2016 Chevrolet Suburban brake problems
82 of the 220 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban name the brakes (NHTSA’s “Service Brakes” heading — the hydraulic brakes, ABS and brake assist). Filed under the same heading: 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the brakes
Source: NHTSA complaint database6 of the 82 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 5 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2017: 2 · 2018: 13 · 2019: 31 · 2020: 8 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2026: 5
Half of the 50 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the brake problem between 43,000 and 90,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
220 complaints in all about the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban, 5 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Service Brakes” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Suburban brake problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the brakes. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
When reversing the vehicle, the brakes became stiff and didn't work properly. In order to get the SUV to stop, excessive force had to be used on the brake pedal. We narrowly missed another car. We turned the car off and on and had the same issue going in reverse and forward. Tow truck took it to the dealership
Bought vehicle new with zero miles from Chevrolet dealer in 2016. Had approx 69,000 miles when these two events below happened. The first instance my wife was driving alone and at the end of a long trip in a hotel parking lot in nc charlotte area.. No brake pressure at a very slow speed after coming off interstate.
A few weeks ago, I was backing out of a driveway and my brake pedal became stiff and would not move. My 2016 Suburban ltz kept sliding, I stood on the brake even though it wasn't slowing and shifted to drive. I tried again, it happened a couple of times, but I attributed it to the rain.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving 10 MPH, the vehicle failed to come to a complete stop when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact mentioned that excessive pressure was needed on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. While driving at high speeds, an abnormal noise was detected from the vehicle.
Since buying this car in 2016 I have had brake problems but did not realize. Anytime I put it reverse or forward while parking my brake pedal would get so hard., it was very hard to step on it to stop the car. Computer kept saying brake assist and I never thought much of it.
What is on file about the brakes
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 19V645000 HighSep 6, 2019 · 3,456,719 vehicles
- 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.
NHTSA investigation
- PE18012 Brake Vacuum Pump Failureopened Nov 20, 2018 · closed Apr 10, 2022
- 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 S…
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre brake problems common on the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 82 owner complaints naming the brakes on this model year (37% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the brakes on the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 19V645000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do brake problems show up on the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 64,000 miles; half of them between 43,000 and 90,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Service Brakes" heading cover?
The hydraulic brakes, ABS and brake assist. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.