My take would be they don't back down a driveway with any kind of incline. Flat ground and drive away...and the issue would never come to light.

 

My thoughts exactly. I guess some folks have never driven a non-power brake vehicle before and/or don't realize that you also have the parking (used to be called the "emergency") brake at your disposal. Ultimately, you're supposed to drive the car - not the other way around!

 

I like that!

 

I've had my 09 SS about 3 weeks now.. I HAVE noticed, when backing out of the driveway, the brake-shudder and increased effort required to stop.. But, because of this Forum, I was forewarned (thanks to all) and it was "no big deal" to me... And, when I let the car warm-up a bit it does not occur..

Yes--I think it is a design flaw.. But I have always felt in control.. and, once experienced, it is always anticipated...

However, if they DO ever offer a warranteed repair, I will partake!

just my worth...

 

My point exactly. "Only" ~99% of the time.

The last time I called EMS was for a guy lying unresponsive on the side of the road at night, about 12 inches from the edge of a highway lane, in an unlit area at night. (Turns out he was some passed out meth-head.) It took EMS over 15 minutes to respond. My house is 5 miles farther from town than that spot, so a 20-minute EMS response seems reasonable. I have had contractors at my house every day for months, using power tools often while on ladders or scaffolds. Considering what has to happen if one of them gets hurt doesn't seem all that melodramatic to me, but then what do I know?

If adverse contingency planning is melodramatic, then I guess it means my employers have paid me to be melodramatic for most of my life. Maybe I should apply for a scab position producing soap operas when the writers guild goes back on strike.

I wasn't t-boned when the unexpected double stopping distance didn't stop the vehicle from going into the intersection. (<-- Personal experience, not internet hype.) But if GM offers me a fair-priced buyback, I would strongly consider just selling the mildew-smelling thing. I've mostly owned vehicles designed by German and Japanese. My Honda was built in the US, my Subaru was built in Japan, and my Chevy was built in Mexico. From a 1988 Yugo GV to a 1984 Porsche 911, every vehicle I've ever owned all had reliable and predictable brakes. I wouldn't design a critical system like brakes without so much as a warning light when there's insufficient vacuum to stop the vehicle safely and predictably. Maybe GM engineers need to be more "melodramatic". I feel consumer products should be engineers for safe consumers to use, without relying on finding a relatively obscure BBS on the internet to get your critical safety advice.

I am a big boy, and I'm waiting for a brake fix just like everyone else. But when someone tries to tell me there's no hurry, because an "acceptable workaround" exists, or when GM says unexpected double stopping distance is normal, or when someone implies that GM cars are so special that they don't really need reliable and predictable brakes, I'll first in line to call bull$h!t. But I'll try to avoid repeating myself further.

 

No, I back down steep incline to the street at the end of the drive.

I only worry about the ice as I don't just have a hard pedal, I have no brakes and just try to slide between the rail road ties and into the street.

As for the hard pedal if and when it happens I just step harder.

Some people can deal with less then ideal problems and some can't.

I have a Paramedic that lives across the street so I feel safe If I get hit by a meteor or backing out of the drive.

Most times I start the car and then put my belt on and by the time I click the vacume is already building.

 

Based on your last post, I'd say yes!

Who told you there was no hurry? Or that GM cars are "so special..." (not even sure what that means)? Was it on this board? I don't recall seeing that post. Can you please link it?

*phew*

Just curious... have you filed a NHTSA complaint (described on 7-13 of your owner's manual)?

Also, since I'm referencing the manual... 4-2... "Defensive driving means "always expect the unexpected."

And... 4-4 "...Low brake booster vacuum conditions can include initial start up after the vehicle has been parked for several hours..."

 

We have quite a bit of driveway incline. You noitice this...like your description by neading the brakes that are....?

Trying to feather a non-boosted pedal on ice has to suck big time. Damn.

 

It's mentioned in the original user manual, which was printed before the vehicle went to production, indicating PMs decided it was acceptable to knowingly put on the road. Engineers in a hurry to fix known preproduction issues do just that: They fix it before production, as opposed to pretending that unreliable braking is normal and to be expected.

NHTSA isn't doing anything because GM claims they are now trying ever so hard to fix it. As the problem was known before the vehicles went into production, the designers have probably known about it for well over a year. A team in a hurry to fix the problem would have produced a solution long ago.

The PMs knew each vehicle would be used routinely by all variety of consumers on public roadways for years to come. They knew the routine use by thousands ensures many "corner cases" will be encountered by those owners throughout the lifetime of the vehicles. Yet they still decided to release the affected design to production.

They clearly knew about it before production, and didn't even bother to keep the brake system warning light illuminated until sufficient vacuum was reached. That would likely have been a snap to implement prior to production. Given how long they have known about the problem, that it wasn't corrected prior to production, and that they still haven't released a retrofit, I assume they actually considered a brake system malfunction low priority. It's a surprising choice, given the resultant liability and PR exposure. Choices like this don't help the perception that American vehicles are of lower quality than German or Japanese vehicles.

Are you trying to justify the intentional release of what I hope is one of the worst brake component designs released by GM in recent years?

 

You've made a lot of bold assumptions, and appear to have concocted a conspiracy that has GM purposely killing off its customers, and now has me as, at least, a tacit co-conspirator. Does the word 'clozapine' mean anything to you? If not, you may want to look into it.