Chevrolet Suburban 1500 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 168 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Chevrolet Suburban 1500 across 15 model years. The 1999 model year has the most (43). The words owners use most often: “brake lines” (22% of reports).
- 168service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,850typical 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.
- Brake lines: mentioned in 37 of 168 complaints (22%)
- Anti lock: mentioned in 16 of 168 complaints (10%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 13 of 168 complaints (8%)
- Hydraulic antilock: mentioned in 10 of 168 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 Suburban 1500 at $1,850, and half of them between $1,500 and $2,300.
Based on 16 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2011), 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 155 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 168 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet Suburban 1500 service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Suburban 1500 | 1 | 2% | 1,600 |
| 2009 Suburban 1500 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2008 Suburban 1500 | 1 | 1% | 12,000 |
| 2007 Suburban 1500 | 1 | 1% | 35,000 |
| 2005 Suburban 1500 | 2 | 2% | 88,000 |
| 2004 Suburban 1500 | 12 | 7% | 84,953 |
| 2003 Suburban 1500 | 18 | 10% | 68,250 |
| 2002 Suburban 1500 | 30 | 25% | 100,000 |
| 2001 Suburban 1500 | 25 | 27% | 104,000 |
| 2000 Suburban 1500 | 23 | 34% | 113,977 |
| 1999 Suburban 1500 | 43 | 58% | 97,600 |
| 1998 Suburban 1500 | 2 | 14% | 107,000 |
| 1997 Suburban 1500 | 3 | 19% | 28,154 |
| 1996 Suburban 1500 | 4 | 44% | 149,500 |
| 1995 Suburban 1500 | 2 | 25% | 135,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:electric:control module:software; service brakes, hydraulic:brake fluid low warning: lamp
Model years: 2023, 2024
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, and Escalade ESV vehicles. The electronic brake control module software may fail to display a warning light when a loss of brake fluid occurs. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: Without a warning light, the vehicle may be driven with low brake fluid, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: The Electronic Brake Control Module (eBCM) software will be updated through an over-the-air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2024. Owners can contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N242447990.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet suburban 1500. On several occasions, making left and right turns at low speeds, the contact experienced unwanted anti-lock brake system activation without warning. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact diagnosed the vehicle and stated that…
My wife had driven the suburban like always and without any issues. At the end of the day she parked it and it sat until the next morning. I walked out to it and from the driver's side i saw a large puddle underneath my drivers side. When i turned on my truck the brake light was on and when i…
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet suburban 1500. The contact was driving approximately 45 mph and depressed the brake pedal but the brakes would not respond. The contact applied excessive pressure to the brake pedal before the vehicle responded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic…
Complete brake failure. Brake lines rusted out. Please add my name to the nhtsa # ea11001 investigation. *tr
Driving on small residential street. As i approached a stop sign i applied brakes and pedal went to the floor and i steered into the curb to stop vehicle. When i stopped shaking i called my husband and he came with a friend who is a mechanic. When they raised the hood they saw brake fluid…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Suburban 1500s have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 168 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the Chevrolet Suburban 1500. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Suburban 1500 service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 1 safety recall 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 Suburban 1500?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,850 (half paid between $1,500 and $2,300), from 16 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Chevrolet Suburban 1500?
The most frequent phrase is “brake lines”, in 37 of 168 complaints, followed by “anti lock” (16).
Other Chevrolet Suburban 1500 problems
- Electrical System problems (268)
- Air Bags problems (203)
- Service Brakes problems (168)
- Structure problems (131)
See all Chevrolet Suburban 1500 problems.