Chevrolet Suburban brake problems, 2016–2027
168 of the 1,116 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Suburban 2016–2027 name the brakes (NHTSA’s “Service Brakes” heading — the hydraulic brakes, ABS and brake assist). The loudest years: 2016 (82), 2017 (44), 2018 (14). Filed under the same heading across these years: 2 recall campaigns, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Chevrolet Suburban brake problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the brakes | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2026 | 0 | — | — | 2 TSBs | the year → |
| 2025 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2024 | 5 | 12% | — | 1 recall | the year → |
| 2023 | 7 | 5% | — | 1 recall | the year → |
| 2022 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2021 | 9 | 5% | — | — | the year → |
| 2020 | 3 | 7% | — | — | the year → |
| 2019 | 4 | 5% | — | — | the year → |
| 2018 | 14 | 17% | — | 1 recall | the year → |
| 2017 | 44 | 31% | 55k | 1 recall | the year → |
| 2016 in depth | 82 | 37% | 64k | 1 recall · 1 investigation | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the brakes. Nothing here is a rate.
When the brake complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2017: 2 · 2018: 17 · 2019: 47 · 2020: 17 · 2021: 20 · 2022: 19 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 9 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 7
Across the model years, half of the 85 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the brake problem between 39,000 and 84,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the brakes, from the model years with the most to say. 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.
Brake pedal became very hard to press and wouldnt stop the vehicle, nearly causing an accident. The service brake assist light came on. I had the code pulled by a local garage. The code said the brake vacuum pump had failed. Vehicle on has 60000 miles
When driving on highway and when to apply brake pedal was hard and didn't respond I had to slowly pull to the side and the car finally brakes after I literally had to stand on brake pedal . No warning lights brake pedal extremely hard
My rear left tire locks when I’m doing sharp turns and I don’t see any traction control lights come on when that happens
What is on file about the brakes, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year
- 24V674000 ModerateSep 12, 2024 · 449,671 vehicles
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, and Escalade ESV vehicles. The electronic brake control module software may fail to display a warning light when a loss of brake fluid occurs. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
- 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…
Other systems with a record on the Chevrolet Suburban
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Chevrolet Suburban problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Chevrolet Suburban years have the most brake complaints?
2016, 82; 2017, 44; 2018, 14. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2016 (37%).
Is there a recall for the brakes on the Chevrolet Suburban?
Yes — 2 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 24V674000 (2024), 19V645000 (2018). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do brake problems show up on the Chevrolet Suburban?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 56,650 miles across the model years; half of them between 39,000 and 84,000. 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.