2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 256 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 32% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 50,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “vacuum pump” (19% of reports).
- 256service brakes complaints
- 50,000median miles at failure
- 28mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $910typical repair cost reported by owners
- 8%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Vacuum pump: mentioned in 49 of 256 complaints (19%)
- Hard stop: mentioned in 19 of 256 complaints (7%)
- Brake assist: mentioned in 17 of 256 complaints (7%)
- Pedal becomes: mentioned in 16 of 256 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 at $910, and half of them between $800 and $1,500.
Based on 13 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2018–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 176 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 256 complaints, 28 mention a crash, 4 an injury.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Silverado 1500 | 8 | 7% | 37,857 |
| 2025 Silverado 1500 | 5 | 5% | — |
| 2024 Silverado 1500 | 9 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Silverado 1500 | 17 | 4% | 12,000 |
| 2022 Silverado 1500 | 54 | 8% | 1,750 |
| 2021 Silverado 1500 | 40 | 5% | 62,755 |
| 2020 Silverado 1500 | 102 | 14% | 2,000 |
| 2019 Silverado 1500 | 175 | 16% | 5,212 |
| 2018 Silverado 1500 | 85 | 16% | 43,078 |
| 2017 Silverado 1500 | 175 | 25% | 40,000 |
| 2016 Silverado 1500 | 256 | 32% | 50,000 |
| 2015 Silverado 1500 | 351 | 32% | 56,000 |
| 2014 Silverado 1500 | 269 | 19% | 70,000 |
| 2013 Silverado 1500 | 5 | 2% | 76,500 |
| 2012 Silverado 1500 | 7 | 3% | 87,000 |
| 2011 Silverado 1500 | 13 | 2% | 74,000 |
| 2010 Silverado 1500 | 5 | 1% | 70,600 |
| 2009 Silverado 1500 | 11 | 2% | 67,500 |
| 2008 Silverado 1500 | 13 | 1% | 95,000 |
| 2007 Silverado 1500 | 36 | 4% | 75,000 |
| 2006 Silverado 1500 | 118 | 33% | 89,411 |
| 2005 Silverado 1500 | 82 | 16% | 84,500 |
| 2004 Silverado 1500 | 229 | 29% | 87,678 |
| 2003 Silverado 1500 | 273 | 34% | 101,000 |
| 2002 Silverado 1500 | 184 | 36% | 115,500 |
| 2001 Silverado 1500 | 133 | 28% | 116,500 |
| 2000 Silverado 1500 | 162 | 26% | 125,000 |
| 1999 Silverado 1500 | 126 | 21% | 137,236 |
| 1998 Silverado 1500 | 10 | 3% | 157,000 |
| 1997 Silverado 1500 | 5 | 1% | 120,000 |
| 1996 Silverado 1500 | 1 | 14% | 98,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Service brakes; service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:wheel speed sensor/tone ring; electronic stability control (esc)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.
Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, 1500 Crew Cab Special Service, Tahoe Police Pursuit/Special Service, GMC Sierra 2500, and 3500 vehicles. The brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.
Risk: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the nut and reinstall the nut with increased tightness, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18278. Note: The vehicles in this recall need this additional remedy despite being covered by recall 16V069 for brake pedal loosening.
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 1, 2013, to February 1, 2016, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) manufactured March 1, 2014, to February 1, 2016, and 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 29, 2013, to February 1, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.
Risk: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the brake pedal pivot nut and reinstall with an increased torque, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 20760.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle suffered a failure cascade of the brake booster vacuum pump system. During a low-speed bumper collision on July 4 and a boat ramp slide, the pedal triggered abnormal ABS-like pulsing as the computer tried to hydraulically compensate for dropping vacuum pressure. This resulted in truck front…
Brake assist activates for no apparent reason
I was pulling up behind a vehicle that was entering the highway when I noticed that the driver had to yield to oncoming traffic and did not continue driving. I applied my brakes, but the vehicle did not come to a complete stop, and as a result, I struck the vehicle in front of me. My safety was put…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500s have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 256 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (32% of the 797 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 service brakes?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 50,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $910 (half paid between $800 and $1,500), from 13 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “vacuum pump”, in 49 of 256 complaints, followed by “hard stop” (19).
Other 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems
- Power Train problems (194)
- Electrical System problems (119)
- Steering problems (110)
- Engine problems (72)
See all 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems or service brakes problems across all Silverado 1500 years.