2016 GMC Sierra brake problems
114 of the 377 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Sierra 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 database9 of the 114 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 9 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2017: 2 · 2018: 20 · 2019: 37 · 2020: 18 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 10 · 2023: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 3
Half of the 78 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the brake problem between 37,000 and 64,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
377 complaints in all about the 2016 GMC Sierra, 3 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: GMC Sierra 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.
Apparently, the 8 speed automatic transmission has issues with wiring harness and hard shifting which the manufacturer has 18 service bulletins out on yet still will not recall and fix problems. Also the brake system is faulty and unsafe it loses pressure and even braking at various speeds.
The contact owns a 2016 Gmc Sierra Denali. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being reversed at under 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to operate as intended. The contact crashed into a tree which caused damage to the passenger's side door, fender and side mirror. There was no injuries.
Brake failure issue at low speed. This happened in two separate occurrences in parking lots. The brake pedal became very still and required grabbing the steering wheel and using it to pull myself down harder on the brake pedal to get the vehicle to stop. This resulted in greatly increased stopping distance.
At 44,972 miles I began to experience loss of braking at slow speeds (10-15 MPH) on multiple occasions. The brake pedal lost its spongy feel and felt hard and dead. No matter how much pressure I applied to the brake pedal, my truck continued to roll forward.
At 38,200 miles, the truck experienced a loss of break pressure while in a parking garage traveling at low speed causing the vehicle to narrowly miss hitting a concrete upright. After realizing there was a break issue, vehicle was able to be carefully moved from the parking garage by coasting on the break.
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 GMC Sierra names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 GMC Sierra
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 92 complaints
- electrical problems 58 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre brake problems common on the 2016 GMC Sierra?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 114 owner complaints naming the brakes on this model year (30% 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 GMC Sierra?
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 GMC Sierra?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 45,000 miles; half of them between 37,000 and 64,000. 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.