Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 592 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 across 19 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (117). The words owners use most often: “brake lines” (33% of reports).
- 592service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 41mention a crash
- 11mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $1,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 14%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.
- Brake lines: mentioned in 196 of 592 complaints (33%)
- Pedal went: mentioned in 68 of 592 complaints (11%)
- Anti lock: mentioned in 40 of 592 complaints (7%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 37 of 592 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes, hydraulic repair on the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 at $1,500, and half of them between $830 and $2,250.
Based on 31 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2012), 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, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 509 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 592 complaints, 41 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 11 an injury.
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Silverado 2500 | 1 | 10% | 24,052 |
| 2024 Silverado 2500 | 1 | 1% | 1,700 |
| 2020 Silverado 2500 | 3 | 3% | 74,000 |
| 2018 Silverado 2500 | 1 | 2% | 84,200 |
| 2016 Silverado 2500 | 1 | 1% | 52,000 |
| 2009 Silverado 2500 | 2 | 3% | 25,903 |
| 2008 Silverado 2500 | 2 | 1% | 11,540 |
| 2007 Silverado 2500 | 9 | 4% | 27,606 |
| 2006 Silverado 2500 | 24 | 13% | 38,655 |
| 2005 Silverado 2500 | 26 | 10% | 44,000 |
| 2004 Silverado 2500 | 68 | 18% | 63,491 |
| 2003 Silverado 2500 | 116 | 26% | 68,650 |
| 2002 Silverado 2500 | 117 | 33% | 68,500 |
| 2001 Silverado 2500 | 78 | 26% | 77,229 |
| 2000 Silverado 2500 | 53 | 40% | 85,000 |
| 1999 Silverado 2500 | 38 | 47% | 91,000 |
| 1998 Silverado 2500 | 30 | 41% | 36,000 |
| 1997 Silverado 2500 | 21 | 33% | 20,000 |
| 1996 Silverado 2500 | 1 | 50% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:electric:control modulePark outside
Model years: 2021, 2022
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Sierra 3500 vehicles with electronic brake control modules (EBCM) replaced during vehicle assembly. The bolts that attach the brake pressure modulator valve (BPMV) assembly may not be properly tightened, which could fail to seal the two sub-assemblies and allow water intrusion.
Risk: Water in the BPMV may cause an electrical short circuit and increase the risk of fire.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from other structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will replace the BPMV assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 20, 2021. 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 N212349181.
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages
Model years: 2015, 2016
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
Model years: 2015, 2016
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Model years: 2000
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with vacuum power, 4-wheel disc brakes. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems." these vehicles were built with a kinked brake booster vacuum supply hose.
Risk: These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 105.
Fix: Dealers will re-route the brake booster vacuum supply hose.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that the transmission shuddered and hesitated while driving 55 MPH or at higher speed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was no longer in business. While driving at various speeds, the lifters were…
The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle and depressing the brake pedal, there was a grinding sound coming from the front passenger's side wheel. Later, while driving slowly toward a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the…
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH and turning into the driveway, the power steering and braking system malfunctioned. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction and the brake pedal had…
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that while driving with a travel trailer attached to the vehicle, the braking system intermittently failed to operate while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the "Check Trailer Wiring" message was displayed on…
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel briefly became tight before returning to normal functionality. After the failure, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The contact also stated…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Silverado 2500s have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 592 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the Chevrolet Silverado 2500. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $830 and $2,250), from 31 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
The most frequent phrase is “brake lines”, in 196 of 592 complaints, followed by “pedal went” (68).
Other Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems
- Electrical System problems (700)
- Service Brakes problems (670)
- Power Train problems (414)
- Air Bags problems (369)
- Steering problems (276)
- Engine problems (236)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (229)
- Structure problems (163)
See all Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems.