Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 GMC Sierra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 228 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 228, in the owner's own words
MY PICKUP TRUCK WAS IN MOTION WHEN DRIVING ON A CITY STREET I HAD TO SLOW DOWN. THE BRAKE-PETAL WENT ALMOST COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I ALMOST HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WHILE TRYING TO STOP. AFTER PULLING TO THE SIDE OF STREET I CHECKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR METAL BRAKE LINE ADJACENT TO THE TRUCK FRAME HAD RUSTED AND BURST.
WHILE TOWING MY BOAT I EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO PRESSURE. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. WE WERE ON A DIRT ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC AND WERE ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER INSPECTING THE BRAKE LINES A LEAK WAS FOUND IN ONE OF THE LINES UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR BEFORE THE LINE ENTERS THE BRAKE MODULATOR. ALL THE LINES ARE RUSTY AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED THE GMC DEALER AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES AND THAT GM HAS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THEY ESTIMATE THE COST TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES TO BE ABOUT $1200.
THE BRAKE LINES HAVE ROTTED OUT AND FAILED IN TRAFFIC MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT NOTICE. ALSO THE LEAF SPRING HANGERS ROTTED AND BROKE. THE REAR BUMPER IS A RUSTED MESS. THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE TRUCK LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WAS WASHED ASHORE. HEAVY DUTY ROT. THE BODY AND CAB INSIDE STILL LOOK NEW. SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE STEEL IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR
BRAKES FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BARELY SLOWED DOWN THE TRUCK AT ALL. THIS WAS DUE TO A BRAKE LINE THAT RUSTED THROUGH. THE REPAIR WAS $765. HAD I BEEN IN AN AREA WITH HIGHER TRAFFIC THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
BRAKE LINE RUSTED THRU CAUSING THE TRUCK TO LOSE BRAKES ENTIRELY. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OUT OF FLORIDA, AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER SINCE NEW. NEVER DRIVEN ON SALTY WINTER ROADS OR SNOW. *TR
MY 2000 GMC SIERRA 1500 PICKUP, WHICH HAS SPENT ITS ENTIRE LIFE IN VIRGINIA, LOST ITS BRAKES WHILE I WAS TOWING A DUAL-AXLE TRAILER AND BOAT. THANKS TO GOD'S PROTECTION, THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AS MY MADE MY FINAL STOP RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, SO I WAS BARELY MOVING. HAD THIS HAPPENED JUST MOMENTS EARLIER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AROUND 50 MPH ON A WINDING COUNTRY ROAD. I LOOKED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND FOUND THE BRAKE LINE AND FLUID RUNNING FROM IT. WHILE THERE WAS SURFACE RUST ON THE LINES, I WOULDN'T SAY IT APPEARED THAT A FAILURE WAS IMMINENT. CLEARLY, INFERIOR MATERIALS WERE USED FOR THE BRAKE LINE WHEN LESS CORROSIVE MATERIALS SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED. GM SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR POOR CHOICE OF MATERIALS AND PROVIDE, AT THE VERY LEAST, REPLACEMENT BRAKE LINE SETS. THEIR CURRENT "DEEPLY DISCOUNTED" SET COSTS MORE THAN AN AFTERMARKET SET. *TR
WAS DRIVING WITH 3 OF MY CHILDREN TO A FOOTBALL PRACTICE. WAS ON MO STATE HWY 70 DOING APPROX. 60MPH. AN INCIDENT OCCURRED AHEAD OF ME WHICH RESULTED IN AN IMMEDIATE SLOW DOWN. HIT MY BRAKES HARD(LIKE ALL OTHER VEHICLES AROUND ME) AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND TRUCK LOST AT LEAST 90PCT OF BRAKING POWER. ALMOST COMPLETE LACK OF ANY BRAKES. IT WAS AN HONEST MIRACLE THAT ME AND MY CHILDREN ALONG WITH ANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT AT THAT SPEED WERE NOT KILLED OR BADLY INJURED. IT WAS A SPLIT SECOND INCIDENT AND ACT OF MIRACULOUS LUCK THAT AVOIDED A CATASTROPHE. I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO THINK AND JUST REACTED OUT OF INSTINCT AND SWERVED FROM MIDDLE OF THREE LANES INTO GRASS SHOULDER(WHICH RESULTED IN TERRIFYING ATTEMPT AT KEEPING CONTROL AND NOT FLIPPING TRUCK OVER ETC. GOING FROM 60PLUS MPH ON A TIGHT SHOULDER IN A HIGH TRAFFIC MAJOR HWY IN SUBURBAN ST LOUIS. A MIRACLE WE SURVIVED. WHEN ON SHOULDER ATTEMPTING TO KEEP CONTROL WITH NO BRAKES I DID THINK AND ENGAGED EMERGENCY BRAKE ALL THE WAY DOWN WITH BASICALLY ZERO AFFECT AT HELPING SLOW DOWN. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS AND TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR MY CHILDREN AND NOT SOON FORGOTTEN! DISCOVERED IT WAS A METAL BRAKELINE RUSTED ON FRAME MOUNT UNDERNEATH DRIVER DOOR THAT BURST CAUSING THIS. I HAVE OWNED THE TRUCK SINCE 2001 AND PURCHASED WITH 14,000 MILES. LOOKING ONLINE FOR PARTS TO REPLACE(WHICH ARE EXPENSIVE, MONEY TOO TIGHT TO AFFORD THE LOWEST QUOTE FROM REPAIR SHOP TO REPLACE ALL STEEL LINES OF $1000 TO $1500)WHAT NOW PAY ALMOST WHAT TRUCK IS WORTH TO FIX? GM IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE. WHY NOT AT LEAST HAVE MORAL STRENGTH ENOUGH TO PUT OUT A BULLETIN TO INFORM OR SELF INSPECT? I AM AT A LOSS EXPRESSING MYSELF AT GM'S LACK OF CHARACTER. I WILL NEVER OWN AS WILL MY CHILDREN ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. WHY BUY AMERICAN? SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH A JAPANESE COMPANY. NEVER WOULD HAVE COME TO THIS WITH TOYOTA OR HONDA. SAD! *TR
TRUCK WAS PARKED. WENT TO PUT IT INTO DRIVE AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE STEEL BRAKE LINE BACK BY THE DRIVER REAR WHEEL RUPTURED. ON CLOSER INSPECTION, I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES AS THEY ARE SO RUSTY AND CORRODED. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I NOR MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *JS
PULLED ON TO ROAD WHILE TOWING BOAT AND COULD NOT STOP. BRAKE PEDDLE TO FLOOR. USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. REPLACED SOME LINES AND PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED. *JS
AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AT 30 MPH, I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR BOARD. I PUMPED THE BRAKES A COUPLE TIMES TO REGAIN PEDAL PRESSURE WITH NO LUCK. I WAS LUCKY THAT NO OTHER CARS WERE AT THE INTERSECTION OR ELSE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT FOR SURE. I MADE A QUICK RIGHT HAND TURN AND USED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID COMING FROM THE ABS MODULE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. I AM RELIEVED THAT NO ONE WAS AT THE INTERSECTION AND THAT I DID NOT HAVE MY WIFE AND 3 KIDS IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME THE BRAKES WENT OUT. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD A SINGLE VEHICLE WHERE METAL BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED OUT. I HAVE OWNED THIS TRUCK FOR 10 YEARS AND NOW QUESTION GM AND THEIR QUALITY AND INTEGRITY. AT THIS POINT, I PROBABLY WON'T BUY ANOTHER GM TRUCK BECAUSE THEY RUST OUT IN LESS THAN 10 YEARS AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE WAS AT STAKE FOR A DESIGN/QUALITY FLAW. I NOW HAVE TO SPEND $1000+ DOLLARS TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES ON MY TRUCK WHEN GM COULD HAVE INSTALLED STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINES IN THE FIRST PLACE. DISAPPOINTED GMC TRUCK OWNER. *TR
WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN I NOTICED MY BRAKE PEDAL WAS FEELING SOFT, THE NEXT TIME I DEPRESSED THE PEDAL, IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AT ALL. I COASTED INTO A PARKING LOT AND USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO COMPLETE THE STOP. I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE BY THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND WITNESSED THE FLUID DRIPPING OUT OF THE BRAKE LINES. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHERE HE DISCOVERED ALL FOUR LINES HAD FAILED AT A POINT WHERE ALL THE LINES WERE HELD TOGETHER BY A MOUNTING BRACKET, JUST UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE, AND MOUNTED TO THE FRAME. HAD I BEEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND HAD TO MAKE A QUICK STOP THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. *TR
I OWN A 2000 GMC SIERRA CREW CAB SHORT BOX 4 BY 4. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HEARD A GRINDING SOUND, SO I THOUGHT TO LIMP IT HOME. BAD IDEA, I WAS THE TWO BOLTS THAT HOLD YOUR CALIPER ON, SO THAT IS YOUR WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM, WELL IT MADE MY WHEEL LOCK UP AND CAUSED ME TO LOOSE CONTROL AND HIT THE CURB WHERE I BENT MY RIM AND POPPED MY TIRE, SO I REPLACED THE TWO BOLTS ON DRIVER BACK SIDE AND CHECKED THE PASSENGER BACK SIDE AND THOSE TWO BOLTS WHERE LOOSE. VERY SCARY. SO I TIGHTEN THEM BOTH AND LIKE I SAID REPLACED THE OTHER TWO ON THE DRIVER SIDE. WHEN I SEEN THE WAY IT WAS SET UP I WAS SHOCKED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA AND NEVER SEEN CALIPERS BOLTED LIKE THAT, THIS HAPPENED THREE MONTHS AGO WELL TODAY I WAS DRIVEN AND HEARD THE SAME NOISE AGAIN AND BEFORE I COULD STOP ALL THE WAY MY TIRE LOCKED UP AGAIN BUT THIS TIME I WAS IN CONTROL AND STOPPED OK. I AM FREAKING OUT BECAUSE I HAVE A FIVE YEAR OLD SPECIAL NEEDS DAUGHTER AND DON'T WANT HER TO BE IN MY TRUCK IF IT DECIDES TO LOCK UP AND FLIP.SO I WENT TO THE SAME AUTO SHOP AND HAD IT REPLACED AGAIN. LIKE I SAID I SEEN A LOT OF BRAKE SYSTEMS AND THIS WAY THEY HAVE IT IS NOT SAME AND I IMAGINE HAS CAUSED DEATHS, IF NOT YET IT WILL, IT ABOUT MADE ME ROLL AND SCREWED UP MY RIMS AND NEW TIRES, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SELL IT BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO GET THEM ALL REPLACED. SO IM GOING TO SEE IF THERE IS A RECALL AND IF NOT THERE NEEDS TO BE. MY MOM HAVE A 2004 SILVERADO CHEVY AND I OWNED A 2002 BEFORE AND BOTH TRUCKS BRAKE SYSTEM ARE DIFFERENT. I WANT TO KNOW WHY THEY ARE LIKE THIS AND WHY THEY CHANGE A GOOD THING. I HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL. SO IF YOU HEAR GRINDING IN TIRES MAKE SURE YOU STOP AND GET IT TOWED. *TR
THE BRAKES IN MY GMC PICKUP TRUCK FAILED DUE TO SEVERELY RUSTED STEEL BRAKE LINES. TWO LINES BURST , ONE AFTER THE OTHER , AS I PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE TRUCK. AN INSPECTION REVEALED EXTENSIVE AND PREMATURE RUST THROUGHOUT THE BRAKE LINE SYSTEM, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES. *TR
TRAVELLING TO WORK ONE MORNING ON A BUSY, WELL TRAVELED ROAD I WAS APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THERE WAS A FEW CARS AHEAD OF ME AND WE ALL HAD TO STOP FOR THE RED LIGHT. AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND STARTED TO SLOW DOWN SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN TO THE FLOOR AND I REALIZED I HAD LOST THE BRAKES. REALIZING THAT I WAS GOING TO REAR END THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME I WAS FORCED TO SHIFT TO 1ST GEAR ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND SWERVE TO THE RIGHT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CAME CLOSE TO HITTING SOME HUGE TREES AND RUNNING INTO A DITCH. AFTER MY NERVES SETTLED DOWN I SAFELY PULLED OUT OF THE EMBANKMENT AND SLOWLY DROVE THE TRUCK TO A SAFE OPENING VERY CLOSE BY. I STARTED TROUBLESHOOTING MY BRAKES AND FOUND A LEAK UNDER THE TRUCK BEHIND THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE. I LOOKED CLOSER AND FOUND THAT ONE OF MY BRAKE LINES HAD BURST OPEN. LOOKING AT THE BRAKE LINES REVEALED THEY WERE ALL RUSTED BADLY. I HAD MY TRUCK TOWED HOME. AS WE WERE DRIVING HOME THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME THAT THESE TRUCKS HAVE A STRONG HISTORY OF RUST PROBLEMS OF THE BRAKE LINES AND OTHER AREAS. AFTER UNLOADING THE TRUCK I WENT ONLINE AND STARTED READING ABOUT THE RUST PROBLEMS ON THESE VEHICLES. I WAS SHOCKED AT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON AN ISSUE SO IMPORTANT AS BRAKE LINES RUSTING OUT. I AM WONDERING IF SOMEONE HAS TO GET KILLED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT IT. I ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO OWNS A 1999-2000 GMC OR CHEVY PICK UP TRUCK TO CHECK YOUR BRAKE LINES AND IF THEY ARE RUSTING (WHICH ALMOST ALL ARE) TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA.DOT.GOV/VEHICLECOMPLAINT.
BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT. *TR
BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING WEST ON CENTRAL AVENUE IN PEDAL, I APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN ONTO STEVENS STREET. I FELT NO RESISTANCE AND LOOKED DOWN TO SEE IF I HAD MISSED THE BRAKE PEDAL SOMEHOW, BUT IT HAD PUSHED WITH NO RESISTANCE TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING THE BRAKES REPEATEDLY, I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKING AND MADE THE TURN ON STEVENS. STOPPING AT DEEP SOUTH CYCLES, I TOLD THE MECHANIC WHAT HAD OCCURRED AND HE NOTICED THE REAR WHEELS WERE VERY HOT, INDICATING REAR BRAKE LOCKUP. INDEED, AT THAT TIME THEY WERE STILL LOCKED UP. WE CHECKED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SEE IF IT WAS APPLIED AND IT WASN'T. THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WAS THE PROPER LEVEL, ALSO. AFTER THE BRAKES HAD COOLED DOWN I DROVE THE TRUCK A SHORT DISTANCE TO A REPAIR SHOP ON CENTRAL AVENUE WHERE THEY REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS AND PADS. THEY STATED THAT THE REAR ROTORS HAD TURNED BLUE FROM THE HEAT, AND ADDED THAT THEY "HAD SEEN A LOT OF FAILURES OF GMC BRAKE CALIPERS." *TR
BRAKE LINE LEAK FROM RUST HOLE IN BRAKE LINE BELOW DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. ALMOST HIT THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME. I HAVE GM VEHICLES THAT ARE MUCH OLDER THAN THIS ONE AND NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. 1977 CHEVY, ETC. I FEEL A RECALL IS IN ORDER, I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT DIDN'T END AS WELL I DID. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ABS AND HYDRAULIC BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. *TR
REPEATED BRAKE FAILURES DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES. *TR
AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE I WENT TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR INDICATING A LOSS IN BRAKE FLUID PRESSURE. I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER AND FOUND BRAKE FLUID EVERYWHERE AND A HIGHLY CORRODED BRAKE LINE JUST TO THE REAR OF THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT WAS THE SPOT OF THE LINE FAILURE DUE TO THE HIGH AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID THAT HAD BEEN SHOT OUT OF THE LINE ABOVE IT. UPON INSPECTION I HAVE FOUND THAT THE OTHER BRAKE LINES ARE ALSO HIGHLY CORRODED. *TR
DRIVING TRUCK IN TOWN APPLIED BRAKES AT A STOPLIGHT BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. NO BRAKES AT ALL HAD TO GO THRU THE RED LIGHT AND AROUND 3 CARS IN FRONT OF ME, RUBBED THE CURB TO GET THE TRUCK TO STOP. RUST AND CORROSION ON THE STEEL REAR BRAKE LINES CAUSED LINE FAILURE. *TR
THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND NOTICED MY BRAKES WERE GONE. THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED. HAD IT REPAIRED AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD 4 ADDITIONAL INCIDENTS. *TR
WHILE BACKING MY TRUCK UP TO ATTACH A TRAILER, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO BRAKING ABILITY. MY TRUCK RAN INTO THE TRAILER, CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. UPON INSPECTION, IT IS EVIDENT THAT THERE IS A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LINE THAT RUNS TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR CALIPER. A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID CAN BE SEEN AND SMELLED IN THIS AREA. I AM NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK. IT WILL NEED TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR WHAT I ASSUME WILL BE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. *TR
BRAKE LINES RUSTED THRU AND HAD COMPLETE BRAKE LOST. THE RUSTED LINES ARE AT THE ANTI-LOCK PART THAT CONTROLS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES NEXT TO THE FRAME. I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK SINCE IT WAS NEW AND KEEP IT IN GREAT SHAPE. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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