Derf,
I joined this forum because I have read across the forums for all the related autos (equinox to XL7) that brakes intermittently seize. First let me describe what is going on. Intermittently the brakes will heat up and begin seizing and the driver will have to pull over. NOT all the time because that (other) problem is related to the brake booster/master cylinder combo being out of adjustment. So When this intermittently happens it is most likely the brake hoses. The hose is secured in place by a clamp that mounts to the top of the wheel assembly at the bottom of the strut. this is the clamp that rusts on the surface that contacts the hose. The inside of the hose become partially blocked because the rust is squeezing it shut. It allows the fluid to pass toward the caliper at high pressure when you apply the brake and does not return promptly because there is no real pressure on the caliper side to force it back. In my case, the brakes were Not seizing but dragging and i would notice that after a stop, the brake would take a few seconds to release. That prompted me to change the brake booster and master cylinder because i thought i had the (other initial ) problem of the fluid leaking into the booster from the master. Ironically, it seems that both of these problems begin around 100 K. The brakes seizing constantly (which is what happened after i changed the master/booster combination was a secondary issue related to adjustment of the internal push rod inside the booster. Now, in the other post i attempted to avoid the issue of this being a safety/recall problem. My position is that IF GM had made me aware that the hoses were likely to fail in high salt areas due to rust that cannot be easily detected, (I just did a whole bunch of other brake/wheel bearing work) I could have easily changed all four hoses at that time. As disappointed as i am with GM over this and other issues, (I had to replace the fuel pump because of the well-known cracked line on top of the tank, leaking fuel) I don't really expect them to pay for the hoses or their installation, but it would have been nice to at least know of this as a "wear related" issue so i could have addressed that before it became a problem. PEople, a fellow that i initially responded to in the above thread, actually traded the car because of the problem. SO, i can understand, from GM standpoint that if they acknowledge a problem with the brake line that would freak people out and they would want a recall, but i also am a realist in knowing that the car has been out of warranty for five years. On the upside, i still highly believe that the equinox/vue/torrent etc. is one of the safest cars ever, (when all is working), and I intend to buy another. I have seen GM chassis take incredible hits in accidents and compared to all other makes, they, to me at least, are up there with the best. One last note. If you are reading this and you changed the booster/master combo and your brakes seem to drag, they need to be adjusted. If they overheat and you have to stop, chances are that all the traction control, stabilitrak etc, warning lights will come on including the check engine light. in my case, after i adjusted the booster all the problems vanished. I will still take another shot at bleeding though because i think there might still be some air but, no warning lights or anything now. I joined this forum because I have seen others spend thousands of dollars at the dealerships and i could have very well been one of them, and I just wanted to share my experience. Thanks Derf

 

Thank you - now I understand the rusty bracket part. If the brake system is truly sealed 9no leaks into booster, then one would expect the fluid to be drawn back to the MC by suction/vacuum/pressure gradient in the other direction. Kind of a physics thing. HOWEVER, if that rubber line degrades, the hose may collapse when the pressure is inverted pulling fluid back to the MC, causing the fluid to be trapped in the caliper, then slowly bleed back to the MC, or not.

As for recalls, the warranty period has no bearing on safety-related recalls. I have read many a similar situation end up in recalls on vehicles in the salt belt due to design flaws like the location of that clamp and the defective lines that were not manufactured or selected properly for ALL expected driving conditions.

Brakes = stop.
Brakes that stop the vehicle when not asked to are dangerous, just as brakes that do not work are dangerous. THere should be at least an investigation by the NHTSA on file at NHTSA.gov if enough people compained and god forbid someone got injured as a direct result of this flaw.

How many had to die over the Ion ignition switch nightmare before it was taken seriously.? GM KNEW it and let people continue to die until the NHTSA made them act.
Then GM went bankrupt and created new GM by buying only the ASSETS of the old GM. NOT the LIABILITIES.
So all the lawsuits against them? Gone. Accepting responsibility for people dying due to a KNOWN DEFECT ---none. Standing behind your product? Nope.. All about Dollars and sense.

That's why my wrecked view was replaced with a 2014 Ford Escape. I'm done with GM's brand of cowardice.
Now I just have to get used to the 6F35 tranny slowly degrading in shift quality. They won't just redesign the valve body and solenoids--they keep putting the same unpredictable crap in the same tranny and selling it.
Why? They have to use up all the parts they already purchased to build them PLUS they'd have to do some retooling on the line.

[/Rant]