4,779 of the
23,671 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Silverado 1500
are about the braking system —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
While driving my 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the braking system suddenly malfunctioned without any prior warning. When I released the accelerator, the vehicle began slowing as though the brakes were being applied even though I was not pressing the brake pedal. When I attempted to brake normally, the vehicle did not stop as expected and braking ability was significantly reduced. The red BRAKE warning, ABS warning, traction/ESC warnings, and check engine light illuminated. The dashboard displayed “Brake System Failure – 43 MPH Top Speed,” “Service ESC,” and “Service Trailer Brake System.” Because of the reduced braking ability, I stopped the vehicle and had it transported by flatbed tow to a Chevrolet dealership rather than continue driving it. The Chevrolet dealer inspected the vehicle and documented diagnostic trouble codes P25A2 and C053D. The dealer stated that the Brake System Control Module requested the warning light and that updated software was available to address these codes. The dealer reprogrammed the Brake System Control Module according to a GM technical service bulletin. No mechanical brake components were replaced. I was charged $362.95 for the diagnosis/reprogramming. I am reporting this because the failure occurred suddenly while the vehicle was being driven and resulted in significantly reduced braking ability, creating a serious risk of a crash. The vehicle had approximately 74,221 miles at the time of the incident. The dealer repair invoice documenting the codes and repair is available upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11762914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
from a stop during fast acceleration made a left turn and rear section or rear axle sounded like it went over a speed bump or wheels locked up, then transmission felt like it was in high gear, did not want to move , or very slowly , i accelerated rpm was 2k or 3k still moving very slowly, this was in heavy traffic. I notice that check engine light went on with TC, parking brake service , some pad lock ( dont know what the ped lock is). 2nd time this happen the parking light service light went on and the brakes locked up again in traffic. 0
NHTSA complaint #11762475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced various intermittent electrical failures while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that the power locks and windows either failed to operate as needed or independently operated while driving. The vehicle was inspected by a friend, and a potential issue with the ground fault cable was found. The friend recommended that a dealer inspect the vehicle. The contact stated that the instrument panel intermittently displayed the messages, "Steering Column Lock Needs Service", "Check Engine", and other unknown messages. Additionally, the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard while attempting to start the vehicle but resumed normal operation after the vehicle was started. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but has not yet been diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11761890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Complete brake system, master cylinder, pads, rotors. Only 75000+- miles. Morning start and the brakes are locked up. Had to get towed and the entire system needed to be replaced. So after several days and almost $5,000 I started driving home. After about 5 miles something fell off the front brakes and bounced along underneath but I was close to home so I continued and didn't need to apply the brakes until my driveway and then a terrible grinding sound. Called the dealer (Modern Chevrolet) Winston-Salem NC. Turns out the Einsteins who did the work forgot to tighten the bolts holding the rotor and one fell out and the other one was grinding against the wheel. So another extended stay at the dealership to correct this, a new wheel and correction to the brake components.
NHTSA complaint #11762018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While stopped at a highway red light, the vehicle jolted forward and numerous dash lights came on, including messages saying “Brake System Failure, Service ESC, Service Trailer Brake, Service Parking Brake, Engine Power Reduced, Power Steering Reduced.” This is the first time any of these messages have ever appeared. This made the vehicle incredibly difficult to steer and the braking ability was almost non-existent. Had this happened one minute earlier or later, a multi-vehicle and potentially fatal accident would likely have occurred. Vehicle was towed to a dealer who confirmed the error messages and severely reduced performance. To me, this seems consistent with GM service bulletins PIT5730 and 20-NA-073. The dealer, however, is quoting me $3,700 to repair the master cylinder and electronic control braking module. Whatever the case, this absolutely needs to be upgraded to a recall before this happens to somebody at the wrong time.
NHTSA complaint #11761729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While coming to a stop, a snap ring came off the brake master cylinder. Vehicle top speed was 40mph, with the parking brake automatically engaged. ***Note from mechanic: Vehicle has several brake faults, C05CC and C05CF master cylinder piston position sensor performance, C2A17 hydraulic brake sponginess, and C0277 brake pedal position sensor fault. Tech recommends Hydraulic Brake Unit replacement***
NHTSA complaint #11761533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving on the freeway and got a service trailer brake system and a brake system failure 62mph top speed. I exited the freeway and came to a stop sign and hit my brakes to stop but was unable to stop and blew through the stop sign. Luckily there were no cars at the intersection and I was by myself.
NHTSA complaint #11761733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I applied brake and pedal went straight to floor without any stopping. I had to steer into a ditch to avoid a collision resulting in more damage to steering system, frame, windshield and body. This was complete brake system failure and yes is available for inspection. I was in a very rural area at time and was able to avoid a collision however, if I had been in city or on highway it could have easily resulted in injury or fatalities. The problem is currently under federal investigation and has been widely reported as a serious problem which may soon result in widespread recall. The vehicle has not been inspected yet by dealership or anywhere else as it just happened 18 hours ago. There were no warning lights or chimes before the incident when pedal went to the floor. After incident dashboard lit up with warning lights including, Brake, ABS, Traction control, power steering, Collision system, Engine light, Steering Column and others. Truck speed limited to 43 mph. And pedal still goes to the floor without applying brakes.
NHTSA complaint #11761308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We recently had a brand new engine installed In our truck that only had 70k miles and only 7 years old due to white smoke coming out of tail pipe. The day after receiving the truck back after having the brand new engine installed the truck was not operating properly then gave me a bunch of warnings and then the brakes wouldn’t work and the steering wouldn’t work. I informed the dealership that installed the brand new engine and they had the truck towed back to their shop just to look at it for 3 days and proceed to tell me there was no issues they could find. Picked the truck back up just to have the same issue happen not even a month later. I was able to document the warnings and issues while they were happening and provided those to the dealership when we drop it off for the second time after getting a brand new $13k engine installed. If you would like the video I captured of the warnings I will happily send them.
NHTSA complaint #11760477 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On XXX, my Chevrolet Silverado experienced a sudden, severe loss of normal braking shortly after I dropped my child off at school. When I attempted to stop at a stop sign, the vehicle would not stop normally. The brake pedal remained firm, but braking effectiveness was drastically reduced and required extreme force. The dashboard simultaneously displayed multiple warnings involving the brake/ABS system, ESC, steering-column lock, and trailer-brake system. OnStar generated a diagnostic/safety report identifying fault/error code P062F. The vehicle then entered a reduced-speed/limp-mode condition. I was extremely fortunate this occurred within approximately one mile of Rick Hendrick Chevrolet of [XXX] and with little traffic around me. I was able to reach the dealership without a collision. Had this occurred at highway speed, the inability to stop normally could have resulted in a fatal crash. The incident also occurred immediately after school drop-off. Had I used the normal car line instead of parking and walking my child inside, this failure could have occurred among stopped vehicles while children were actively exiting them. I immediately brought the vehicle to Rick Hendrick Chevrolet. Despite the seriousness of the event, I do not believe the cause was adequately investigated. To my knowledge, a computer/software update was performed and I was essentially told to “let them know if it happens again.” They also asked what i was towing - nothing.I questioned whether an electrical fault or short could have caused the multiple simultaneous failures, but I am not aware of that possibility being investigated. Because another occurrence could cause serious injury or death, I refused to continue driving the vehicle and traded it in. I have now learned that the same vehicle is being offered for sale again. I am reporting this to NHTSA because I am concerned the underlying safety defect remains unresolved and could represent an early instance of a broader defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO
NHTSA complaint #11760341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I went to the store and my brakes were working as normal. When I started my truck to leave I had a hard pedal and there we several warnings on the dash. One said to get service and the other said to limit speed to 43 MPH. I had almost no braking power. Fortunately, I was close to home and the speed limit was 30 MPH all the way home. Once I arrived home I cleared the code with my ODBII scanner and the brakes worked as expected. If I was towing my boat this could have been a bad situation resulting in an accident. I haven't had the same issue in several days however this has to be a huge liability for GM. I'm sure that this is a known failure mode for GM.
NHTSA complaint #11759742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact called on behalf of a leased 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 company vehicle. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended or required significant force to come to a complete stop. No warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted due to company policy, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,413.
NHTSA complaint #11759790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When applying brakes at low speeds the brakes are unresponsive they sound rough and the vehicle does not come to a stop it skids forward, and an electric low whine occurs. This doesn't happen everytime. I took it in for Carvanas 30 day warranty and was told its because I drove it down the mountain grade while applying brakes and they didnt find anything wrong with the brake thus wouldn't be covered. Been seeing this vacuum issue with the brakes on this particular issue and seeing if I can get this resolved.
NHTSA complaint #11759276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes failed to engage while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact placed both feet on the brake pedal for the vehicle to come to a stop. No warning lights were illuminated. A dealer was contacted and made the contact aware of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 187,918.
NHTSA complaint #11758625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While traveling in bumper to bumper highway traffic in my 2022 Chevrolet Silverado RST, I attempted to accelerate and the vehicle suddenly malfunctioned. I experienced sever loss/restriction of propulsion and the vehicle would not respond normally to accelerator input. I was able to maneuver toward the shoulder of the road while avoiding a major multi-car pile up involving innocent motorists. When I attempted to stop, I did not have normal braking ability and was unable to stop in the manner I expected. I had to use the shoulder of the highway to slow the truck down until I could come to a complete stop. This created an immediate risk of serious or fatal collision on the highway, and as I maneuvered the truck out of traffic to the side of the road. Had I been unable to reach the shoulder of the road, I could have been struck by surrounding traffic. Had this failure occured un an urban area or at an intersection, near pedestrians, or at a school bus stop- I could have seriously injured or killed people or myself. After I was able to come to a complete stop. I shut it off and turned it back on, then the truck read there was no gas left (I had a 1/2 tank). This incident is not isolated electronic glitch, I have experienced electrical malfunctions including the truck failing to start, unlocking, responding at all. This all occured after an engine replacement due to a recall. I am concerned that there are unresolved electrical and power-distribution, communication-network, propulsion or braking issues that presents a serious safety risk to myself and others. My concern is that if this malfunction occurred on my drive to work in the city, around pedestrians- it could have resulted in multiple fatalities.
NHTSA complaint #11758426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and coming up to a stop sign, the vehicle lost braking functionality. The contact stated that the “Service Brake Assist” warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact was able to make a right turn and pumped the brakes for the vehicle to come to a complete stop. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.
NHTSA complaint #11757010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Almost had an accident in parking lot where my brakes were hard/spongy. I saw a recall for 2014 chevy silverado for brake booster pump but I was never informed of such recall at the time. I've had my truck since 2016. I notified dealership and they informed me that the timeframe has expired for them to repair.
NHTSA complaint #11756550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Turned from [XXX] into my street, about 9 houses down, i could not brake or turn steering wheel. Ended up hitting 2 cars, the problem was that the air bags did not deploy and the seat belt did not lock. truck was totalled. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11756532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact was alerted by OnStar of a failure with the stability system. While the contact’s husband was driving 45 MPH, the vehicle was jerking; the brakes were sticking while the brake pedal was depressed. The failure persisted while driving 50 MPH. The driver used the back roads while driving to the residence. The brakes and ABS warning lights were flashing quickly. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, and DTC: U0422, was retrieved. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V761000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Service Brakes, Electronic Stability Control (ESC); and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
NHTSA complaint #11754512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact was alerted by OnStar of a failure with the stability system. While the contact’s husband was driving 45 MPH, the vehicle was jerking; the brakes were sticking while the brake pedal was depressed. The failure persisted while driving 50 MPH. The driver used the back roads while driving to the residence. The brakes and ABS warning lights were flashing quickly. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, and DTC: U0422, was retrieved. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V761000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Service Brakes, Electronic Stability Control (ESC); and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
NHTSA complaint #11754512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.