While in the parking lot or stopping at the stop light the brakes will get hard and won’t brake .
2016 Chevrolet Suburban brakes problems
82 complaints (37% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 64,000. 6 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 82
- of this car's complaints
- 37%
- typical mileage
- 64,000
- crashes
- 6
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Chevrolet Suburban brakes problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban brakes
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
- Risk
- As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑630‑2438, Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006 or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
Recall number 19V645000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon SUVs.If the brake assist vacuum pump fails to operate as intended, the amount of brake power assist supplied to the driver can be significantly reduced, extending the subject vehicle stopping distance. GM stated that the root cause of pump failures was due to foreign debris such as oil sludge in the engine oil. GM stated that this debris can become trapped by the oil inlet filter screen. Under normal operation, this screen allows a small amount of oil into the brake vacuum pump. The foreign debris can, over time, clog the pump which can cause a loss of lubrication and a reduction in the amount of vacuum produced leading to a hard pedal and extended stopping distance.On December 13, 2018, GM issued a Special Coverage (N182202780) for the brake vacuum pump issue in MY 2014-2017 trucks and 2015-2017 SUVs on the K2XX platform for 6 years or 72,000 miles. Special Coverage repair includes the replacement of the vacuum pump and vacuum pump belt. Consumers received notification of the coverage via mail. On September 6, 2019, GM notified the federal safety agency that it was conducting safety recall 19V‑645 which reprograms the electronic brake control module (EBCM) and included approximately 3.5 million trucks and SUVs. In October 2019, GM extended the terms of special coverage N182202780 to 10 years or 150,000 miles as well as now including the entire scope of recall 19V‑645. In October 2020, GM expanded the scope of coverage N182202780 to include the MY 2018 Escalade and 2019 Tahoe.The remedy implemented in GM recall 19V‑645 appears to be sufficient in addressing the safety-related concerns of this issue. Loss of vacuum assist now occurs at a progressive rate as well as there being a more timely warning of a brake problem to the driver through the driver information center (DIC). In view of the recall action and revision to the special coverage, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at under the identification numbers in the attached document.
PE18012
What 2016 Chevrolet Suburban owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Per AAA—Front Airbag/Seatbelt and Increase break pedal
I am reporting a severe and recurring safety defect where my vehicle suffers a complete loss of electrical and engine power while in motion. This happens without warning at various speeds and during various maneuvers, including making turns and driving straight. This has happened over 500 times since the 3 years I have had it. I have not felt safe in the vehicle for a long time and when I have taken it to have it checked no one could tell me anything because it was not happening at the moment. When the vehicle dies it comes back to life on it's own but the timing is not precise as to when it happens. The unpredictability of these power failures creates an imminent risk of a high speed collision or being stranded in a dangerous intersection. I can't even sell it to someone in good conscious knowing it has these serious issues. Not sure I am doing everything or contacting who all I need to about this situation but this is a start
Increased brake pedal effort to the point of difficulty to stop or control brake pressure at low speeds. This seems like the same issue reported in Safety Recall #N192268499-01, but my VIN is outside the covered range. Is the effected range in the recall correct? This has happened intermittently since we purchased the vehicle private party in 2022 with 115.5k miles on it, but is getting worse.
There are 2 components of the vehicle that I believe are malfunctioning. The first component would be the brake system. At first the problem presented itself when going down a parking garage it was approximately 5 miles an hour while applying the brake and the brake suddenly got stuck and really sticky, I had to apply extreme pressure to the brake to get the vehicle to stop completely. It was only after I put the vehicle in park, turned it off, removed the keys from the ignition, open the doors, and then restarted the car afterwards where the brakes would become unstuck. Since that first incident in summer of 2024, there has been other similar incidents when I am breaking in a parking lot at lower speeds, on side streets at lower speeds, or any other circumstance where I would be applying the brake at lower speeds. The brakes would get very sticky hard to press and would not come to a complete stop unless using extreme force. This is a very scary incident because if there was a vehicle a pedestrian and we weren't able to stop the vehicle then we would have crashed and potentially hurt someone. We brought this up to our mechanic and he was not able to reproduce the issue. The engine light does not turn on for this issue and we are not able to produce any engine light codes for the braking issue. This issue continues to happen until this day and it is scary when it does happen. The second component that we believe is malfunctioning has to do with the suspension system, the air ride system. We have taken this problem to our mechanic since 2019, 2020. They've been able to temporarily repair the issue but after some time the part breaks down and we believe that this is a manufacturing issue. There is a warning lamp that appears. What happens is there is air constantly being pumped into the suspension and is drawing electricity from the battery and ultimately affecting other parts of the electronic components.
When driving at low speeds the brakes do not work. The vehicle will stop, but it is very hard to get it to stop. You must push the brake pedal all the way to the floor to get the brakes to work. This does not happen all time it will just happen out of no were, this can be scaring. I looked up to see if our vehicle has any current recalls, which it does not. But on 9/19/2019 we had our vehicle in the shop and they did do a recall at this time. It was Increased Brake Pedal Effort. the federal safety agency Campaign # 19V645000 and this sounds like exactly what was happening. This was done when our vehicle had 60,000 miles on it and at the time it was having no symptoms. We had never had any brake issues at this time. Now our vehicle is having these issues and I feel that this safety issue should be another recall on our vehicle and should be covered and fixed as it sounds like the same issue. Please let me know what can be done about this.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle brakes independently activated. The contact stated there were no warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled off the highway and stopped the vehicle. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and regained braking functionality. The failure was intermittent but occurred at various speeds. The failure occurred mostly while driving up an incline and depressing the accelerator pedal and the independent braking failure would occur. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that prior to the failures the vehicle had been taken to a dealer to be repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V645000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.
Various times while I was driving my 5 kids have I had an issue with the brakes and having to over compensate to pump brakes to get them to stop in time or at all. Very scary
On October 23, 2024, my 2016 Chevrolet Suburban was stopped in a line of traffic on a downhill. As traffic began to move forward, the brakes failed to hold, despite pressure on the brake pedal. This resulted in a low-speed collision with the vehicle in front, which then impacted another vehicle. Component/System: The braking system failed to engage despite pressure on the brake pedal. The vehicle is a total loss; however, documentation of the damage is available through my insurance company, New Jersey Manufacturers, claim number 2024-884575, and the police report from the accident scene. Safety Risk: This brake failure posed a significant safety risk to my family (who were occupants), and other drivers. The collision caused substantial vehicle damage. Confirmation: The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer or independent service center due to it being a total loss. It has been inspected by my insurance company. Inspection: The vehicle has been inspected by police at the accident scene and by my insurance company. Warnings: There were no prior warning lamps, messages, or symptoms of brake problems. The vehicle has been consistently maintained by All American Chevrolet with all recommended services performed. This incident raises serious concerns about the vehicle's braking system integrity, especially given its consistent professional maintenance. I request an investigation into this matter.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while approaching a stop sign and driving at 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. The brake service warning light illuminated after the failure. The contact was able to pull to the side, turn off the vehicle, wait a moment, and restart. The failure persisted and progressively worsened. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Questions about the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban brakes
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban have brakes problems?
Owners have filed 82 complaints about the brakes of the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban, 37% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Suburban brakes problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 64,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban brakes?
Yes, 1 recall: 19V645000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Chevrolet Suburban have bad brakes?
The Chevrolet Suburban model years with the most brakes complaints are 1994 (581 complaints), 1993 (382 complaints) and 1999 (246 complaints).
Other 2016 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Transmission 45Engine 27Electrical 26Steering 23Body 12Suspension 11Driver assistance 7Wheels 7Airbags 6Acceleration 5Fuel system 5Seat belts 4Visibility 4Lights 3Seats 3Tires 3Locks 1
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