Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
severe 15 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $450 · see brakes across all vehicles →
No new NHTSA brakes complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Overall braking performance may be compromised, increasing the risk of a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This informational bulletin instructs the tech when fuel/fluid is needed to be tested and where it can be sent for analysis.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This informational bulletin advises the technician to check for faults that may be caused by the trailer otherwise found by a possible faulty trailer connector.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This technical bulletin provides a procedure to inform drivers that under certain driving conditions such as hilly or mountainous roads accompanied with frequent braking, that the original equipment front brake pads may wear prematurely.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary information communicates an issue with premature brake pad life and engineering is working on release new pad lining material.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Owners describe brake failures ranging from serious to catastrophic. Most critical: several report complete brake loss at low and highway speeds—pedal drops to floor with little or no stopping power. One owner had brake fluid leak visible on floor mats at 25 mph near an intersection; another lost brakes on I-90 at 80 mph while traveling; a third experienced brake failure three separate times at under 10 mph, once causing an accident. One collision occurred when the automatic emergency braking system failed to deploy at 3,400 miles, leaving the driver unable to stop.
A separate group reports the master cylinder failing or needing replacement—one owner has had it replaced twice since October 2024 and needed a third replacement. One dealer blamed battery failure for brake system failure; the owner disputes this explanation and spent $1,100 on repairs and towing.
Brake pad and rotor squealing plagues many vehicles. Squealing starts early (some report it from 50 miles) and is severe enough to force replacements. A sheriff's fleet with 16 units reports all squeal loudly; one is out of service because replacement rotors are unavailable. Dealers acknowledge the noise will return but say nothing fixes it—one advised that the system was designed for "stopping power, not luxury."
Finally, one owner reports the parking brake unexpectedly releases on slight inclines while parked with the engine running.
Same Chevrolet Tahoe brakes reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2023
Master cylinder fails or leaks, causing complete brake loss or severely reduced stopping power. Owner reports brake pedal dropping to the floor and fluid leak visible on floor mats.
When: Between 3,400 and 96,000 miles; one case at 35,000 miles replaced twice since October 2024
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal falls to floor; Severe loss of braking power or complete brake failure; Brake fluid leak; Brake failure warning lights illuminate; Grinding sounds may accompany failure
Codes mentioned: Master cylinder failure codes (not specified in narratives)
Repairs/costs cited: Brake master cylinder replacement required; one owner reports replacement twice since October 2024 and needing a third replacement. Repair costs not always covered by manufacturer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner received monetary discount toward repair cost after manufacturer case was filed.
AEB system fails to deploy during emergency situations, leaving vehicle unable to stop. Resulted in collision with infrastructure and injury to driver.
When: 3,400 miles
Symptoms owners cite: AEB system fails to activate during emergency; Vehicle crashes into obstacle; Pre-collision warning system does not activate
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was towed; no repair information provided by owner.
High-pitched squealing from brakes occurs at low speeds, starting very early in vehicle life. Pads and rotors wear prematurely and require repeated replacement. Fleet vehicles show widespread problem.
When: Starting as early as 50 miles; pads needed at 35,000 miles; repeated replacements throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: High-pitched squeal noise at low speeds while braking; Rubbing noise accompanying squeal; Premature wear of brake pads and rotors
Repairs/costs cited: Initial replacement at 10,860 miles included rotor turning and pad replacement (covered as one-time courtesy). Subsequent replacements at 35,000 miles and beyond. Owner with police fleet (16 vehicles) reports all units squeal loudly and one out of service needing pads and rotors all four corners; no rotors available for purchase.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer authorized one-time courtesy replacement of rotors and brake pads but advised squeal would return and nothing could be done to fix it. Dealer stated braking system was designed for stopping power, not luxury. Bulletin #22-NA-165 issued May 2023 may apply.
When vehicle battery dies or loses power, brake system becomes non-functional. Owner had power for lights and radio but no braking capability.
When: Not specified; occurred during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Complete brake failure when battery dies; Brake warning lights and messages appear; Vehicle unable to stop despite pedal pumping; Lights and radio function but brakes do not
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced battery. Owner incurred costs: $1,100 total including battery replacement, dealership fees, rental car, and Uber; dealer did not thoroughly inspect brakes.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated that battery failure causes brake system failure, which owner finds unacceptable for safety.
Brake pedal position feels unusually high or pedal sticks and takes several minutes to return to normal position after dropping to floor during braking event.
When: Not clearly specified; one case on low-speed incline
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal feels higher than normal; Brake pedal falls to floor and does not return immediately; Takes several minutes for pedal to return to normal position
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership unable to recreate problem during attempted diagnosis; vehicle not returned repaired after two weeks.
Parking brake (emergency brake) automatically releases when vehicle is parked on slight incline with engine running and transmission in park.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Parking brake auto-releases on incline; Occurs with engine running and transmission in park
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
GM decided to use Brembo brand brake pads and rotors on the front of the newly redesigned 2021 PPV Tahoe. I have 16 of these vehicles in my fleet at the Sheriff’s Office and everyone one of them squeals really loudly when the brakes are applied. I now have one Tahoe out of service due to the fact it needs pads and rotors on all four corners. The main concern is there are no rotors available…
It's a meaningful issue. 15 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
Based on the 15 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 38,809 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.
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.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover brakes issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.