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Important NHTSA warning issued to GM truck owners in salt states


Gorehamj

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You guys have to forgive me if I'm missing something.... But why aren't all life critical lines, brake in particular, stainless steel from the factory. I can't understand why any other material is used. ....

I guess they are too busy installing heated/cooled seats, navigation, and other electronic wiz-bang comfort dodads to keep the sheeple happy ...

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I bought my 04 Suburban in 2013, truck originally came from Pennsylvania, I live on Long Island N.Y.. Last August someone cut in front of me and I hit the brakes hard and they went straight to the floor, No accident happened, anyway I had my mechanic change out all the lines with new brake lines that are coated with black finish, changed out 1 rear caliper and 2 new brake hoses in the front for $ 850, I also wrote a letter to NHTSA to file a complaint, I also took back my old brake lines, I could not believe how swollen with rust they were, they looked bigger than the original lines. So that's my story.

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2003 Chevrolet Express bought from Chicago. Never again.

 

I had to replace my fuel lines on the fuel portion after the fuel filter was giving me problems. There are stainless lines from the engine and then partway along the line, the lines are just plain metal! What the heck? Guess I should check the brake lines as well.

 

My town, Minot ND, they have been using salt around the city, and it's such a mess! I've never seen salt used around here till the out of town people who don't know how to drive on snow moved in. I think when salt starts to make vehicles dangerous to drive because of fuel leaks that can start fires and explosions, and brake line failures that cause accidents, I think the dummies who can't drive on snow should learn, and we should stop salting everything. I grew up here, and this is the first time EVER that there has been salt used, beginning the the oil boom back in 2009. We got around just fine for the past decades and now the panzies have us salting. :nonod:

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Count me in...blew a line on my 03 Silverado during a stop. Thank God i was under 25 mph and no one was in front of me as i was making a right turn.

Replaced all of my lines with SS. Now battling another GM Blunder...Weeping Transmission Cooling Lines on my Dads 2010 Silverado 4x4. I should take a look at my Trans Lines...probably leaking as well !

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Yeah, that's one inexpensive way to hinder rust...coat it with oil! Friend of mine down the road said to pour oil into the areas where moisture would collect and that would work. Sounds plausible. But, on brake lines and fuel lines...hmm.


Yeah, that's one inexpensive way to hinder rust...coat it with oil! Friend of mine down the road said to pour oil into the areas where moisture would collect and that would work. Sounds plausible. But, on brake lines and fuel lines...hmm.

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Oil undercoating or Fluid Film.

 

Each state may vary as to use.

Fluid Film is a lanolin based product. No oil.

Many of the shops in my area are switching to Fluid Film - not because of any laws but for personal environment reasons. Some shops do not have a dedicated bay as the oil undercoating is messy and the Fluid Film is less so..

The shops I go to have a dedicated bay for the oil undercoating..

 

I have seen so many nice looking expensive trucks when I go to my local mechanic/shop. But once on lift - I view serious intense rust on some.

When I advise the owner of such vehicles about oil undercoating or Fluid Film - they seem to get defensive. My guess is that they don't want to admit that they are stupid to let their vehicle rust so much underneath.

 

Some state that it is against the law - oil undercoating. It is not in my state. But they believe it is. No way to convince those uninformed if they have preconceived notions.

 

I have had both Fluid Film and oil undercoating. Both do work. The oil is a tad more messy - if you have a nice driveway or concrete garage floor. Oil will drip longer - a couple of weeks where the Fluid Film drips much shorter time if any.

 

I have both my vehicle done each year by a dedicated professional shop.

I have seen some individuals who have a compressor and some sort of spay attachment and attempt to do themselves. And never do as good a job as the professionals.

 

My personal car is 18 years old. I live in the serious salt/rust area.

My 18 year old car has zero rust and I have never replaced a brake line nor the emergency brake cable. This is my daily driver and is parked outside.

 

I personally prefer the oil undercoating. But Fluid Film is just fine.

 

So it still amazes me that folks will spend $30,000 - $40,000 on a nice new pickup truck and just let the underneath turn to rust.

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"New cars don't rust anymore." The new car salesman stated.

 

I have heard this multiple times lately.

 

Why would the salesman lie?

 

I have been oil undercoating my vehicles for over 20 years now.

I had a neighbor who always bought new Chevy or GMC - the price leader 4X4 that you see in the Sunday newspapers. Sometimes from a different state - to save. You've seen the ones - advertised usually by the large volume dealers. Usually the bait and switch vehicle that dealers advertise. But he always got that one. And never switched.

 

He would scoff at me about oil undercoating. "Waist of money." He would state.

And as the years go by - I still had the same truck with zero rust - and his trucks would begin to rust beginning underneath - the brake lines and such. He would buy a new truck about every 5 - 7 years. His wife's car would rust ever worse.

 

2104. He gets a new truck. The first thing he did within 2 weeks of getting truck. He paid to have it professionally applied Fluid Film. He was tired of his trucks rusting and depreciating more with the serious visible rust. And he would view my same truck with zero rust - and it finally clicked with him that maybe doing the oil undercoating or Fluid Film might be a good idea.

 

Some state that this might void the warranty. Well, my good neighbor happens to be a lawyer. Being a lawyer in itself is no big deal. But you know what, in the end, he will have a full manufacturers warranty.

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There won't be a recall as GM has been CYA for YEARS in regards to regularly rinsing vehicles to prevent corrosion.

 

 

No,but they do a have Black protective coating on them,and it seems to be holding up quite well,at least on all the ones I've seen in here at the dealership over the years.

 

Heck yea, nylon coated. GMT-900 were the first of the trucks to get them, and I think the 2004 Malibu and relatives had them when they launched as well. Plus the repair kits are coated as well.

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There won't be a recall as GM has been CYA for YEARS in regards to regularly rinsing vehicles to prevent corrosion.

 

 

Heck yea, nylon coated. GMT-900 were the first of the trucks to get them, and I think the 2004 Malibu and relatives had them when they launched as well. Plus the repair kits are coated as well.

 

Yes I was going to mention that as well,that the repair kits are coated,and we've been selling a lot of them here!

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Wonder why it took GM so long to catch up to the foreign auto makers - they had been nylon coating lines for over a decade prior ...

 

Used motor oil and a cheap paint sprayer - works mint. One of the only reasons our '89 S10 Blazer still has a frame - and a solid one at that.

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Wow, like Barry G stated... bizarre warning.

 

Living in Northern Ontario road salt is just a part of life that destroys our vehicles, not only GM trucks. Very few people have easy access to to the undersides of their vehicles to wash the brake lines. Some car washes have underbody sprays and this is the only regular maintenance way everyone could get an upper hand on salt corrosion. Getting yearly top quality undercoating sprays is how we in the north maximize the life of our vehicles.

 

Some vehicles have plastic cage type protection covering the brake and fuel line bundles. They collect dirt and salt and really accelerate the rusting process. Take them off as soon as you can and like JeremyW426 states, coat them with plenty of corrosion inhibitor of some type at every opportunity. Don't use used engine oil because it's acidic and will cause more corrosion.

 

Soaking wet salty carpet under your feet through the winter will rot out your floor pan. Pull up your carpet during the hot weather and clean and paint the floor pan with two good coats of POR-15 and use good quality liquid containing floor mats in the winter. This will save your floor.

 

By the way, does anyone have personal experience with or proof that the electronic rust proofing gadgets actually work?

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