While towing the family boat on secondary roadways, I attempted to stop in heavy traffic, when I pressed on the brake pedal it went completely to the floor and both the truck and boat continued rolling towards stopped traffic. I was only able to stop the vehicle by manually operating the parking brake. Had I not had the presence of mind to utilize the parking brake I would have collided with the…
2006 Chevrolet Suburban brakes problems
moderate 9 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $450 · see brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
9
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
When does it fail?
Of the 9 brakes complaints filed for the 2006 Chevrolet Suburban, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 6 model years of Chevrolet Suburban in our records for brakes problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA brakes complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
On december 2, 2016, I was driving the SUV with my family members inside. I was traveling in state highway about 55 MPH when a car in front of me began slowing down. I attempted to slow down as well by pressing the brake pedal but the brakes did not immediately engage. I then pressed the brake pedal hard which for about 1 second caused the wheels to lock. As the brake pedal continued to be…
Driving at 60 MPH and applied brakes hard to avoid hitting deer that came on to road. Vehicle began to slow then suddenly lost nearly all braking power as peddle went to floor . Went well past an uncontrolled intersection that was thankfully empty of traffic. Subsequent inspection revealed two burst brake lines where 4 lines are grouped on frame near back of front driver door. Severe rust. *tr
Corrosion of hard brake line at driver / left side rear, partly hidden from view. Not seen during inspections. Condition discovered following surface roadway incident. Vehicle was stationary, in drive, pointed downhill at stoplight. Brake pedal slowly started going down. Pumping brake helped a bit, but soon the pedal started falling again and the vehicle started moving forward. Putting…
While approaching exit ramp in delaware (exit 1a) traffic slowed so I began to hit my brakes to slow and all of a sudden the brake pedal hit the floor and I could not stop I almost hit the vehicle in front of me with the exception of fast maneuvering of which my dash cam caught, I swerved to the left lane to avoid a collision then hit the emergency brakes and got back into the off ramp then I…
I was driving with my friend and our 6 children and I applied the brakes when another car in front stopped suddenly. The brakes did not work and the pedal went to the floor. At the repair shop all the brake lines are brittle. *tr
Had brakes trouble with your 2006 Chevrolet Suburban?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2006 Chevrolet Suburban?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 9 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $450 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 9 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 114,571 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Chevrolet/Suburban.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.