2001 Chevrolet Tahoe Parking Brake Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 5, 2025 · 80 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about parking brake problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 45,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “emergency brake” (33% of reports).

What owners describe

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

  • Emergency brake: mentioned in 26 of 80 complaints (33%)
  • Parking brakes: mentioned in 7 of 80 complaints (9%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical parking brake repair on the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe at $540, and half of them between $490 and $1,000.

Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2011), 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 parking brake problems happen?

Based on 53 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles4 · 8%
10k–25k miles7 · 13%
25k–50k miles18 · 34%
50k–75k miles13 · 25%
75k–100k miles9 · 17%
100k–150k miles2 · 4%
150k+ miles0 · 0%

How serious are the reports?

Of 80 complaints, 1 mention a crash.

Chevrolet Tahoe parking brake complaints by model year

Peak: 2001, with 80 complaints
1997: 2199721998: 1199811999: 2199922000: 122000122001: 802001802002: 242002242003: 3200332004: 2200422005: 1200512006: 120061

n = 128 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearParking Brake complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2006 Tahoe11%30,000
2005 Tahoe10%—
2004 Tahoe20%—
2003 Tahoe31%30,444
2002 Tahoe245%50,000
2001 Tahoe8016%45,000
2000 Tahoe124%34,934
1999 Tahoe20%—
1998 Tahoe10%—
1997 Tahoe20%—

When owners reported it

Peak: 2004, with 27 complaints
2002: 3200232003: 102003102004: 272004272005: 172005172006: 112006112007: 4200742008: 4200842010: 2201022011: 220112

n = 80 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists parking brake for the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.

What owners report

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

Brakes failed to function properly. Brake pedal suddenly retracted to the floor and braking power was nearly lost. The brake fluid reservoir was almost empty. Upon investigation it was clear that fluid was leaking through a rusted steel line on the left rear of the vehicle. The line showed…

Received Oct 12, 2011 · NHTSA complaint 10429941

The emergency brake on my 2001 chevy tahoe was diagnosed as having bad parking brake / e brake. I was unaware of this situation since i rarely need to use the parking brake. I will have to replace this item at a cost of approx. $575. Many other 2001 tahoes have experienced the same problem.. I have…

Received Jun 30, 2011 · NHTSA complaint 10410099

Parking brake on 2001 tahoe fails to hold vehicle. It will not pass state inspection until fixed. I have never used the brake and is my understanding that this is defect in 2001 tahoe that was never recalled. Chevy needs to recall and fix the defected parking brake in all models. *tr

Received Dec 29, 2010 · NHTSA complaint 10373250
Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 2025. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: RL GNZLZ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2001 Chevrolet Tahoes have parking brake problems?

No. NHTSA has 80 owner complaints about parking brake for the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe (16% of the 512 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 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe parking brake?

No recall currently lists parking brake for this vehicle.

At what mileage do parking brake problems start?

The median reported mileage is 45,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix parking brake problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe?

Owners report a typical cost of $540 (half paid between $490 and $1,000), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about parking brake problems on the 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe?

The most frequent phrase is “emergency brake”, in 26 of 80 complaints, followed by “parking brakes” (7).

Other 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe problems

See all 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe problems or parking brake problems across all Tahoe years.