A CAR TRAVELING DIRECTLY IN FRONT STOPPED SUDDENLY WHEN A TRAFFIC CHANGED TO YELLOW, TRAVELING WEST ON LEESBURG PIKE (VA-286) NEAR STERLING VA. TOWING A TRAILER, I HAD TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID REAR ENDING. THE BRAKES INITIALLY WORKED NORMALLY, AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP SAFELY. THEN THE PEDAL SUNK TO THE FIREWALL AND WARNING LIGHTS & MESSAGES APPEARED. I SOUNDED THE HORN AND THE CAR IN FRONT MOVED TO GIVE ME SPACE TO COMPLETE THE STOP UNDER MANUAL BRAKING, WHICH IS PRONE TO SKIDDING WITHOUT MODULATION OR TRACTION CONTROL. ONCE GETTING THE TRUCK TO A SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE HAD BURST, AND THAT ALL THE LINES SUFFERED HEAVY CORROSION. I'VE READ THERE HAS BEEN INVESTIGATION OF BRAKE LINE CORROSION ON GM TRUCKS, IT SEEMS MINE IS AFFECTED. *TR
2009
COMMUNICATIONS:BACK UP ALARM
ON GENERAL MOTORS CARS THAT LIGHT THE BACKUP LIGHTS WHILE PARKED AND REMOTE LOCK AND UNLOCK ARE ACTIVATED. PEDESTRIANS AND DRIVERS STOP AS IF THE VEHICLE MAY BACK UP WHICH SHOULD BE A PROPER REACTION. I HAVE EVEN TAUGHT MY CHILDREN THIS, PEOPLE NOW HAVE A TENDENCY TO IGNORE THE BACKUP LAMPS ON VEHICLES IN PARKING LOTS AS WELL AS CREATING INCONVENIENT SITUATIONS AS CARS AND PEDESTRIANS STOP FOR UNOCCUPIED VEHICLES. I HAVE FOUND MYSELF DRIVING PAST THESE VEHICLES WHEN THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO BACKUP CREATING A CLOSE CALL. I KNOW THIS SEEMS TRIVIAL BUT I SEE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND IT SEEMS TO ME A SIMPLE COMPUTER REFLASH COULD SOLVE THIS DISTURBING TREND. IN THE VEHICLE DESCRIPTION I CHOSE CADILLAC ESCALADE THOUGH IT SEEMS TO BE MOST GM PRODUCTS. *TR