1999 GMC Sierra Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 280 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 GMC Sierra, 47% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 59,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “anti lock” (14% of reports).
- 280service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- 59,000median miles at failure
- 30mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 11%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.
- Anti lock: mentioned in 39 of 280 complaints (14%)
- ABS motor: mentioned in 24 of 280 complaints (9%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 21 of 280 complaints (8%)
- Applying brakes: mentioned in 20 of 280 complaints (7%)
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 1999 GMC Sierra at $1,700, and half of them between $1,500 and $1,900.
Based on 38 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2001–2007), 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 115 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 280 complaints, 30 mention a crash, 4 an injury.
GMC Sierra service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Sierra | 1 | 2% | 51,117 |
| 2015 Sierra | 1 | 2% | 5 |
| 2012 Sierra | 1 | 3% | 420 |
| 2011 Sierra | 1 | 2% | 950 |
| 2010 Sierra | 1 | 3% | 15 |
| 2009 Sierra | 1 | 3% | 1,000 |
| 2008 Sierra | 1 | 1% | 93,792 |
| 2007 Sierra | 2 | 3% | 53,093 |
| 2006 Sierra | 7 | 13% | 17,500 |
| 2005 Sierra | 10 | 9% | 43,000 |
| 2004 Sierra | 28 | 15% | 40,050 |
| 2003 Sierra | 38 | 18% | 41,738 |
| 2002 Sierra | 93 | 37% | 40,000 |
| 2001 Sierra | 100 | 38% | 50,750 |
| 2000 Sierra | 182 | 41% | 61,578 |
| 1999 Sierra | 280 | 47% | 59,000 |
| 1998 Sierra | 56 | 29% | 70,000 |
| 1997 Sierra | 63 | 26% | 76,000 |
| 1996 Sierra | 47 | 19% | 97,080 |
| 1995 Sierra | 41 | 16% | 63,034 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
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 fittings
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 gmc sierra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph the contact depressed the brake pedal slightly when he noticed the brake pedal dropped to the floor board. The contact applied the emergency brake in order to stop the vehicle. The contact inspected…
Was applying brake when all the sudden brake pedal went to the floor and lost alot of braking power almost could not stop if not for emergency brake truck has only been in salt 3-4 times i have owned it since 2002 and it had 40k miles on it when i bought it now has 84k and brake lines are rusted…
Metal brake line to rear wheels burst due to corrosion. Brake was located before the split for right and left wheels. Further inspection revealed severe corrosion of other brake lines as well. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1999 GMC Sierras have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 280 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the 1999 GMC Sierra (47% of the 600 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 GMC Sierra service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?
The median reported mileage is 59,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 GMC Sierra?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,700 (half paid between $1,500 and $1,900), from 38 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 GMC Sierra?
The most frequent phrase is “anti lock”, in 39 of 280 complaints, followed by “abs motor” (24).
See all 1999 GMC Sierra problems or service brakes, hydraulic problems across all Sierra years.