1999 Chevrolet Silverado Service Brakes Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 16, 2024 · 52 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado, 3% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 131,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake lines” (63% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Brake lines: mentioned in 33 of 52 complaints (63%)
  • Pedal went: mentioned in 18 of 52 complaints (35%)
  • Line burst: mentioned in 7 of 52 complaints (13%)
  • Completely rusted: mentioned in 5 of 52 complaints (10%)

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 1999 Chevrolet Silverado at $1,500, and half of them between $960 and $1,750.

Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2015), 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 50 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles0 · 0%
10k–25k miles1 · 2%
25k–50k miles2 · 4%
50k–75k miles5 · 10%
75k–100k miles5 · 10%
100k–150k miles20 · 40%
150k+ miles17 · 34%

How serious are the reports?

Of 52 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 1 a fire.

Chevrolet Silverado service brakes complaints by model year

Peak: 2003, with 124 complaints
1995: 219951997: 11998: 119981999: 522000: 5820002001: 402002: 7020022003: 1241242004: 12220042005: 612006: 8320062007: 212008: 420082009: 42010: 220102011: 52012: 920122013: 22014: 820142015: 62017: 312017

n = 706 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearService Brakes complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2017 Silverado3125%41,000
2015 Silverado68%12,366
2014 Silverado86%12,206
2013 Silverado23%14,947
2012 Silverado913%7,299
2011 Silverado57%34,500
2010 Silverado23%10,000
2009 Silverado45%53,691
2008 Silverado42%31,940
2007 Silverado2111%65,500
2006 Silverado8346%64,888
2005 Silverado6119%93,500
2004 Silverado12220%91,850
2003 Silverado12418%92,900
2002 Silverado7010%103,000
2001 Silverado405%99,000
2000 Silverado584%132,013
1999 Silverado523%131,000
1998 Silverado10%—
1997 Silverado10%90,000
1995 Silverado21%250,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2014, with 19 complaints
2012: 142012142013: 132013132014: 192014192015: 620156

n = 52 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (2)

Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipAug 29, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V379000 · 1,353,718 vehicles

Problem: Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (abs) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only.

Risk: This can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.

Fix: Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel speed sensor, and check the peak-to-peak output voltage to ensure the wheel speed signal is within specifications. The recall began september 22, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.

Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsOct 30, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V345000 · 1,383,922 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a clearance condition between the front right-hand brake pipe and the body cross sill that could decrease to the point of allowing contact during the life of the vehicle. If contact occurs and the brake pipe becomes damaged, in half of the brake system there can be a loss of brake fluid and pressure. The brake warning lamp will be activated when the brake fluid level reaches the indicator limit.

Risk: During braking, the pedal will be lower than normal and stopping distances will be longer. If this occurs when stopping distance is limited, a crash could occur.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the front right-hand brake pipe for wear. If there are signs of wear, this section of the brake pipe will be replaced with a new designed brake pipe section. If there are not signs of wear on the brake pipe, the dealer will install a spacer clip to ensure sufficient clearance between the brake pipe and the body cross sill.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

Driving along road, brake pedal went to the floor when i attempted to stop. Upon inspection, discovered that the hydraulic line going from the abs module to the rear brakes had ruptured due to corrosion. Upon further inspection it has been determined that all of the hydraulic brake lines are…

Received Dec 14, 2015 · NHTSA complaint 10809995

While approaching intersection put on brakes and they failed, pedal went to the floor. If i had not been a test driver for chrysler corp. And doing lots of brake and suspension work i could have easily been seriously hurt. The brake lines were shot, rusted through. This vehicle has spent it's life…

Received Sep 4, 2015 · NHTSA complaint 10761469

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 chevrolet silverado. While driving 20 mph and attempting to engage the brakes, the accelerator pedal went to the floor and the brakes failed without warning. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the brake line was corroded. The vehicle was driven to…

Received Jul 23, 2015 · NHTSA complaint 10735923
Chevrolet Silverado
2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD photographed in Montréal , Québec , Canada at the 2023 Montréal International Auto Show .. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Bull-Doser, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 1999 Chevrolet Silverados have service brakes problems?

No. NHTSA has 52 owner complaints about service brakes for the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado (3% of the 1,660 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 1999 Chevrolet Silverado service brakes?

Yes: 2 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 131,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado?

Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $960 and $1,750), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado?

The most frequent phrase is “brake lines”, in 33 of 52 complaints, followed by “pedal went” (18).

Other 1999 Chevrolet Silverado problems

See all 1999 Chevrolet Silverado problems or service brakes problems across all Silverado years.