GMC Suburban Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 368 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the GMC Suburban across 7 model years. The 1999 model year has the most (118). The words owners use most often: “stopping distance” (15% of reports).
- 368service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 42mention a crash
- 13mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 20%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.
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 56 of 368 complaints (15%)
- ABS brakes: mentioned in 45 of 368 complaints (12%)
- Anti lock: mentioned in 25 of 368 complaints (7%)
- Brake pads: mentioned in 23 of 368 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 62 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 368 complaints, 42 mention a crash, 13 an injury.
GMC Suburban service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Suburban | 2 | 40% | 38,000 |
| 2000 Suburban | 4 | 27% | — |
| 1999 Suburban | 118 | 41% | 82,500 |
| 1998 Suburban | 26 | 26% | 94,197 |
| 1997 Suburban | 57 | 28% | 60,000 |
| 1996 Suburban | 61 | 35% | 94,173 |
| 1995 Suburban | 100 | 44% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor
Model years: 1998
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. One or both front brake rotor/hubs were built with an out-of-specification gray iron that can fail during the life of the vehicle.
Risk: If a driver continues to drive with a cracked rotor, the cracks could continue around the wheel mounting bolt circle and ultimately result in a wheel separation.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rotors for a core date of "287" and, if found, replace the rotor.
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 suburban. While driving approximately 15 mph the anti lock braking light illuminated and shut off the anti lock brake system. Two years ago the failure occurred intermittently and is currently more frequent. The dealer replaced the speed sensor hubs prior to the…
Brake lines rusting through; lost rear brakes first time (early 2008) and i had 2 brake lines manufactured that were of higher quality than original; this time lost front brakes - metal line started leaking rapidly; now have to replace all remaining brake lines to feel safe. Suburban 2500. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 gmc suburban. While driving at low speeds ranging from approximately 20 to 25 mph and braking, the antilock brake system engaged. The failure has become progressively worse and increased his stopping distance. The failure occurred intermittently for one year and has not…
I have a 1998 gmc suburban just purchased and i experienced the same problem described in recall #05v379000. Result was my wife slammed into the back of another car in our driveway. Damage was minimal but i sure don't want her driving this vehicle until it is fixed! I called gm and they said this…
When braking at slow speeds, the abs kicks in and increases the stopping distance needed. After 3 trips to dealer (and over $500 in repairs) for brake problems, they told me that the wheel speed sensors were malfunctioning. They checked the recall, but my vehicle was not listed. I have since seen…
Frequently asked questions
Do all GMC Suburbans have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 368 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the GMC Suburban. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the GMC Suburban 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.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the GMC Suburban?
The most frequent phrase is “stopping distance”, in 56 of 368 complaints, followed by “abs brakes” (45).
See all GMC Suburban problems.