubing to re-do the lines in our 1966 Mercedes Benz Unimog.

Popped a line a couple of years ago.

Mercedes, BMW, etc., from what I've been told, have gone to copper-nickel lines as they last a lot longer and are easier to work with.

These dopes with 10 year old vehicles need to get real and realize they have to maintain them.

Replace the brake lines and change the fluid often.

[Slump Tester]

Why would they want a broad for CEO? She should bring coffee to the board meetings and then leave.

[jazusamo]

Yikes! Hope you’re in your flame suit. :-)

[TwelveOfTwenty]

Maintenance is the responsibility of the owner, not the people who made it a decade ago.

I'm no fan of GM, but I agree with you on this.

[Neidermeyer]

I couldn't disagree more ,, metal brake lines should last the life of the car , they don't move and should be made of a safe material ,, the rubber ends that connect to the calipers are wear items and are the owners responsibility.

Maintenance is the responsibility of the owner ,, agreed ,, but what is a maintenance item? What if the cars frame rusted out ? Is that a maintenance item in your book? Rust prevention isn't rocket science and GM has been the rust king for decades...

[Neidermeyer]

Listen to yourself , your unimog had plain steel lines and they lasted almost half a century... and unimogs are filth encrusted off-road beasts and that dirt collects moisture and your lines still lasted 50 years.

We’re hearing reports of 6 year old cars/trucks with lines bursting from uncontrolled corrosion ... THAT’S A MANUFACTURING DEFECT pure and simple... Should it be caught in an inspection ,, YUP ... Should GM fix safety items like this for a reasonable amount of time for free ,, YUP.

The “copper/nickel” BMW brake lines you mentioned are stainless steel ,, those are the two ingredients you add to steel to make stainless.