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Home›GMC›GMC Sierra› brake problems
Owner complaints · Service Brakes · every model year

GMC Sierra brake problems, 2016–2026

540 of the 4,555 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the GMC Sierra 2016–2026 name the brakes (NHTSA’s “Service Brakes” heading — the hydraulic brakes, ABS and brake assist). The loudest years: 2017 (127), 2019 (123), 2016 (114). Filed under the same heading across these years: 6 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.

540 complaints, 11 model years 12% of everything filed about the Sierra typically at 32k miles

GMC Sierra brake problems by model year

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

One 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 yearComplaints naming the brakesShare of the year’sTypically atOn file under the heading
20260——3 TSBsthe year →
20250———the year →
20240———the year →
2023174%—1 recallthe year →
2022325%——the year →
2021244%——the year →
2020 in depth5511%7k1 recallthe record →
2019 in depth12318%8k2 recallsthe record →
20184815%20k2 recallsthe year →
2017 in depth12730%45k1 recallthe record →
2016 in depth11430%45k1 recall · 1 investigationthe 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.

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When the brake complaints were filed, and at what mileage

Source: NHTSA complaint database
540complaints name the brakes, all years

Filed per calendar year, every model year together: 2017: 3 · 2018: 32 · 2019: 86 · 2020: 109 · 2021: 45 · 2022: 79 · 2023: 64 · 2024: 39 · 2025: 56 · 2026: 27

32kmiles, typically

Across the model years, half of the 278 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the brake problem between 8,000 and 51,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed 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.

October 2019 went to the dealership to have breaks worked on given recent recall about the mechanical vacuum pump output may decrease over time, decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist.
Service Brakes at 35,000 miles Jan 24, 2020 NHTSA owner report
Vehicle frequently exhibits loss of braking power. When this occurs, something sounding like the ABS systems is sometimes engaged by the vehicle and other times not. While GM claims braking performance meets federal standards, the braking power is greatly reduced when the hydraulic system is engaged and almost non-existent when neither…
Service Brakes at 36,500 miles Jan 3, 2020 NHTSA owner report
The first issue is a bluetooth issue. The phone volume goes silent when I get in my vehicle. If I connect to car play, it works. I have missed important calls due to this issue. This started in july of 2019 and its not fixed yet. GM says it apple. Apple says its GM I do not care just fix it. Second see below images. You know the issue.
Service Brakes at 10,366 miles Feb 19, 2020 NHTSA owner report
After starting my vehicle remotely using on-star, my brakes stopped functioning properly... After remote starting the vehicle using my on-star app, we entered it, depressed the brake and pressed the start button.
Service Brakes at 2,393 miles Feb 5, 2020 NHTSA owner report
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.
Service Brakes at 77,000 miles Oct 11, 2020 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the brakes, across the years

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year

NHTSA investigation

Other systems with a record on the GMC Sierra

Source: the same files

Every system, every model year: GMC Sierra problems by year →

From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Which GMC Sierra years have the most brake complaints?

2017, 127; 2019, 123; 2016, 114. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2017 (30%).

Is there a recall for the brakes on the GMC Sierra?

Yes — 6 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 24V674000 (2023), 20V603000 (2018), 20V116000 (2020), 20V055000 (2019). 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 GMC Sierra?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 31,500 miles across the model years; half of them between 8,000 and 51,000. 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.