I experienced a serious brake failure in my 2015 Chevrolet Suburban with 112,500 miles that nearly resulted in a collision. After approximately 90 minutes of driving, I pulled into a parking lot and attempted to stop. Without warning lights or prior symptoms, the brake pedal suddenly became extremely hard to press, and the vehicle nearly failed to stop. I had to stomp on the brake pedal to stop. The same dangerous condition occurred while reversing into a parking space. This created a serious risk of injury to myself and others. The problem appeared primarily at low speeds. After sitting for several hours, the brakes seemed normal again. This intermittent failure is especially dangerous because it occurs without warning. A GM dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed: "Vacuum pump has failed internally causing a stiff pedal at times when pumping brakes. Pump can't build vacuum fast enough to keep up with demand to fill brake booster." The failed component is available for inspection. I discovered GM Special Coverage N182202780 addresses this vacuum pump failure. However, GM refused assistance because my vehicle exceeded the 10-year coverage period, despite having only 112,500 miles. In approximately 2020, I had a GM braking safety recall performed. The dealership reprogrammed the vehicle and installed a thicker brake pedal pad rather than replacing the vacuum pump. Despite this previous recall repair, I experienced the dangerous braking condition. I believe this is a serious safety defect, not simply a warranty issue. A critical braking component should not fail without warning, making the vehicle extremely difficult to stop. I request that the federal safety agency investigate whether the previous recall remedy was adequate and whether GM's special coverage should be expanded into a safety recall regardless of vehicle age.
Chevrolet Suburban brake failure problems
632 of the 8,048 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Suburban describe brake failure, most of them for the 1994 model year.
- owner complaints
- 632
- worst model year
- 1994
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,200
- typical mileage
- 96,836
By model year
Often reported together
ABS 215Grinding brakes 18Pulling 9Spongy pedal 7Stalling 6Power steering loss 6Loss of power 5Check engine light 4
What owners say
The vehicle went into limp mode! Everything associated with it happened so quickly,no brakes,no steering ,it was terrifying. We got safely to a gas station. We were advised to take it to a certified Chevrolet dealer which we did We had it towed to the certified Chevrolet dealer in Charlevoix, Michigan.They hooked it up to the diagnostics and said they found absolutely nothing wrong with the vehicle.Very Frustrating! After experiencing this terrible incident will never feel safe in this vehicle!
I was driving to work last Wednesday, and I live on a hill. As I was driving, a "Brake failure" alert came over my dash and I lost all control of my brakes!!! I live right off of Main Street, and my options were only to go straight and into a house, or to turn onto Main Street and hope no one hits me or that I don't hit another vehicle. I turned and thankfully no one was coming. At the end of that street I was able to coast into an closed down gas station and park the vehicle. I called the dealership I had purchased this vehicle from 10 months prior, and they told me I had to use OnStar to have it towed to them. I did that, and they towed it to the dealership. The next day the dealership told me the cause of losing my brakes was due to a SOFTWARE UPDATE that was needed!!!!! They charged me $800 for the update & a battery that they said was not holding the charge, which I've never had an issue with. I had purchased an extended warranty with this vehicle and I was told it would be a bumper to bumper warranty AS IF I had purchased it new (it was 2 years old). The dealership said this was not a critical software update and was not covered under any warranty. I could have been KILLED or seriously injured or killed or hurt someone else due to my brakes going out due to a SOFTWARE UPDATE that was needed!! This is insane!
The braking system on my 2015 Chevy Suburban LTZ failed at slow speeds in a parking lot. I have replicated the issue in both forward and reverse. My family's safety was put at risk in that while backing up out of a parking spot the brakes failed completely and I had to push extremely hard on the brake to get the vehicle to stop. That same behavior occurred while pulling forward into a parking spot, almost hitting the car in front of me. I took the vehicle into a Chevrolet dealer today indicating the symptoms and they said there was no recall attached to my VIN. This exact same behavior in my vehicle is described in [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, there was a loud rattling sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended while driving with her grandchildren inside the vehicle. The brake failure warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power and coasted and slowed down, and the contact shifted into park(P). The contact stated that the failure had occurred on two separate occasions. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 16,600.
i pulled on to the road and i heard a loud knocking and my vehicle started skipping and wouldn't go. the lights on the dash lit up and said, "brake failure" and "emergency brake failure" and i had no brakes. I managed to coast into a parking lot. The engine light was on. I turned the vehicle off and waited about 5 minutes and turned it back on, The engine light remained. The first time this happened I was going down the road and the vehicle started sputtering, the emergency brake light came on the dash and the car shut off. It has a rough idle when you start it. I am terrified of this car. I have grandbabies in the car with me, Had i been on the highway either time i would have caused a terrible accident. The dealer says they can't get the car to do it so they can't fix anything. It has happened twice so you know it will again.
My wife was driving the vehicle and was pulling into a parking lot. The brakes failed and would not stop the vehicle. She pressed on the brakes very hard, multiple times, for several seconds, before the vehicle finally came to stop. She then proceeded into a parking spot where the brakes again failed to stop the vehicle promptly. Several lights illuminated and a “System Brake Failure 43 MPH Top Speed” message appeared, alternating with several other messages appearing. The vehicle is in for service at Classic Chevrolet in Granbury, Texas. They are telling me that they reset the codes and that the codes are not returning. I am extremely concerned that if I pick up the vehicle at this point, the brakes could fail again and cause an accident with serious injury.
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.
brake master cylinder failure, took car to chevy after brakes got super hard to push , luckily no accident , felt like no brakes, at the point of failure, brake light, abs light, check engine light all went on ,at some point abs and brake light went off but check engine light stayed on and screen on Dash indicated max speed 62 then in a couple of minute screen showed max speed 42 mph , then lights go off except check engine and vehicle works as it should it randomly does this in one day so vehicle was taken in to dealership where they had a hard time figuring out if thats the problem and contacted gm tech support gm and they said with these codes it should be the brake master cylinder, and it would cost me 3000.00 to fix. on an 80 000.00 car that's a 2021 with 82,000 miles and they are pretty certain that will fix the problem, I'm pretty sure I don't want to get in an accident at 65 to 70 mph and die I feel this is a huge safety issue and thank god wife and kids weren't in the car considering this is my wife's car to drive the kids around in
the brake lines rust and they burst this occurred on my main brake line going to the abs controller I had no brakes from mechanics they say this is a common problem on usa made cars brake lines should never ever rust and burst
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
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Suburban vehicles manufactured July 9, 2013, through July 22, 2013; and 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles manufactured July 16, 2013, through July 23, 2013; and model year 2014 GMC Yukon vehicles manufactured July 13, 2013, through July 18, 2013; and model year 2014 GMC Yukon XL vehicles manufactured on July 22, 2013. The rear brake caliper bolts may not be fully tightened. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
- Risk
- Loose caliper bolts may cause reduced braking performance and result in lengthened stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts on both rear brake caliper brackets. Any bolts found loose will be replaced and tightened. This service will be performed, at no charge. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020 and GMC at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's recall number is 13247.
Recall number 13V342000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only.
- Risk
- This can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel speed sensor, and check the peak-to-peak output voltage to ensure the wheel speed signal is within specifications. The recall began september 22, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 05V379000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake pedal pushrod retainer may be missing. If the retainer is missing, the brake booster pushrod could disengage from the brake pedal.
- Risk
- This could result in a loss of brakes which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the vehicles for the brake pedal pushrod retainer and install one if it is missing free of charge. The manufacturer began contacting owners by telephone on march 10, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 05V103000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- Certain trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans equipped with bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies, the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator may crack and separate from the hydro-boost assembly during normal operating conditions.
- Risk
- If a separation occurred and the hood of the vehicle were open, fragments from the accumulator could cause injury to people in the immediate area. The presence of this crack or fractured surface could allow the hydraulic fluid to leak from the accumulator circuit of the booster assembly. The loss of fluid would cause increased steering and braking effort and a crash may occur without prior warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge. The recall began on march 23, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, gmc trucks at 1‑866‑996‑9463 and hummer at 1‑800‑732‑5493.
Recall number 05V043000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic
- What is wrong
- Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.
- Risk
- Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.
- Remedy
- Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact cadillac at 1‑866‑982‑2339; chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438; gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463; or hummer at 1‑866‑486‑6376.
Recall number 04V045000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a clearance condition between the front right-hand brake pipe and the body cross sill that could decrease to the point of allowing contact during the life of the vehicle. If contact occurs and the brake pipe becomes damaged, in half of the brake system there can be a loss of brake fluid and pressure. The brake warning lamp will be activated when the brake fluid level reaches the indicator limit.
- Risk
- During braking, the pedal will be lower than normal and stopping distances will be longer. If this occurs when stopping distance is limited, a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the front right-hand brake pipe for wear. If there are signs of wear, this section of the brake pipe will be replaced with a new designed brake pipe section. If there are not signs of wear on the brake pipe, the dealer will install a spacer clip to ensure sufficient clearance between the brake pipe and the body cross sill.
Recall number 00V345000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with vacuum power, 4-wheel disc brakes. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems." these vehicles were built with a kinked brake booster vacuum supply hose.
- Risk
- These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 105.
- Remedy
- Dealers will re-route the brake booster vacuum supply hose.
Recall number 00V222000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. One or both front brake rotor/hubs were built with an out-of-specification gray iron that can fail during the life of the vehicle.
- Risk
- If a driver continues to drive with a cracked rotor, the cracks could continue around the wheel mounting bolt circle and ultimately result in a wheel separation.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rotors for a core date of "287" and, if found, replace the rotor.
Recall number 98V033000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor
- What is wrong
- Severe corrosion due to road salt at the joint of the stamped steel center section and the cast outer section can cause the sections to separate.
- Risk
- Separation of the rotor sections can cause loss ofbraking ability in the affected wheel. This could result in increased stoppingdistance and/or loss of vehicle control and an accident.
- Remedy
- Replace the front brake rotors with new rotors with a corrosion protection coating. However, if replacement of brake linings are necessary, it will be done at owner's expense since brake linings are normal maintenance items.
Recall number 93V119000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Suburban brake failure
Which Chevrolet Suburban years have brake failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1994 (165 complaints), 1993 (107 complaints) and 1992 (40 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix brake failure on the Chevrolet Suburban?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,200 (median of 23 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used Chevrolet Suburban?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history