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 ↗2025 Chevrolet Traverse brakes problems
moderate 80 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $450 · see brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
80
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
2crashes
What stands out
Of the 16 model years of Chevrolet Traverse we track for brakes problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 80.
Brakes accounts for 49% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 7 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
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 technical bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of Brake Pad Life Percentage Higher Than It Should be and Over Predicting Wear.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides customer information for rear unwanted automatic braking, usually when reversing out of a garage or driveway.
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 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 ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse has generated 76 brake-related complaints, with the brake master cylinder (part #85762161) as the dominant failure mode. Owners report it failing at under 5,000 miles—some as low as 535 miles—triggering Service Brake Assist, Service ESC, ABS, and brake warning lights simultaneously. The brake pedal becomes hard to engage or unresponsive, requiring full-floor pressure to stop, or fails entirely.
Replacement parts are chronically backordered nationwide with no ETA. Repair wait times stretch from 10 days to 30+ weeks, leaving owners without transportation. GM has issued a service bulletin (TSB 25-NA-240) for the 2024 Traverse but has not formally extended it to 2025 models despite identical failures. One dealership advised against reinstalling the OEM master cylinder due to known factory defects.
Beyond the master cylinder, owners report phantom braking—automatic emergency stops on empty roads or during highway merges—that recurs after software updates. Dealers have issued a bulletin stating no fix exists and advising owners to disable the safety feature (while acknowledging liability concerns prevent them from doing so). Brake squeaking persists from day of purchase or after brake work, and one rear-end collision occurred when brakes failed at 2,000 miles.
The combination of a critical safety system failure, parts shortage, and lack of formal recall creates genuine risk for owners and passengers.
Same Chevrolet Traverse brakes reports on nearby years: 2024
Failure modes owners describe
Brake Master Cylinder Failure
Defective master cylinders (part #85762161 cited in multiple narratives) fail at low mileage, triggering multiple warning lights and severely reducing braking power. Owners report brake pedal becoming hard to engage, requiring full floor pressure to stop, or complete brake failure. The part is chronically backordered with no ETA.
When: Under 5,000 miles typical; some failures reported at 535 miles, 1,200 miles, 1,600 miles, 2,000 miles, 2,747 miles, 2,182 miles, 3,891 miles, 4,514 miles, 9,450 miles, 10,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Service Brake Assist warning light; Service ESC warning light; ABS warning light; Brake system warning light; Forward collision warning light; Traction control warning light; Brake pedal hard to engage or unresponsive; Brake pedal goes to floor with minimal stopping power; Complete brake failure or near-complete failure requiring extreme pressure; Multiple dashboard warning chimes
Codes mentioned: C055F (brake master cylinder failure), DTC codes for brake module and electronic stability control
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement requires Brake Master Cylinder (part #85762161), Brake Control Module, Power Brake Booster, and sometimes associated fluid and reservoir components. Multiple owners report parts on national backorder with no available ETA; repair wait times ranging from 10 days to 30+ days.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB 25-NA-240 issued for 2024 models; 2025 Traverse not yet formally included in recall despite identical failures. GM advises owners waiting on parts; one owner reports dealership advised against reinstalling same part due to known factory defect and suggests waiting for re-engineered part. No warranty coverage for brake repairs offered in some cases.
Brake Pedal Inconsistency and Noise
Owners report soft or inconsistent brake pedal feel, clunking or thudding sounds from brake system during braking, and metal-on-metal grinding noises from front brakes that persist or worsen despite brake bleeding and lubrication attempts.
When: Early ownership; one instance at 7,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Soft or inconsistent brake pedal feel; Front-end clunk or thud when braking; Metal-on-metal grinding noise from front brakes; Brake noise worsens over time despite service attempts; Clicking noise in brake pedal at low speeds
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers have lubed brakes and bled brake lines without resolving issue; one dealer stated the grinding is common with the vehicle. One owner had brakes replaced out-of-pocket after master cylinder repair and reports grinding and squeaking persist. Another owner reports dealer offered no diagnosis after two visits.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: None specific to brake noise issue documented in narratives. One dealership stated grinding noise is common with the vehicle.
Phantom Braking / Unintended Automatic Emergency Braking
Vehicle applies brakes automatically without driver input or external obstacles, occurring while driving straight, merging, backing up, or in empty parking areas. Can cause sudden hard braking, temporary loss of acceleration control in adaptive cruise, or complete vehicle stops. Issue recurs after software updates.
When: Early ownership and after software updates; one instance at 9,450 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden automatic braking while driving straight on empty roadway; Automatic braking during highway merge without obstacles; Automatic braking while backing out of driveway; Automatic braking while parking; Hard braking via adaptive cruise control without obstacles; Vehicle comes to complete stop despite being on open road; Obstacle detected message (sometimes); Seat vibration during braking event; Issue recurs after vehicle software updates
Repairs/costs cited: One dealership issued bulletin stating no fix currently available and advised disabling safety features, but also stated liability concerns prevent them from doing so. Another owner reports brake master cylinder and brake module replaced but phantom braking continues.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Bulletin issued stating no fix available; dealers advise turning off safety features as workaround (liability prevents dealer execution). One owner reports dealership confirmed defective module and said GM engineers were investigating.
Brake Squeaking and Squealing
Persistent squeaking or squealing noise from brakes during normal braking, especially in slow-moving traffic, that begins immediately after purchase or after brake work. Not resolved by repeated dealer service attempts.
When: From day of purchase; also after master cylinder and brake module replacement
Symptoms owners cite: Continuous squeaking during slow-traffic braking; Squealing when pressure applied to brake pedal; Squeaking during parking lot speeds; Noise persists or worsens after dealer brake service
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer attributed squeaking to more abrasive brake pad material used for passenger vehicles and their weight; owner replaced brakes out-of-pocket without resolution. Corporate (GM) stated brakes are maintenance items not covered under warranty.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM stated squeaking is due to brake pad material and is a maintenance item not covered by warranty. Dealers blamed abrasive pad material and vehicle weight.
Vehicle Jumping Forward on Park Engagement
Vehicle lurches forward approximately one foot when transmission shifted to Park, occurring about 70% of the time. Dealership unable to reproduce issue.
When: Early ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle lunges forward when shifted to Park; Occurs approximately 70% of the time; No warning messages accompanying the lurch
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership unable to reproduce or diagnose issue after several days of inspection.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: None documented.
Brake Control Module / Electronic Brake System Failure
Brake booster modules or electronic brake control modules fail, disabling multiple integrated safety functions including ABS, forward collision, adaptive braking, adaptive cruise, traction control, and stability control.
When: Early ownership; one instance triggered by forward collision assist activation to avoid deer
Symptoms owners cite: All brake and stability control warning lights illuminate; Forward collision system failure; Adaptive cruise control disabled; Traction control disabled; ABS disabled; Multiple safety systems offline simultaneously
Repairs/costs cited: Requires replacement of brake booster module or electronic brake control module; parts backordered. One owner replaced module and then experienced brake squeaking for months afterward.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One dealership confirmed defective module and stated GM engineers were investigating; advised customer could continue driving despite critical brake system malfunction; did not offer loaner vehicle.
Brake System Power Loss / Limp Mode Activation
Vehicle enters limp mode or loses brake assist function, causing sudden deceleration, unintended speed reduction, or brake pedal extending to floor with minimal stopping power. May occur without prior warning and can recur multiple times.
When: One instance at 9,995 miles; another at 500 miles; some recur after repair
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle enters limp mode and decelerates unexpectedly; Headlights and interior lights flicker or flash; Brake pedal extends to floor; Minimal stopping power despite pedal pressure; Soft or spongy brake feel; Battery drain or power loss indicators; Issue recurs after repair and software update
Repairs/costs cited: One owner had vehicle towed, battery recharged, and software update applied to Crucial Control Module; issue recurred three weeks later. Another owner had master cylinder and module replaced but symptoms recurred after warranty service.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Software updates applied; manufacturer notified but no specific remedy documented.
Brake System Warning Lights Without Operational Failure
Multiple brake and stability control warning lights illuminate without corresponding loss of braking power. Lights may reset temporarily then reappear, or persist despite dealer diagnostics showing no fault. Owners unable to determine if brakes are actually failing.
When: Early ownership; one instance at 11,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Service Brake Assist light; Service ESC light; ABS light; Brake light; Forward collision warning light; Warning lights appear without prior incident; Brakes still responsive but lights remain or recur; Multiple systems show faults (tire sensors, etc.); Warning lights reset after dealership service then reappear
Codes mentioned: C055F (brake master cylinder failure, in at least one case)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnostics sometimes inconclusive; one dealer performed brake bleeding and reset warning lights without identifying root cause, but lights recurred after 10 miles of driving. Another owner's dealership could not determine cause and dealer lubed brakes with no result.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: In one case, technical service bulletin TSB 25-NA-240 referenced; manufacturer notified but offered no assistance. One owner's case remained open with no resolution after multiple dealer visits.
Brake Failure Resulting in Collision
Brake pedal failed to respond adequately during emergency stop, requiring excessive force and extended pressure, resulting in rear-end collision. Brake pedal felt abnormally hard.
When: At 2,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal unresponsive at normal pressure; Brake pedal felt abnormally hard and required excessive force; Vehicle failed to stop in required distance; Collision occurred; Airbags deployed
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to insurance company; no repair details documented in narrative.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified of the failure.
Synthesized from 80 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
Emergency braking occurs at random, even if I'm the only vehicle / object on the roadway. This has been ongoing and has been to the dealership three times. It starts back up each time the vehicle gets an update. Adaptive cruise will brake hard due to false emergency braking, but does not always stop accelerating at the set point (has gone as high as 20 mph over the set point previously and brakes…
2025 Traverse ABS brake system failed, and master cylinder broke at 12K. All of the safety features, Lane Departure, Forward Crash detection, blind spot, automatic braking system all stop working with no signs that it was failing! Extremely unsafe! Traverse are meant to be family vehicles, well with major functions failures this kind of problem is going be recipe for disaster if not recalled ASAP.
I started the vehicle to move it to a different place in my driveway and after putting it in reverse, it notified me that the ABS was not working. I could not stop the vehicle without pressing the brakes very hard and even then it was still rolling backward slowly. I quickly put the vehicle in park before the car rolled into my house.
My brakes, abs, front collision, esc light are on and dealership continue to try to fix and no luck. I have take 3 times in the last week with no luck. I need this fixed because I bought for safety features and now I have no vehicle to drive to work.
Vehicle leaked a large amount of transmission fluid because it had loose pump bolts per a GM/Chevy bulletin. The vehicle has shifting problems and vibration issues. The vehicle has done in multiple instances phantom braking. It has happened while parking and while exiting praking spaces and once on the Florida state road 924. Driver was able to maintain control of the wheel and avoid a collision.
On July 16, 2025, with 4,514 miles on the odometer, the dashboard displayed warning messages for “Service ECS” and “Service Brake Assist,” along with illuminated indicators for BRAKE, ABS, and Traction Control. At 4,598 miles, the master cylinder was replaced. However, after installing a new brake master cylinder, power brake booster, and Electronic Brake Control Module, the brakes failed. As a…
We drove the car to the store and everything was fine we went in to shop. We came back out and I turned the car on and my dash board had lights on. My brake light will not turn off . My ABS light is on. My forward collision light is on .. I am getting a notice to service ESC, and a separate one saying service brake assist . I ran a onstar diagnostic and it came back everything is good. I have…
I was driving down the road with my 4 year old son in the back and I went to stop at a stop sign and my car immediately lost brakes, the brakes went down to the floorboard with almost little to no stopping of my car. Then I had 3 warnings on my dashboard I can send pictures of them, my check engine light came on, my abs light came on and my traction control light came on. Very scary and something…
While driving our 2025 Chevrolet Traverse with 9450 miles at 45 MPH, it suddenly came to a complete stop and would not advance. Eventually after restarting the vehicle it would drive again, but the ABS, collision avoidance, traction control, and emergency braking was disabled. We learned that the "master brake cylinder" failed. This requires a repair and the parts are backordered. Furthermore…
Had brakes trouble with your 2025 Chevrolet Traverse?
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 2025 Chevrolet Traverse?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 80 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 80 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 9,399 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/2025/Chevrolet/Traverse.
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.