I have a 2001 4 door model. My parking brake will not stay engaged when I press the pedal down and the mechanic says I need a brake controll assembly - at the cost of about 700 bux installed. He says I must buy the entire unit from the Chevrolet dealership--which he quoted around 400 dollars. My thinking is checking salvage yards or after market. I get plenty of hold when applying the brake itself - the ratcheting system you usually hear clicking will simply not engage or hold the pedal down. Has anyone else had issues similar to mine and is it something I can possibly do myself??? I spent 1200 bucks completely redoing most of the brake system this spring and do not want to repeat the process if at all possible. Thanks for your time..

 

It sounds like you need to replace the pedal asembly, not a hard job, goes behind the driver side wheel well and to where the cable joins about halfway down the side, up to yourself if you buy a used one or a new one but I'm pretty sure its a dealer item.

 

I would go to a wrecking yard & buy a used one. It should be an easy fix.

 

If it won't "click & engage" have you looked under the dash where the emergency/parking brake "ratchets"?
Maybe it's gummed up, sticky, possibly use some carb throttle linkage lube along the line & brake cleaner to clean up the teeth on the brake linkage?!

Blast a lot of brake cleaner down the line followed by the throttle linkage lube down it or Fluid Film to lube it. Something that's light, yet stays & lubricates.
Maybe $15 to try that... better than $700 & worth a try IMO.