{"source":"NHTSA vehicle owner complaint","officialApiUrl":"https://api.nhtsa.gov/complaints/odinumber?odinumber=11604348","retrievedAt":"2026-11-05T07:21:23.133Z","count":1,"results":[{"odiNumber":11604348,"manufacturer":"General Motors, LLC","crash":false,"fire":false,"numberOfInjuries":0,"numberOfDeaths":0,"dateOfIncident":"06/23/2024","dateComplaintFiled":"07/24/2024","vin":"3GNAXJEV0KS","components":"SERVICE BRAKES","summary":"I was traveling at expressway speeds (70 mph) when traffic in front of me hit the brakes quickly to avoid an object in the road.  At this time, I hit my brakes relatively hard and fast in what I would describe as a panic brake.  I avoided incident here.  About a mile further up the road, traffic in front of me hit the brakes once again.  At this time, I also hit my brakes, but I could not.  My brake pedal was hard as a rock, and it would push down only about 2 or 3 inches with little to no effect. I was afraid I might break the pedal arm. I was able to maintain my lane until about 40 mph at which time I was forced to hit the shoulder to avoid colliding with the cars in front of me which were now stopped.  I pressed the brake pedal hard and coasted along the shoulder of the expressway for about 40 or 50 yards, rolling past the stopped traffic.  A few minutes after my car came to a complete stop, the information panel on my dashboard read \"service brake assist\".  My car was towed to a GM dealership local to where I came to a stop.  The documentation from the dealership, as well as what I was verbally told, indicates that there was an internal failure of the vacuum pump.  According to the service manager, there was nothing I could have done to prevent this.  Obviously, I was extremely lucky.  If this would have happened in two-lane city traffic, or approaching a stop light I would have been forced to veer into oncoming traffic or simply barrel into those in front of me.  I know this, because for the last month, as I'm driving, I constantly analyze what would happen if my brakes were to go out like that at various points along my drive.  Often times, my only option would be to brace for a major accident or land my car in the front yard of a business.  This catastrophic failure could have easily killed me, and/or other drivers on the road.  Other people will not be so lucky, and I know this.  For that reason, it's time for NHTSA to finally take action on this matter.","products":[{"type":"Vehicle","productYear":"2019","productMake":"CHEVROLET","productModel":"EQUINOX","manufacturer":"General Motors, LLC"}]}]}