50,453 brake complaints across 2,148 vehicles. Brakes are one of the few categories where you actually feel a developing problem — pulsation under braking (warped rotors), longer stopping distances (worn pads or contaminated fluid), the pedal going soft (a leak or a bad master cylinder), grinding (you waited too long). Most brake complaints in NHTSA's database are about premature wear, ABS module failures, or brake booster issues. Some are about specific recalls — the Honda brake master cylinder recall a few years back, the GM rear caliper recall, the Toyota anti-lock module campaign. The vehicles on this list have the highest concentration of brake complaints relative to other categories. Average repair cost for brake work runs around $450 at an independent shop, but that's a wide spread — basic pads-and-rotors is $400, ABS module replacement is $1,500-$2,500, and full brake system rebuild after long neglect can hit $3,000.
Brakes problems
50,453 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 300 active recall campaigns.
Brakes problems by manufacturer 28 makes with aggregated detail
Drill into a single manufacturer's brakes record across all model years. Each page below carries data on the worst-affected year-models, active recalls, and editorial commentary from one of our contributors.
Worst-affected vehicles Top 25 by complaint volume
Most-recalled vehicles For brakes components
Recent owner reports 12 most recent in this category
Service break assist light came on 2 days after getting the brand new vehicle. They ended up needing to replace the break Master cylinder
The image module system has completely failed and never worked in the Yukon. Then it would brake while still accelerating.
New Audi Q7 only 1,392 miles driven, front brake failed, Audi NOT willing to remedy under warranty claiming unsubstantiated brakes overheated due to excessive braking ? Clearly manufacturer fault and serious safety hazard - no support from Audi Grapevine
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for recall service related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V058000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). While driving at 15-30 MPH, the vehicle lost braking function and crashed into a tree. After the failure, the low brake and the low brake power message…
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal to come to a stop, the contact heard an abnormal metal-to-metal sound coming from the front passenger-side brakes. Additionally, the vehicle was delayed in responding, causing the braking distance to be extended. The check engine warning…
My 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a braking issue identified in Toyota Service Bulletin T-SB-0059-23, Hybrid Regenerative Brake Transition Feeling Improvement. When going downhill and applying the brake, the vehicle lurches forward temporarily as the braking system transitions from regenerative to hydraulic braking. The first time my vehicle…
A recall was issue 1 year ago for the issue below. This issue has yet to be resolved. The dealer informed me they could fix it at my cost but left little or no hope for the reimbursement. One year is sufficient to come up with a fix. I have constant alarms going off on my truck which is very distracting. I have parked my truck as it poses an…
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts to do the recalls repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable…
Brakes communicate before they fail catastrophically. Listen for pulsing, grinding, or pedal feel changes. None of those should be ignored more than a week.