[Bracken95]

Coming home from OKC last and went to exit and press my brake and they weren’t responding. They felt super hard and i started just pressing them because I immediately started to panic. Luckily my exit was an incline and there was nobody behind or in front of me so it caused the car to slow naturally to where i could go to the ditch. Talk about scary! My car once in the ditch just turned off. So i started it again because it’s freezing here and when the tow truck driver came i tried to turn my car off and it wouldn’t shut off. Then i again tried to start it and it then wouldn’t start! Up until this exact moment nothing has been wrong. No warning signs on my dash etc! So then i googled this make and model and year and OMG this is a common thing! This scares me because I have kids. The last thing I need is to not be able to break going 70mph!!! It was towed today to a mechanic and is under warranty but i’m extremely stressed about keeping this car! Should I trade it in? does this continue to happen? I don’t know what to do and apparently GMC has zero recalls for this issue even though they’ve been aware of ALL the complaints!!!!

 

[RIT333]

I don't recall anyone else with this issue, so I would reluctantly continue to drive it. If it happens again, then get rid of it, if you are still alive.

 

[repairman54]

You lost power assist. You still had brakes just not enough leg power to actuate them. Common issue 50 years ago, we dealt with it with the kids in cars that did not even have seat belts.

 

[Colt Hero]

@Bracken95 : GMC Terrain? What year and current mileage?

 

[rbarrios]

I also dont recall someone posting that issue on here.
Where did you see that this is a common thing?

 

[RIT333]

He said it was common 50 years ago. But, I never witnessed it.

 

[garagerog]

He said it was common 50 years ago. But, I never witnessed it.

I believe rbarrios was referring to the OP who said after googling the issue "OMG this is a common thing! "

 

[rbarrios]

Garagerog is correct

 

[RIT333]

My bad.

 

[jackass]

Agree with others in I have never seen anyone posting about this issue....so overall, I would say not common at all.

Quick google search turns up the big GM SUVs have a recall related to the vacuum pump failing causing the brake booster to fail. But the Terrain isn't in the recall. Unclear what year, model, trim the OP has to know if related, unrelated, or just bad luck.

 

[Denali94]

You lost power assist. You still had brakes just not enough leg power to actuate them. Common issue 50 years ago, we dealt with it with the kids in cars that did not even have seat belts.

Well back then I did have a cup holder - a brunette wearing a poodle skirt and sitting right next to me on that bench seat.

 

[NXR71]

There are several complaints about this on the NHTSA page for my 2020 Equinox, including this one:

While driving the Brake pedal became very hard to press and stopping distance increased greatly. the check engine light and service brake light on the dash became illuminated. After looking online it became apparent that there are a lot of people with Chevrolet vehicles equipped with the 1.5L engine that had the same problem and the cause was a faulty vacuum pump. I removed the vacuum pump and it has broken pieces that have fallen off of it and are now inside of the engine and will need more engine components removed to have access to remove all of the metal fragments.

2020 CHEVROLET EQUINOX SUV AWD | NHTSA

www.nhtsa.gov

 

[Colt Hero]

@NXR71 ... and also this (in another complaint):

“My concern here is GM eliminated that foot/hand operated emergency/parking brake leaving no backup method to stop in an emergency”

Is this true?? I know there is (now) an electronic Parking Brake, but there is no way to engage this in an emergency??

 

[RIT333]

Correct Colt, if you lose power, you also lose e brake capability.

 

[repairman54]

Since the mandate of split hydraulic braking systems in 1968 if a leak occurs in one you have the other as a backup for some braking.
Brakes are there if power assist goes away. With every vehicle having power brakes in at least the last 20 yrs. drivers have no clue on manual brakes and the increased pedal force required anymore. Pre '68 it was an emergency brake if the single, non-dual system sprung a leak, lots of experience there in old cars of the day.
Now it is a parking brake for the last 50 years, old descriptions are still hanging in there.

 

[Colt Hero]

@RIT333 :
Did the OP lose power, or did the Brake Booster simply fail?

@repairman54 :
The redundant hydraulic braking design is insufficient if it’s going to still result in accidents due to the Brake Booster failure. People press on the brake pedal to slow the vehicle down, and when they don’t get the response they expect ... they naturally push harder and harder. I’m sure when the Booster has failed they are pushing as hard as they possibly can (in panic mode)!

And the mechanical secondary brake might’ve been renamed “Parking Brake”, but it was a brake nonetheless ... that actually worked ... and could be used to slow down the vehicle. If it’s gone now, and there’s no way to engage whatever replaced it in an emergency situation, then I would say the designers have succeeded in making these later-generation automobiles less safe.

 

[garagerog]

Since the mandate of split hydraulic braking systems in 1968 if a leak occurs in one you have the other as a backup for some braking.
Brakes are there if power assist goes away. With every vehicle having power brakes in at least the last 20 yrs. drivers have no clue on manual brakes and the increased pedal force required anymore. Pre '68 it was an emergency brake if the single, non-dual system sprung a leak, lots of experience there in old cars of the day.
Now it is a parking brake for the last 50 years, old descriptions are still hanging in there.

This post has me reminiscing about my first non-farm job in 1970. Now mind you back in those days I was young and strong and was used to driving old farm machinery with non-assisted hydraulic braking. This non-farm job was as a glorified retail stock-boy and I also made deliveries. The delivery vehicle was a new 4 door sedan Olds Cutlass. It had the Olds 350, auto, power steering but no power brakes. To get to a hard stop required both feet on the pedal and pulling back on the steering wheel with all my might to gain additional leverage on the brake pedal. I swear to God that car needed the gas tank relocated, and a trap door installed in the trunk floor with a war surplus battleship anchor to drop to get that car to a safe halt.

 

[repairman54]

And the cars with power brakes in the '60's were so touchy you could do a fast stop with your pinky pushing on the pedal.
One extreme to the other. Got to drive a lot of Caddies and 225's back then at the Esso station.

 

[garagerog]

And the cars with power brakes in the '60's were so touchy you could do a fast stop with your pinky pushing on the pedal.
One extreme to the other. Got to drive a lot of Caddies and 225's back then at the Esso station.

Big ole V-8's with lots of vacuum and boosters to match.

 

[tic]

Well, you also have those with a power steering fluid leak claiming they could no longer steer the car. I for one am glad our 19' terrain has electric PS instead of hydraulic. Some complain electric PS feels "dead" compared to hydraulic but I don't