428 of the
4,906 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Colorado
are about the braking system —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2005.
Iba sobre el freeway a 60 millas y de la nada el freno se puso duro no respondían me pasé a los carril de la orilla y fui metiendo freno de mano poco a poco bendito Dios me puse a salvo! La agencia me dijo que fue el booster ahora tienen que verificar que no halla fragmentos de metal en el motor!
NHTSA complaint #11758604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving on the freeway, I experienced a sudden issue with the vehicle’s braking system. The brake pedal became extremely stiff and difficult to press, and the brake assist stopped functioning. I was still able to apply the brakes, but it required significantly more force than normal to slow and stop the vehicle. Prior to this incident, I had also noticed an issue where the engine did not shut off normally after removing the key. The engine continued running briefly before shutting off with a noticeable rumble/shudder. I do not know whether the two issues are related, but I am including this information because it occurred before the brake-assist failure and may be relevant to diagnosing the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11757218 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the engine revved without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact stated that while turning onto an exit ramp, the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle; however, there was resistance to the brake pedal, and an excessive amount of pressure was needed to depress brake pedal to stop the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was informed of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that failure might cause the complete engine failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
NHTSA complaint #11754991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake vacum pump experienced a catastrophic failure. I was unable to step on the break because the break pedal was hard. I ran thru a red light. I was told the brake vacume pump shattered & pieces of metal went into my engine
NHTSA complaint #11753572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving went to stop brake petal went to the floor and the truck did not stop. So i put it in low gear and got the truck to stop. the truck is at the dealer they keep giving me the run around so i call gm and open a case there going to get back to me .Brake light,APS,Brake SystemFailure all lit up on dash and truck only had 134 mile.
NHTSA complaint #11753356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving downhill nearing a stop sign my wife went to apply the brakes to stop and all she had was an extremely hard brake pedal. She panicked that she “no brakes.” She was only going about 20 MPH, and was able to stop the vehicle but it took an extraordinary amount of effort to do so. Had she had to make a sudden stop for a child, another person, or something else, she would not have been able to stop without negative consequences including possible death. There were no warning signs, vehicle pulled out of driveway and brakes were normal. Less than 10 seconds later no more power brakes. The vehicle had the vacuum pump seize which eliminated the power boost and the pump is operated by the exhaust camshaft which also got damaged and needs replaced. Chevy dealership estimated the repair at $2,600. Upon researching the vacuum pump, this is a common failure on multiple GM vehicles resulting in sudden brake loss. The vacuum pump should have been designed with a shear pin, so that if it fails the camshaft does not get damaged. Had the vacuum pump been properly designed and it was the only failing part, the repair cost would be $500 versus $2,600. Also, there should have been a temporary backup system so you would not lose power boost.
NHTSA complaint #11749435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VIN: [XXX]. 2019 Chevy Colorado, ~115,000 mi. FAILED COMPONENT: Vacuum pump failed internally; debris damaged the exhaust camshaft. Pump is cam-driven with no shear pin, so seizure cuts brake assist AND sends metal debris into the engine. Truck/parts are at Chapman Chevrolet, Tempe AZ, available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: On XXX, brake pedal suddenly lost assist while my son merged onto XXX from [XXX]. Pedal effort/stopping distance increased with no warning - high risk of collision merging into highway traffic. CONFIRMED BY DEALER: Yes. Chapman Chevrolet confirmed vacuum pump failure and camshaft damage, consistent with GM TSB 21-NA-268 (drive-lug failure). OTHER INSPECTIONS: Dealer only so far; not yet by GM, police, or insurance. Available if needed. PRIOR SYMPTOMS: None. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the sudden brake assist failure on 7/1/26. This is a known failure mode on GM's cam-driven vacuum pump (TSB 21-NA-268; Special Coverage XXX covers 2014-2017 trucks/SUVs but not this 2019 Colorado despite same design). Requesting investigation into whether this is an unaddressed defect on 2018-2019+ Colorado/Canyon 2.5L trucks, and whether recall/extended coverage is warranted. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11748346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving on the parkway, the engine revved, and then the brakes became hard as a brick. The truck was unable to be stopped. There were no warning lamps or indications there was a problem, it happened suddenly and immediately. Other drivers' and my own safety was at risk because I could not stop the truck. Here is the diagnosis from the GM service center where it was towed to: "After the removal of the valve cover, the tech found the pump in pieces, and the end of the exhaust camshaft was damaged, as presented in the photos. The quote attached depicts all that is being replaced with this repair." The is a know and acknowledged GM defect that has affected well over 3 million vehicles to date. There was a recall issued for some models, but not the Chevrolet Colorado. There are many reports online of other Colorado owners having the exact brake vacuum pump failure, resulting in damage to the camshaft.There is also a class action lawsuit filed in Michigan in early 2026, involving the same brake vacuum pump failure, for some of the models that were not included in the recall. This is an extremely dangerous mechanical failure that GM is aware of.
NHTSA complaint #11748403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Component that failed: brakes. I was pulling into a parking spot at low speed and the brake pedal was suddenly extremely difficult to depress, almost impossible. It felt as if a brick were under the pedal but there was no obstruction. I was able to stop only because I was already going so slow. Safety of myself and others was at risk because I was almost unable to stop the vehicle. If I had been going any faster I don't believe I would have been able to without crashing into an obstacle. Vehicle is currently at a service shop but issue has not been verified or repaired as of today. When restarting the vehicle, the engine stuttered and started making odd sounds, and wouldn't idle properly. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms at all prior to failure. When I entered the parking lot it was working normally and when I turned to enter a parking spot the brakes suddenly just failed.
NHTSA complaint #11748004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact's husband owns a 2025 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that after exiting a car wash tunnel and parking the vehicle on the side of the car wash building, the vehicle continued to roll forward at a high speed without warning. The contact used both feet and excessive force on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle; however, the vehicle continued to roll forward. The vehicle ran over the parking pillar and crashed into a brick column attached to the building. The vehicle continued to roll forward after the crash and eventually stopped once it rolled over the car wash road indentation. The contact reversed out of the car wash indentation and called her husband for assistance. After her husband arrived at the scene; the vehicle was driven to the residence without any further issues. The vehicle remained at the residence and was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 111,817.
NHTSA complaint #11745625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At 6700 miles, the following warning lights came on: Service Trailer Brake Service ESC Service Brake Assist Adaptive Cruise control unavailable. I brought the truck to the dealer. They read the codes and found a service bulletin. “6721 found service bulletin for code C055F vehicle needs a master cylinder/booster/ebcm parts ordered” They told me it was safe to drive but I refused to drive given what I found online about this issues. The vehicle took a week to fix.
NHTSA complaint #11743987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Component: Drivetrain, brake, and engine management systems repeatedly fail in a coordinated pattern, with multiple warning indicators activating simultaneously and sudden unintended deceleration occurring without warning. Vehicle available for inspection. Safety risk: Most recent failure occurred at highway speed with family including passengers in the vehicle. Without warning, the vehicle decelerated abruptly while multiple dashboard warnings activated at once. Sudden deceleration at highway speed creates immediate risk of rear-end collision from following traffic and loss of vehicle control. Prior dealer confirmation: Yes. Curry Chevrolet (Scarsdale, NY) has had the vehicle in service for the same defect category on multiple prior occasions, including stays of over a week on at least two visits. The dealer has not permanently resolved the issue — symptoms have now recurred at sixth time. An additional early service visit at the same dealer was not documented with a repair order; I retain contemporaneous text messages establishing that visit occurred. Other inspections: Inspected only by Curry Chevrolet to date. GM Customer Assistance engaged (Case #XXX). No police, insurance, or independent inspections. New case has been filed with GM, linked to the previous (Case #XXX).Next service visit will be at a different authorized Chevrolet dealer for an independent diagnostic. Warning indicators: Yes. In the most recent incident, multiple warning lamps and system alerts activated simultaneously at the moment of deceleration, with no advance warning. Prior incidents showed the same multi-system warning pattern, consistently without predictive indicators. Vehicle is a 2026 Chevrolet Colorado, VIN [XXX], delivered January 2026 with 2,209 miles on the odometer at delivery. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11742259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact called on behalf of a family member who owns 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while the owner was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, but was stiff, requiring the driver to forcefully depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the contact's auto repair shop, where it was diagnosed that the brake vacuum pump was fractured and damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed that there was no related recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was not contacted. 180,203.
NHTSA complaint #11742032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vacuum pump seized, causing loss of power assist on brakes. This happened as I was approaching an intersection to make a right-hand turn. When I press down on the brake pedal it felt hard, like it was locked up. After pressing down on it with both feet, I was able to slow the vehicle down enough to turn out of the intersection. If this event happened when there was another vehicle in the intersection or approaching the intersection on the side street that I was turning onto, it would have led to a collision. Not being able to slow down adequately, I had to swing wide in the turn. This incident happened at a relatively slow speed. If it had happened at highway speeds it could have been catastrophic. There was no warning light prior to the incident the check engine light did not come on until after the incident. The Pump seizure caused the connecting coupling between the exhaust cam and pump to shatter. The damage was extended to the exhaust cam and valve cover and leaving metal fragments in the engine. The local Chevrolet dealer has given me an estimate for the repair of over $2400
NHTSA complaint #11741310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving down a street, stopped for an accident that the police where directing traffic for, went passed the 2 officers, put my indicator light on to turn into Dunkin Donuts and stepped on the brakes and they failed. I was lucky there was an incline and no one behind me, I was able to drive up the incline and use my emergency brakes to slow and stop the car before going over the top and down the other side. I called the tow truck and was towed to my auto shop where is was discovered, my car suffered a catastrophic brake failure. Thank goodness I was not on my usual route with my special needs son and wasn't going to fast. This is a known failure of the brake vacuum booster pump and this damaged my camshaft and timing chain and cost a fortune on a car barely out of warranty. This would have been a death sentence for me and my son if I had been on a highway, as well as other people on the highway, if I wasn't able to stop for construction, someone cutting in front of me or any other incident on the road. This is NOT acceptable and these vehicles should be recalled!!!!! I am not the only one that has been through this since 2014 TERRIBLE-recall this part before someone dies, like they did in VA with the bus. I also had to rent a car during the repairs so I could get my son to his activities. This whole incident that should have been covered under a recall has caused my son to have PTSD with this vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11741068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting a serious safety defect involving my 2021 Chevrolet vehicle. While driving, multiple warnings appeared including “Service Power Steering,” “Steering Assist is Reduced,” “Service ESC,” and “Service Battery Charging System.” The vehicle then lost steering assist, braking performance became unreliable, and it created a serious risk of crash. The vehicle later shut down completely and has remained inoperable. The failure appears electrical and affected multiple critical systems at once, suggesting a cascading system malfunction. Since the incident, the vehicle has not restarted or operated normally. I have replaced the battery, alternator, starter, ignition switch, brake vacuum pump, ECM, spark plugs, fuses, and relays, but the issue persists. The vehicle still shows charging system faults and severe battery drain, indicating an unresolved underlying electrical defect. I have found numerous reports from other 2021 Chevrolet owners describing nearly identical failures, including sudden loss of power steering assist, ESC warnings, charging system failures, battery drain, and complete vehicle shutdowns. This suggests a possible widespread defect affecting this model year. Given the loss of steering assist, braking irregularities, and full vehicle shutdown while driving, I request NHTSA investigate this issue for a potential safety-related defect and determine whether a recall or manufacturer action is necessary.
NHTSA complaint #11740930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, and the brake pedal was depressed the pedal remained floored. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually slowed down on its own and came to a complete stop. The was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred a little over a month later. The vehicle was towed back to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery was dead and the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred approximately 17 days later. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the drivers door wire harness needed to be replaced due to an electrical issue that killed the battery. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred approximately four months later. The vehicle was towed to the same dealer where the vehicle has yet to be diagnosed as of yet. The manufacturer notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,400.
NHTSA complaint #11740148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2023 Chevy Colorado developed a rear brake squeal when backing up at approximately 20,000 miles. The dealer found nothing wrong at my next appointment. By 30,000 miles, the rear pads and rotors required replacement, at partial cost to me. The new rear brakes are already squealing again after just a few thousand miles. This isn't an isolated issue. A Chevy Colorado forum I follow has documented multiple owners experiencing the same pattern: rear brake squealing beginning around 20,000 miles, followed by premature pad and rotor failure shortly after. Notably, front brake wear is normal across all reported cases, including my own, pointing directly to a rear-specific defect rather than general driving habits or conditions. The rear brakes on the 2023 Chevy Colorado appear to be failing well ahead of any reasonable service interval, and the consistency of this pattern across multiple owners strongly suggests a systemic problem.
NHTSA complaint #11739233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My truck has used automatic emergency braking multiple times while driving at variable speeds with no obstacles or vehicles in front of me causing whiplash and further damage to my neck that has 5 budging discs. Since I’m only allowed to add a specific mileage and speed below, I’ll note here that it’s happened since I purchased the truck with roughly 35000 miles on it to the current mileage of 44000 and between speeds of 30mph-75mph.
NHTSA complaint #11739365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake vacuum pump appeared to fail creating brake system malfunction. Appears determined by mechanics to have seized and caused damage to cam shaft. Driver’s safety issue caused when trying to brake vehicle not functioning. Vehicle was towed to mechanic shop. There were no warning signs of impending failure of system. Note that earlier years for this model may have had recalls for safety issue and malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11738935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.