Service Brakes Problems of GMC Sierra 1500 - part 1

At speeds of 65-75, both with the adaptive cruise control enabled and disabled, I accelerated a little bit to pick up speed and pass another vehicle. The vehicle responded initially by gaining speed, then it feels like I hit something and the front brakes lock up for 1-2 seconds and the tires start screeching from sliding, then everything resumes to normal. I was very shocked during a recent roadtrip when this happened 4-5 times. I feel like my safety and my family’s safety is at risk and of the 2 dealerships I called, they don’t prioritize it and make it seem like a minor repair.

See all problems of the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

While driving at approximately 60 mph on an open road with no obstacles present and no braking input, the rear wheels spontaneously locked up without warning. No brake pedal input. No warning light prior to the event. No obstruction in the road. The vehicle has been subject to an active manufacturer recall for rear wheel lockup due to transmission control valve failure. The dealer's own diagnostic system generated a report showing six active fault codes in the following days including lost communication with the brake system control module and transmission control module. These codes were not addressed on the repair order. The dealer attributed the lockup to an automatic emergency braking activation without diagnostic confirmation and performed no repair. The manufacturer's own internal bulletin dated January 22, 2026 acknowledges the exact fault codes present on this vehicle as a known defect. The dealer cited this bulletin to dismiss the concern while stating no problems exist. A persistent brake noise has been confirmed by two separate authorized dealers across three visits with no repair performed at any visit. The vehicle has required five dealer visits in 77 days of ownership with 1,729 miles. The defect remains unresolved and poses serious risk of loss of vehicle control at highway speed.

Vehicle experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure characterized by a percussive "shotgun blast" noise from the rear chassis, followed by an immediate, total loss of braking power (pedal to the floor) and a violent loss of directional stability. This incident represents an aggravated safety failure of known gmt900 platform defects. The technical chain of causality began with the factory exhaust manifold fasteners suffering a metallurgical shear, a universal defect documented under gm bulletins 19-na-218, pip5075, and pip4701. This shear created a high-velocity, high-heat exhaust leak directed at the brake master cylinder and vacuum assembly. This "heat soak" event compromised the engine-mounted mechanical brake vacuum pump (recall n192268490 / NHTSA 19v645) and destroyed the internal seals of the master cylinder (special coverage 15143 / NHTSA 11v599), resulting in total depletion of vacuum assist and hydraulic pressure. Simultaneously, the "shotgun blast" and violent swerve were caused by structural failure consistent with rear brake caliper bolt fracture (gm 13247 / NHTSA 13v342) and rear axle shaft/pin fracture (gm 14892 / NHTSA 14v819). This mechanical collapse caused the caliper to strike the wheel, resulting in a catastrophic rim blowout and immediate loss of tire pressure. Despite the vehicle having aftermarket long-tube headers installed, the root cause of the heat-related brake failure was the failure of the oem gm manifold fasteners which snapped off in the cylinder head, as documented in the aforementioned bulletins. Under the magnuson-moss warranty act, the manufacturer remains liable for these pre-existing safety-critical defects. The vehicle is at glenn polk Chevrolet for a 901-series product allegation investigation (case #90199492). This report is filed to demand federal oversight into these life-threatening defects. The combo of failed fasteners, rim blowout, and compromised braking created a vehicle that was both unable to be steered or stopped.

See all problems of the 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The brakes suddenly activate and cause the vehicle to rapidly stop with no warning of any kind and without any braking action being taken by the driver. Then, the brakes do not release and the vehicle cannot be moved as the brakes remain on. Turning the engine off and then restarting it or shifting to other gears does not release the brakes. The vehicle remains immobile and cannot be driven. After a few hours have passed, like overnight, the brakes release and the vehicle can started and driven just as if nothing had happened. A message briefly appears on the vehicle information screen each time this inadvertent braking occurs. It reads, “brake failure system”. These brake lockdowns occurred when driving on streets and in the driveway. No accident resulted but could have easily occurred. This is dangerous for a driver and occupants of a vehicle with this safety flaw as well as for other people and vehicles in the vicinity. This has happened five times. The last two instances resulted in the vehicle being loaded onto a tow truck and taken to a dealer of the vehicle’s manufacture. Thus far the dealership has not found what may be causing this intermittent braking problem.

See all problems of the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

This complaint involves a sudden failure of my vehicle’s anti-lock braking system (abs) and forward collision warning system, both of which are critical safety systems. While driving my [xxx] son to school, multiple warning lights suddenly appeared on the dashboard without any prior indication of a problem. The vehicle displayed a warning message instructing me not to exceed 36 miles per hour, and several system alerts activated simultaneously, my abs brake system failed and a transmission failure warning. These issues appeared suddenly while the vehicle was in normal operation. Prior to this incident, the vehicle had been functioning perfectly. The evening before, I had driven the vehicle to pick up my son from wrestling practice with no issues. The following morning, during a routine trip to school, these critical safety warnings appeared without warning. Because the warnings involved the braking system, I immediately took the vehicle to beach Buick GMC for inspection. The dealership diagnosed the issue as a software failure affecting the braking system and informed me that the vehicle required a software update and system download in order to restore proper operation of the brakes and related safety systems. I was required to pay over $300 for this repair because my vehicle is approximately 3,000 miles outside of the warranty period. However, I believe a failure involving the braking system and safety warnings should not occur suddenly in a properly functioning vehicle and should not be treated as a normal maintenance expense. I contacted **general motors customer service to ask why a failure involving a critical safety system would not be covered or investigated further. The only explanation provided was that the vehicle was outside of the warranty period. I requested a written explanation of their decision for my records, but I was told that providing written explanations is against company policy. I have more to say but I am out of characters. . . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of informa.

See all problems of the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

While traveling at low speeds in parking lots and in the operation of parking, my 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 gets a hard brake pedal that goes to the floor but I have no brakes. I almost hit a person in a local grocery store parking lot, at the bank driving up to the atm, and I almost lost my truck over a bank because the brakes failed. This has happened multiple times at low speeds but it is getting more consistent recently. It has endangered myself and others. It is only a matter of time until damage occurs or someone gets hurt.

See all problems of the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brakes seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact attempted to drive the vehicle several times, but the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. Due to the failures, the contact was almost in two crashes. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a brake module reset. The independent mechanic contacted the dealer and was informed that the brake module needed to be reset. The technician from the dealer installed the software for the brake module reset, and the vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was retrieved, but the failure reoccurred a month later. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be inspected by the engineer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was advised to continue driving the vehicle. The contact was advised to disable all the safety features. The contact stated that two major crashes were averted and refused to drive the vehicle until it was repaired. The contact stated that the failure was common with the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

See all problems of the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Break system failed while driving. Multiple warning lights came on including break system failire, service steering column lock, service traction control, service esc and service brake pad monitor. This happened as I was driving and I could barely stop the truck. I had my wife and kids in the car. Luckily, I was not driving very fast and was not in a congested or had to stop quickly. If I had to stop fast or was in a congested area this could have causes a life threatening accident.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firm and unresponsive, and the vehicle was difficult to stop. The vehicle eventually came to a stop with the abs warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 132,235.

See all problems of the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Lost brakes and couldn’t stop the truck.

See all problems of the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the braking system had erroneously activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop in the middle of the road. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the failure was caused by an engine malfunction of the number six cylinder. The vehicle was repaired. No further information was available. After retrieving the vehicle, the contact was driving approximately 10 mph when the failure reoccurred and the braking system erroneously activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop. During the incident, the driver's head slammed into the steering wheel, causing a head laceration. No medical treatment was required. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 120,000.

1. )when driving the vehicle it will randomly shutoff while driving with loss of brakes and steering until it will randomly turn back on. The vehicle experiences intermittent electronic and drivability malfunctions. The issue appears to involve one or more vehicle control modules and/or electronic systems. At times, warning lights and system messages appear, and vehicle performance is affected. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. )these failures create a serious safety risk because they occur without warning while driving. The vehicle may lose normal functionality, display multiple warnings, or behave unpredictably. If this occurs in traffic, at speed, or while maneuvering, it could increase the risk of a crash or leave the vehicle stranded in an unsafe location. Furthermore on 3 separate circumstances I came close to crashing the vehicle putting at risk lives in the vehicle and outside. 3. )the problem is intermittent and has been difficult to reproduce on demand. I have taken the truck to the dealership multiple times. The dealership has stated that because the issue is not actively occurring when they have the vehicle, they have been unable to duplicate the concern and have instructed me to continue driving it until the issue happens again. Despite this, the problem continues to return during normal use. 4. )the vehicle has been inspected by the authorized dealership on multiple occasions. To my knowledge, it has not been inspected directly by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. 5. )intermittent warning lights and system messages appear, including at times a check engine light and other alerts. These warnings may appear suddenly as the truck shuts off and then disappear after the vehicle is turned off and restarted. Another thing to point out is that the audio and turn signal chime cut off randomly. The issue first began while the vehicle was already in normal use and has continued to reoccur since.

My truck braked for a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road. This vehicle was not in my lane or hazardous in any way. I was traveling at highway speed 55 mph and truck braked to 30 mph approximately with no pre warning this has not happened before or after. The truck has about 26k on it.

While driving in my uncongested neighborhood, my brakes totally failed. Dash indicated multiple brake failure warnings. I managed to get my truck stopped and returned home by engaging my low range, four wheel drive. If I had been in on the open road, going down a hill, negotiating a curve, or in traffic a crash would have ocurred, potentially fatality. My vehicle was towed to a GMC dealership. They diagnosed the problem in the electronic braking module with a software update needed. My vehicle is a 2019, but had only 23,283 miles at the time of the braking failure.

First my torque converter went out, no warning lights only shaking wehn shifting, I got it replaced already it cost me $2400 second warning light service for brakes, traction and power steering come on and off. And sometimes truck doesn't brake well and steering wheel feels hard to drive, it has happened while on expressway with family. Third engine oil low add oil warning sign comes up alot and I have to add oil, engine has a rough idle now, also when I turn truck on smoke comes out while having a rough idle, recently it started knocking, I haven't moved the truck since than.

The contact owns a 2026 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting into reverse(r), the vehicle failed to move while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact felt a hesitation while depressing the brake and accelerator pedals, and the contact then attempted to restart the vehicle. The contact restarted the vehicl;e however, while attempting to accelerate, the brakes independently activated. Despite the repeated failure, the contact was able to pull into a gas station to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle finally resumed normal operation, and the contact drove the vehicle to the residence. The next day, the contact test drove the vehicle, and the failure reoccurred while the contact was attempting to park the vehicle in a parking spot. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where a diagnostic test produced 7 fault codes; however, the mechanic was unable to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the manufacturer stated that there was a communication disconnect between the contact and the dealer. A case was filed with the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 300.

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 45-50 mph, the check engine warning light and the brake warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine, and the vehicle decelerated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that all the engine lifters and the camshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA action number: ea25007 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer offered to partially cover the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was 107,787.

I was out one day for lunch and my brakes stopped working on my truck. I had the truck towed after I limped home in it. The master cylinder failed at 4,200 miles causing the brakes to fail. It was replaced by the dealership.

I loose brake pedal at low speeds seen gm has recall for vacuum pump but shows mine not in recall.

See all problems of the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Recently, I just purchased my vehicle from wally edgar chervolet with no open recalls on the vehicle. As of September 29th, 2025 for my very first oil change on the vehicle I was made aware for 4 open recalls which was told to me at the time of purchase. The dealership closed the all recalls without actually checking my make the vehicle was safe to drive. The recall numbers are: n252510321, n222362040, n212356230, n222357620.

On Monday, [xxx], at about 1730 hours was traveling southbound at 45mph on [xxx] approaching the [xxx] intersection. Vehicle alerted to the following codes on the dash; escape, traction control, check engine light, brake system failure, "do not exceed 62 mph". I took foot off accelerator and looked up and noticed the traffic light turning red. I applied pressure to the brake and noticed there was no brake pressure at all, and the vehicle continued to roll forward towards the intersection. I put the truck in low gear to slow and continued to pump the brake rapidly. As the truck gradually slowed I turned truck off until it came to a stop. When I restarted the truck the brake hydraulic pressure returned and only the check engine light remained on. I took the truck to reliable GMC in the roseville automall the next morning. The service department claimed the agm battery was bad and caused the front brake caliper sensor to throw a low voltage code causing a cascade event of codes throughout the system. The loss of my brakes nearly caused me to enter an intersection unwillingly and could have led to a serious accident. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2022 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at speeds over 20 mph, the vehicle began shaking and the transmission shifted prematurely and hard. The contact stated that the check engine, traction control, abs, transmission, and other unknown warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that on one occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to slow down as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, he depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact stated he drove across four lanes of traffic and regained control of the vehicle. The contact stated that as he was slowing for a traffic signal, he again depressed the brake pedal. The contact stated that the pedal went to the floorboard, and the vehicle would not stop. The contact stated no warnings illuminated. The contact stated that his vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle in front of him. The contact stated that there were scratches on his front bumper and no damage to the other vehicle. There were no injuries, and the police were not called. The contact stated that both vehicles were able to drive away. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the master brake cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.

This has now happened 4 times and I'm taking the truck to the dealership to figure out what the issue is. At high speeds, 65 to 75 mph, on the freeway, the rear brakes suddenly lock up for no apparent reason. Extremely dangerous for myself and surrounding vehicles, especially behind me. The most recent incident pretty much gave me whiplash because it's unexpected with no warnings whatsoever. The freeway was clear, with light traffic. I was almost rear ended because the vehicle behind me had no reason to believe the my vehicle was going to suddenly come to an abrupt stop. I looked up any known similar issues for the 2023 model, and found that there GMC did a recall for similar issues on the up to 2022 models, but that the issue had been resolved. Obviously it hasn't.

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle started running abnormally rough, promptly the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The message “service traction control” was displayed, and the abs warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it had not yet been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.

No wreck.

See all problems of the 2000 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

I purchased a 2025 GMC denali a few months ago. At approximately 7,000 miles, the front brakes failed unexpectedly and were replaced by the dealership. However, by 14,000 miles, I began experiencing brake issues again. Before I could return the vehicle for service, I was driving on the turnpike when the engine suddenly seized without warning. This created an extremely dangerous situation—vehicles behind me nearly collided as I lost power and control. I managed to pull over safely, but the tow truck operator struggled to load the vehicle due to all four wheels locking up and the engine being completely seized. Once the vehicle was inspected at the dealership, I was informed that the engine had failed and would need to be replaced. I am aware of the recurring issues associated with the 6. 2l GMC engines and related component failures, and I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle. Given the repeated mechanical failures and the serious safety risks involved, I am formally requesting that GMC initiate a buyback of this vehicle. I believe this situation qualifies under lemon law protections and warranty obligations, and I urge GMC to take immediate action to resolve this matter.

See all problems of the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 has an electronic parking brake (epb) that bolts on to the rear calipers. The epb does not release, in order for service, you have to long press the parking brake, then the truck goes into service mode & will release the brakes for service, some newer models may not have this feature. The vehicle has 36,000 miles on it & the inside rear brake rotors are worn down from the epb dragging & not releasing as supposed to, causing excessive premature wear & that could cause a safety hazard fleet wide. The epb should not be in use while the vehicle is moving, but it is coded to not release, meaning whenever you press the brake it never moves back out away from the rotor, causing drag & or even can cause warping of the rotor. I do not understand the thought process in regards to not letting the epb release, it acts like the screw type caliper that would have the same issues of every time it moves out it will not go in until taken apart & screwed in, again meaning the brake pad is constantly dragging on the rotor which could in turn also affect the miles per gallon. I see the thought process to use epb as useful but not a good execution by the manufacturer.

See all problems of the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Was driving down the freeway around 65 miles an hour attempted to pass a truck when the steering started wobbling the abs that ems and the breaking system came on with the check engine light almost had no control and barely avoided having an accident the only way it went back to normal was slowing down.

My vehicle displayed numerous brake failure codes and limited my speed to 43mph. When taken into my local GMC dealer the diagnostics I was given were a bad/leaking master cylinder. This vehicle has 16,200 miles on it and was never used for towing or hauling. The brakes are hard and brake assist has clearly failed. I’ve found numerous recalls and issues with other year vehicles from GMC, yet they are denying any liability on my vehicle. They want over $3000 to replace the master cylinder even though there’s no physical leak observed via fluid loss. This is a major safety concern when a major brake component fails on such a low mileage vehicle. This truck also has a well known seal leak on the rear window that causes mold to grow inside of the vehicle cabin. Apparently no one has died yet so they have not been forced to put out a recall. Consumers should not be forced to spend thousands of dollars on major components on such low mileage vehicles. Especially when it comes to safety items like braking. I’ve researched this for hours and have found this has been a known issue on these 2020 models many people. Some even brand new after driving them off the dealership lot. Clearly there is an issue and the manufacturer refuses to address it.

Gm is recommending that I replace my brakes for the 3rd time within 30,000 miles but cannot explain the irregular wear. I am confident that there is a larger issue causing this is the brakes failing are just a symptom of a larger issue that have failed to address after 6 dealership visits, escalating (twice - due to first advisor never getting back to me) to gm customer care, emailing an executive, regional service manager, and countless hours to fix the safety issue of my brakes (and the larger root cause issue). Gm customer care case #[xxx] - brake safety issue 2024 GMC sierra at4 (VIN: [xxx]) - 46,000 miles Nov 2023: 1st visit - brake squeal at 25k. Pads replaced, gm denied warranty. Early 2024: safety issue returned at 30k miles. May 2025: 2nd visit - worsening brake noise. Dealer couldn't replicate despite video evidence. Recommended $500 repair. Manager acknowledged "irregular/abnormal" wear. June 2025: 3rd & 4th visits - tech found unexplained "weird line" on pad. Manager kyle confirmed unusual wear but no root cause identified. June opened gm case #[xxx] after dealership failures. July 7: gm failed to coordinate promised appointment. July 5th visit - les stanford Buick GMC, ferndale. Tech rode with me, confirmed brake safety issue but offered no solution. Critical safety concern: recurring brake defect with abnormal wear patterns acknowledged by multiple technicians. Same brake failure pattern occurring 3 times in 18 months poses serious safety risk. Despite 5 dealership visits, video evidence, and confirmed defect, gm refuses warranty coverage while acknowledging the problem exists. Issue remains unresolved - I've exhausted all customer remedies. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Brake pedal pivot nut came loose and fell off while driving.

Starting vehicle in parking lot and backing out of parking space. Brakes failed and truck continued to roll backwards almost hitting a pedestrian. I was able to stop hard on the pedal and stop the vehicle. This has happened several times. I have a steep driveway and backing down to the street the brake pedal will unexpectedly have little resistance and the truck will continue to roll into the street almost hitting oncoming traffic.

I was test driving this 2017 Sierra 1500 slt and experienced issues while braking. Issues with brakes as the vacuum level drops the brake assist decreases which meant I had to use excessive force to get the vehicle to stop. No warning light, nothing to tell me there is a low pressure brake. This could result in a fatality if a small animal or child walks/runs in front of the truck while truck is moving forward or backwards at low speeds. The dealer doesn’t acknowledge any recall on this vehicle because it isn’t noted as such with gm. I worry that all of the other recalls (4 others) may be an issue too, which include frontal airbags not deploying during an accident, faulty wheel sensor causes opposite wheel to engage and cause the vehicle to pull to one side, fuel leak, and child seat anchoring restraint instructions not included in the owners manual.

Pressing the brakes more than once locks the brakes up multiple times this has happened. Not an isolated event.

See all problems of the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.