10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 3 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 45,013 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
I was pulling into a parking space in a high school parking lot for my son's basketball tournament. As a applied the brakes to come to a complete stop, my truck would not stop. I ended up hitting a parked car and a cement light pole. My two daughters were in the truck with me and we were understandably shook up and emotional. The next day I received a letter in the mail from GM about the mechanical vacuum pump output may decrease at low speeds. I brought my truck into the dealership immediately and they diagnosed that the vacuum pump needed to be replaced. I am currently waiting for GM to reply in regards to how they will handle the damage to my truck and the other vehicle I hit.
- Otsego, MN, USA
2016 Chevy Suburban ltz model have a condition where driver experience brake pedal efforts, hard brake pedal, and potentially increased stopping distance. It happen while parallel parking, slowly going down the hill, the condition is more prevalent at low speed when softly applying the brakes. Mechanic mention mechanical vacuum pump output may decrease over time decreasing the amount of vacuum/power brake assist. It happen on highway while stop and go traffic, while parking, going down the hill.
- Woodbridge, VA, USA
The brake pedal is hard to push at low speeds in traffic. It is very difficult to get the car to come to a complete stop especially my wife. Its a shock because it shouldnt take a lot of effort to press the brakes but at low speed you really have too. We have had several near misses with rear ending the vehicle in front because of the difficulty pressing brake.
- Chesapeake, VA, USA
While driving vehicle, the brakes suddenly became very hard to depress. This caused the driver, my father who borrowed the vehicle, to have to two-foot the brake in order to get any sort of braking to occur. While doing this, he was moving at a 25-30 mph and had to steer into a parking lot. Stopping distance increased dramatically over what would have been a normal driving condition. After some time, while trying to hobble the vehicle to a mechanic and using only back roads, the brakes began to work again with full and normal feel on the brake pedal. It should be noted too that there was a loud sound coming from the brakes at that time and that rotors, brake pads, etc. Was all in good shape as is/was still in very good working order.
- Livonia, MI, USA
The brake pedal is hard to push at low speeds in traffic. It is difficult to get the car to come to a complete stop. Had several near misses with rear ending vehicle in front because of the difficulty pressing brake.
- Bastrop, TX, USA
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving low speeds, the brakes failed. The contact had to use force when depressing the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. Also, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
- Port St. Lucie, FL, USA
I have 2016 Suburban. 6 months ago I started feeling how hard it is to press on the break paddle, especially when I drive uphill or downhill. It was so bad that I almost ran into my house 3 times. I have a driveway sloped down. I took my car to dealer and they confirmed the hardship of pressing on the break paddle and replaced some pump costing me $750. I end up taking the case to the Chevrolet corporat and only was refunded $325. I feel like this is a big safety issue and a manufacturer defect. They should of covered entire bill and compensated for moral distress I incurred. Here is a link to same issue discussed: Https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/GM-brake-pedals-hard.shtml
- El Dorado Hills, CA, USA
Brake failure at speeds below 5 mph. Usually when backing into a parking space. Had to replace failed vacuum pump and hose to fix
- Ashburn, VA, USA
Sitting in traffic at dead stop and car started moving forward. Breaks were not working. Put car in park and turned off engine. Breaks started working. Took truck to dealership vacuum pump was defective.
- Channelview, TX, USA
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. While driving unknown speeds. The brake pedal was applied, but was difficult to depress. The brake light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to frank brown GMC (5802 Texas 327 spur, lubbock, tx 79424, (806) 853-8770) where it was diagnosed that the brake pads were rubbing on the rotors. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was also taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the brake booster needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 59,963.
- Lubbock, TX, USA
An intermittent issue where the bakes fail to engage at low speed. I've noticed it when pulling into parking spaces and inching forward in stop and go traffic. It feels as if there is no hydraulic pressure in the system, and I can feel the ABS pulsing the pedal when it happens. Took it to the GM dealer - they said the brake vacuum pump is failing. Full replacement of the pump is needed.
- Fairfax, VA, USA
When moving at slow speeds in both reverse and forward, brake pressure was lost causing pedal to go near floor and increasing stopping distance. Turned vehicle off/on, condition continued. Gained more speed (10-20 mph) in parking lot and normal braking returned. Plan to take to dealer tomorrow--will not allow wife/kids to continue to use vehicle with this defect. Pedal stiffness varied during incident akin to pedal feel when bleeding brakes; braking during incident felt like ABS pulsing on ice. Incident previously occurred with wife driving in reverse approximately two months ago. One incident occurred in drive through, another incident while backing out of parking spot in parking lot.
- Bel Air, MD, USA
While traveling at 35 mph with my 3 children. I came to a red light and attempted to stop, but the brake pedal was so stiff that I was unable to stop in time. Luckily there were no vehicles in the intersection as I could not brake and had to take the red light. I came to a halt as I ran into a parking lot median. I took it to lake Chevrolet and found that I was a 105 miles out of the extended warranty. Now I am left with a $1000+ bill that could have been avoided if GM would notify customers of faulty brake booster. This incident could have been worse. I had just exited the freeway traveling at speeds of 65 mph+ I no longer feel safe in vehicle. I have read to many complains about this same issue and it keeps returning even after repairs.
- Corona, CA, USA
Brakes wont stop in carpool on second stop. They lock up. Ive almost run into the car in front and almost ran into a kid!! dealership said it was just my brake pad and not covered byt I said it only happens in this one situation. Also - my screen/radio/movie just blacks out with no power for mo reason and fir days and then comes back. Screen was replaced once but its happening again. Had to pay 2 for to be fixed. And body molding has com off twice when front and bsck door open at same time. And window shield or attenta are letting water in my roof near my electrinic at rearview mirror. I dont have a sunroof, it should not leak! it only has 43K mikes and is warraty til 50K w extended warranty I bought but nothing is covered. First dealer told me I didnt have extended warranty. Then I went back and fkund my palerwork, now they concede I do. But they are now saying its brake pump, which they will fix, but I still have to pay labkr and new belts. They bave to remove belts to repair brake pump, which stretches belts - but they say thats not covered, nor he labor. Lots of moms with Suburban in carpool - this is a dangerous disaster waiting to kill children. Can someway say - mandatory recall? it was so scary the first time it happened but then I thought nothing bc at higher slpeds or when hitting gas betw brakes it diesnt happens. Only during school carpool.
- St. Simond Island, GA, USA
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.
- Prosper, TX, USA
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. Vehicle did stop but peddle had to go to floor.. this on 10/20/2018 the second time, my wife was driving with me and midway on a long trip, came off the interstate in SC to get gas and at very slow speed while in the gas station the brake peddle lost pressure and had to go to floor to stop. 10/28/2018 has not happened since these dates as of 12/1/2018
- Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA
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. Today, I was in town and backing out of a parking space, the brake pedal stuck again and my Suburban kept going back. There were other vehicles parked near me, I put it in drive once again as soon as I could. I drove through town to my next stop and called my husband to tell him what happened. The Suburban drove fine through town, I was very cautious and scared. As I was pulling into the parking place of my next stop, the brake pedal did it again. I had already mentally prepared for what to do if this happened again, so this time I mashed my emergency brake, just barely stopping before hitting the car parked in front of me. My husband told me not to drive it, he was coming to get me and our kids, we called Chevrolet roadside service. A wrecker came and towed it to a nearby dealership. It will be the middle of next week before they can look at it. Dealership didn't have any courtesy cars, so I am out of pocket for a rental right now, but I don't have a choice. I can't put my children's, mine, or other's lives in danger. We bought this Suburban new and it has 36K miles on it. Of course at this point I have no idea what the issue is, so that's why I got online and began researching, after I found the other complaints I figured since this sounds like the same issue, I need to report it.
- Franklin, KY, USA
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. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,000.
- Ellenwood, GA, USA
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. Problem continued to get progressively worse where I could not even stop the car. I finally took it into the dealership and they replaced the brake vacume pump. There were a few times especially on hill parking that I thought I was going to hit another car. It only happened while parking, traffic or drive troughs at low speeds
- Tulsa, OK, USA
- Edmonds, WA, USA