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Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon ABS Fault Issues

380 messages,  Last post on Jun 09, 2013 at 6:50 AM

You are in the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Electrical, Truck

    

Messages Page 37 of 39

#357 of 380 Fix your own ABS! by buyus

Aug 09, 2012 (7:54 am)

Since GM will not do anything to resolve the ABS problems on their vehicles I suggest to everyone here that you either fix your own or find a competent independent mechanic to repair your ABS. I bought both bearing hubs with sensors, brake rotors, pads, and calipers all for around $600 and did the entire job myself in about 6 hours. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would say the job has a difficulty of 5 or 6. If your mechanical skills are lacking you should be able to have your mechanic install the parts for about 6 hours labor charge. If your brakes are newer you will not need pads and calipers but I would suggest replacing the rotors if they haven't been replaced while it's apart.....your mechanic should know this.
I shopped the best deals on parts both on the internet and local parts stores. With all these parts replaced the ABS works as designed and the brakes haven't given me any trouble in 30k miles. Anyone suggesting you drive your Colorado with the ABS light on is suggesting you risk your life. The ABS system DOES NOT WORK with the light on and, as noted by many people on this forum, malfunctioning ABS can cause dangerous situations.
For those of you waiting for GM to do something about your ABS problem, Good Luck with that!

#358 of 380 Re: Fix your own ABS! [buyus] by n9cv

Aug 09, 2012 (10:00 am)

Replying to: buyus (Aug 09, 2012 7:54 am)
Unfortunately everyone here has about the same story with the same experience with GM service. The Customer Service Rep that monitors this site appears only to be doing damage control for GM. I have never seen any posting here from anyone that came back and said that GM "fixed their problem for free" after contacting GM customer service for help. It is always take it to a GM dealer who charges $100 or so to read the Tech 2 scanner and tell you what you already know and that is the sensor(s) are failing. Then for another $500 or more per side we will fix it for you. I also monitor 2 other GM Colorado/Canyon forums. The story is the same over there.
 
A few years and 40,000 miles ago I "fixed" mine by re-seating the front sensors with a plastic hammer. Now it is starting to do it again. I have seen it twice this summer when the Outside Air Temperature was over 90 degrees F. Unfortunately during the second occurrence when I looked down at the Instrument Panel to see what the alarm was on the display, I missed seeing the traffic light changing to red in front of me. When I realized the light was red and tried to stop, I slid sideways into the intersection. Luckily the cross traffic had not started across the intersection yet so no damage was done other than maybe some flat spots on my tires. When you get the alarm, the ABS is shut off and that truck is very hard to keep headed straight in a panic stop without any ABS.

#359 of 380 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO BRAKE SENSOR by cig1952

Oct 26, 2012 (12:11 pm)

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY LEFT FRONT BRAKE SENSOR FOR 2 YEARS, I HAD THE SENSOR REPLACED, BUT THE LIGHT STAYED ON SAYING I STILL HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY ABS.
I TOOK IT TO A MACHANIC HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM, EVEN IF IT DID COST ME 900.00. IT WAS WORTH IT TO FINALLY HAVE IT FIXED. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE HUB AND THE SENSOR,ROTOR AND I HAD TO HAVE BREAK PADS PUT ON. THEY FOUND OUT THE BEHIND THE SENSOR IN THE HUB , THERE WAS A PLASTIC BEARING (STUPID TO HAVE A PLASTIC ANYTHING AROUND THE BREAKS) THAT HAD MELTED AND WAS IN THE HUB AND THEY COULDN'T GET IT OUT, SO THE HUB HAD TO BE REPLACED. SO FAR EVERYTHING IS WOKING GOOD. HOPE THIS HELPS. I ALSO AM GOING TO CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT I FINALLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

#360 of 380 Re: 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO BRAKE SENSOR [cig1952] by kpo

Oct 26, 2012 (1:18 pm)

Replying to: cig1952 (Oct 26, 2012 12:11 pm)
Hi cig1952,
 
Welcome to the land of GM/ Chevy ineptness and design flaws. We (Colorado owners) have all had the same ABS problem(s) along with many other issues and problems that are examples of premature wear and / or design flaws. I am not surprised to hear that you found plastic parts in the brake assembly components. All GM wants to do is have the dealer replace the hub and sensor and call it a 'wear and tear' issue. The hub and sensor was re-designed in later years so you would have two separate parts, but dealers are still replacing BOTH parts sinc e they don't know what they are doing and simply want to make more money off of the owner/ consumer. Of course we will almost do anything to avoid the death defying episodes of BRAKE FAILURE due to this ABS issue. It will take a few deaths to get somone at GM to "own up".

#361 of 380 Re: 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO BRAKE SENSOR [cig1952] by gmcustsvc

Oct 29, 2012 (10:15 am)

Replying to: cig1952 (Oct 26, 2012 12:11 pm)
cig1952,
We're glad to hear that the dealership helped you get to the bottom of the brake concern you had been having on your Colorado. Keep us posted if anything should come up as we're available to follow up on this with you and your dealership (we can be reached via email at socialmediagm.com and ask that you include your name and contact information, as well as a summary of the situation and the last 8 digits of your VIN).
 
Sarah, GM Customer Service

#362 of 380 ABS by lynnie63

Oct 29, 2012 (12:02 pm)

I am thankful to say that I haven't had one problem with my ABS brakes since I pulled the fuse.

#363 of 380 GM Customer Service? by kpo

Oct 29, 2012 (12:03 pm)

I used to think that GM. the manufacturer, and their dealers, were the biggest deceivers and tellers of 'woppers' till I started to pay attention to the ads, news videos and debates of the upcoming candidates for public office. Not everyone can be right and then blame the other for being wrong!
 So, congratulations GM, you're now in second place of the biggest liars in the USA. GM says in response to ABS complaints, " There's nothing wrong with your ABS system; it just has worn out parts like other wear and tear parts, like tires and brake pads, that must be replaced over time." I say, OK, but how long should brake system parts (not pads) last and how should we know they are 'worn out' before we die on the road from BRAKE FAILURE. Even brake pads have a 'squeeler' to warn us of worn 'pads'. Shouldn't sensors and hubs last for more than 35,000 to 40,000 miles; brake pads (and practically all of the over 10,000 other parts) do.
How is that?

#364 of 380 Same old story by n9cv

Oct 29, 2012 (11:13 pm)

Mine intermittently fail. Probably about once a month. It is a sensor and I believe it is the right front but I have never been able to catch it. The dealership was absolutely useless othe that to say for big bucks they woudl replace both front hubs an sensors. I reseated both front sensors a couple of years ago and that pretty much took care of it except for the once a month failure.
 
The last time it failed I was doing 55 and the alarm went off and I looked down to see the message. While doing that I did not see the light in front of me change to red. When I looked up again and saw the red light, I nailed the brakes forgetting that I now had no ABS and put the truck sideways into the middle of the intersection. I hit nothing so the only damage was some flat spots on my tires.
 
In 19 pages of postings here we have beat this subject to death. GM will not fix it and so we will live with it. A quick inventory of replacement hubs and sensors sold by them for these trucks would easily establish that there is a problem. They are not interested. It is a dead product that is no long sold and the manufacturing plant is closed down so do not expect much from them. There is a follow on truck scheduled for next year being to be made in Missouri. All one can hope for is a redesign of this area on the new product.

#365 of 380 sensor- less by kpo

Oct 30, 2012 (8:35 am)

Colorado =

#366 of 380 Re: sensor- less [kpo] by marroe

Oct 30, 2012 (12:06 pm)

Replying to: kpo (Oct 30, 2012 8:35 am)
Let me correct that- General Motors= Lemon
 
I was hesitant in buying my Colorado because of previous issues with General Motors. My wife commented that the Colorado was a "piece of crap" after test driving a brand new one at the dealership. No more General Motors products for the rest of my life. This Colorado is the last one.
 
Don't get me wrong, there is so much to love about these trucks. I still love mine. It just keeps giving me more and more reasons to hate it. ABS issues, power windows may or may not work, had the leaky third brake light, a quart of oil per tank of gas, radio and speakers have a mind of their own, etc... I filed with the NTSB because of the ABS problem. Now I can not get rid of it because my VIN number is associated with a known problem and the CarFax tells the story to the world. No one wants to give me anything for it. I will just keep it for when it snows or I need to haul something on the weekend. It is way too unreliable as a daily driver. Luckily I can afford a second car and I learned to drive in the snow before ABS brakes existed. Never another GM product. (Which really sucks since I am part owner of the company as a US Taxpayer)
 
Please everyone, be safe. This is a dangerous defect that we will have to live or die with.

Messages Page 37 of 39

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