What is This sound from my engine?

[jfoj]

Wow, those aren't brake lines, they are rust lines. I would've changed them yesterday.

He has not even found the bad part yet!

This is a STANDARD option on all if these trucks, if you actually make it to year 10 without a problem you are LUCKY. If you are PAST year 10, you are a GAMBLER!!!

 

[Michigan]

So today I called Napa complete auto care in Michigan. They are a well known and reputable shop. A chain store as a matter of fact. So I asked the owner who has been there forever the question about the brake lines.

I told him that I've been on the forums and reading about the common issue with the rusty brake lines and his answer was common? Yeah no shit we get one in here a week for brake line replacement.

So I say yeah mine look really rusty but they don't leak, he says so why change them? I said I don't wanna risk having a line blow out on me. He says it's not impossible for that to happen but most likely not and will only in rare cases. He says that they can go for at least a few more years even if their rusted bad. He said that the abs light or some brake light will appear on the dash and basically warn me of leakage or what not. I understand no light will warn of a blowout but like he said very rare.

I also asked him the price. He said roughly 1100 to replace all lines.

This guy is no newbie so take it as you like but his opinion also means something to me at least. Also why would a chain store turn down business? Even though I guess that's just unusual altogether. Lol

 

[jfoj]

The NAPA guy is not driving the truck, easy for him to say.

But take his word and choose to do nothing. Good luck when you have your family in the vehicle and you need to stop in a hurry. It is possible for BOTH lines to burst at the same time and they do. You should ask him about the rear brake backing plates as well. So when you blow both lines and if you are lucky enough to have the time and forethought to try and use the "Emergency" brake, and the backing plates collapse, then where does it leave you?


Kind of funny how you just are a going to be "cheap" with a KNOWN safety problem and will take a wait and see attitude with all of this. You may be lucky and have a light come on but maybe you won't. You going to drive the truck to the shop when the brake line(s) fail or are you also going to pay for the tow as well? Oh, you have AAA or your insurance may cover the tow so who cares? You prepared to be inconvenienced? Oh, your retired so you have all the time in the world? I am sure there is every excuse in the book.

Bet you would not have bought the truck if you knew all of this or if you were aware of these issues you might have planned that this is just the cost of doing business and factored this all into the buying decision for for the truck.

You know you could have gone out and paid over $50k for a new truck and you would not have these problems, but you would have spent over $50k!

I just do not get being cheap when it comes to safety, but this is YOUR choice. But you may also be compromising someone else's safety on the road as well.

Answer this question, would you allow your wife, mother or daughter to drive this truck knowing the failure potential?

Good luck to you and anyone on the road around you.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I had a rear brake line blow on my 01 Express work van. I'm in NJ, van originally was from NY state, then went to Mass, which all 3 are snow and salt haven states! I was coming to a stop for a red light and as I applied light pressure to my brake pedal, it immediately went all the way to the floor! I had no warning at all! No abs light, no brake lights prior to the failure. Luckily I was able to stop. Just because this owner owns a shop doesn't mean he knows every failure scenario out there. If you have the money to fix the lines now, DO IT! You or someone else may regret it one day if you don't. God forbid if you kill someone and you could've avoided it. Good luck to you.

 

[jfoj]

Tonyrodz

Thanks for your comments, I think your case is not atypical. I know a few people this happened to as well and they all seemed to be caught totally off guard and were just plain lucky that nothing catastrophic occurred.

Its not like this is current news, but some people either have not heard about the problem or choose to be ignorant of the hazard and do nothing proactively.

 

[Michigan]

I'm not arguing with anybody about the severity of this issue but I found it interesting about what he had to say. He also recommended undercoating the line. I do admit that I will be looking into changing them but he was basically saying if it ain't broke don't fix it and I said well what about for preventative maintenance and that's when he recommended the undercoating.

What are these oem lines made of that are on the truck now?

Also I did read a statement somewhere from GM stating that if a line does burst the truck can still safely come to a stop.

From my understanding there are separate brake lines for each wheel?

Front driver brake line
front passenger brake line
rear driver brake line
rear passenger brake line

If that's the case, what are the chances of them all blowing out?

Or maybe I'm misunderstanding and there is a front brake line for both and a rear brake line for both wheels and if that's the case gm is saying that if one brake line blows out them the opposite line should be sufficient to come to a safe stop?

 

[ISU-152]

From my understanding there are separate brake lines for each wheel?

Uber works

 

[Michigan]

Uber works

Haha that's great to know.

You can also lose your life to an uber driver with rusty brake lines on the verge of exploding.

 

[jfoj]

I'm not arguing with anybody about the severity of this issue but I found it interesting about what he had to say.

Also I did read a statement somewhere from GM stating that if a line does burst the truck can still safely come to a stop.

From my understanding there are separate brake lines for each wheel?

Front driver brake line
front passenger brake line
rear driver brake line
rear passenger brake line

If that's the case, what are the chances of them all blowing out?

I think you are mis-understanding.

I do not think your vehicle has the Active Braking option that has 2 rear brake supply lines. This was a option on many trucks, but may have been standard on the Denali's. Looking at your picture, it appears you have a 5 port ABS valve, not a 6 port ABS valve which is for the Active Braking with the 2 individual supply lines leading from the ABS controller to each individual rear brake.

Interesting that GM claims this if A line burst, the truck can still safely come to a stop. This is ONLY if A line burst, but the rust is pretty much the same on ALL hard brake lines. This is very different than it A rubber brake line failure. GM is just like a cat burying a turd in the cat box, cover up the evidence and try to make it appear something does not stink. How can someone at GM know the condition of your truck 13 years in the Rust Belt?

Yes, one like can blow, but in an emergency stop situation with the compromised lines like you and every one of these trucks has, more than one line can blow and stopping distance will be greatly compromised.

 

[Michigan]

Had a shop diagnose my truck and there is no air coming through the exhaust manifold and they diagnosed the sound as lifter tick or tap

My truck sounds exactly the same as this one

So I had a quart of oil drained today and added a quart of marvel mystery oil. I drove 30 miles on it.

Will report back tomorrow if it changes anything.