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 2004 GMC Sierra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 74 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 74, in the owner's own words
I HAVE A 2004 GMC SIERRA AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY AIRBAG LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AND THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE SENSOR AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO MORE IN DEPTH ON THE ABS BUT TO GO MORE IN DEPTH THEY CHARGE $80.00 AN HOUR JUST TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT. I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR RESPONSES ON THE AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THIS VEHICLE PLEASE HELP.
RUSTED OUT/ CORRODED BRAKE LINES BURST WHILE STOPPING FOR A DEER RUNNING OUT ON THE ROAD. WAS WARNED OF THIS PROBLEM UPON PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE IN 2010 AND PERSONALLY COATED ALL BRAKE LINES B4 WINTER EVERY YEAR...NEVER SAW WORSE LINES! I OWN CLASSIC CARS THAT ARE TWICE AS OLD WITH SHINEY ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES. THE FUEL LINES ALSO ROTTED OUT SPILLING FUEL OVER THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK AND ON THE GROUND WHILE FILLING UP. ALL FUEL LINES AND FUEL PUMP CONNECTIONS WERE SEVERELY ROTTED. WORST I HAVE SEEN. DASH CONSISTENTLY CHANGES LANGUAGES RENDERING ODOMETER NON FUNCTIONAL. SPEEDOMETER IS INACCURATE SOME TIMES NOT EVEN WORKING ESPECIALLY ON COLD DAYS. HMMMM ROTTED BRAKES+NO SPEEDOMETER+LEAKY FUEL LINES=CRASH,BANG BOOM!..AND I HAVE A CAR SEAT IN MY VEHICLE! LUCKLY I PERFORM PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AND DRIVE SAFELY. STILL WONDER HOW THESE ISSUES GOT SWEPT UNDER THE RUG.
RUSTED BRAKE LINE
I EXPERIENCED A BRAKE LINE FAILURE ON MY 2004 GMC SIERRA CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCK. I WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED AND COMING UP TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE REAR EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I FOUND THE AREA AROUND THE BRAKE MODULE, IN THE FRAME AREA UNDER THE DRIVER'S AREA, SOAKED WITH BRAKE FLUID AND CORRODED BRAKE LINES.
ON DECEMBER 28, 2014 I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 GMC PICK-UP TRUCK AND SUFFERED TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES. THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND I NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE BRAKE FAILURE - NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ON, AND NO GRADUAL DECREASE IN BRAKING ABILITY. AFTER THE FAILURE, I DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN AND MASSIVE LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID FROM A RUSTED BRAKE LINE. PREVIOUSLY, IN APRIL OF 2014 I HAD MY PICK-UP TRUCK SERVICED AT AN AUTHORIZED GMC SERVICE CENTER. AT THAT TIME, THE SERVICE TICKET REFERENCED CONDITION OF BRAKES TO BE IN YELLOW REQUIRING FUTURE ATTENTION. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ISSUE AT THAT TIME WAS BRAKE ROTORS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE NEXT SERVICE INTERVAL. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ANY POTENTIAL DANGER FROM BRAKE LINE RUSTING/FAILURE. UPON RESEARCHING VEHICLE ISSUES ON THE WEB I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF BRAKE LINE FAILURES FOR VEHICLES OF MY TYPE. IT APPEARS GMC HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE GMC DEALER AND HAD THEM REPLACE RUSTING BRAKE LINES ($801.64). THE REPLACEMENT GMC BRAKE LINES INSTALLED ARE OF A DIFFERENT (IMPROVED) DESIGN - THEY HAVE A PAINTED/PROTECTIVE COATING ON THEM, WHICH APPEARS TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS PAST PREMATURE BRAKE LINE FAILURE ISSUES.
AGAIN. MY TRUCK HAD COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AGAIN DUE TO CORROSION ON THE STEEL LINES. THIS IS AN OTHERWISE NICE TRUCK WITH BRAKE LINES THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'VE BEEN IN THE OCEAN THEIR ENTIRE LIVES. GM DEALER QUOTED OVER $1,700 TO FIX. GM OWNED WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSES TO COVER REPAIR. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE TELLS ME TO POUND SAND. *TR
DRIVING ON WEST STONE DRIVE KINGSPORT, TN, A VEHICLE CUT ME OFF TRYING TO GET THRU A TRAFFIC LIGHT, I LOCKED MY BRAKES DOWN HARD AS I COULD, I COULD FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM WORKING, I WAS ABLE TO STOP ABOUT 12 INCHES FROM THE OTHER VEHICLE. WHEN I PULLED OUT AFTER THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN, I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A SLIGHT GRADE, DEPRESSING MY BRAKE PEDAL LIGHTLY, THE PEDAL WENT ALL WAY TO THE FLOOR BOARD.. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL SHOP TO HAVE IT CHECKED, ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES BEHIND LEFT FRONT WHEEL HAD RUPTURED. WHEN THE MECHANIC STARTED THE REPAIRS, HE CALLED SAID ALL LINES ON THIS TRUCK WERE EXTREMELY RUSTY, (HE ASKED WHAT I WANTED TO DO) I SAID FIX IT RIGHT. IN MAKING THE REPAIRS ALL LINES WERE REPLACED.. I HAVE PICTURES OF ALL LINES THAT CAN BE SENT. I ALSO HAVE ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT AND OR ANALYZED. *TR
AFTER HAVING A GM DEALER PERFORM OIL CHANGE, PERHAPS 1/4 MILE DOWN THE STREET FROM THEIR FACILITY ENCOUNTERED TRAFFIC STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ME. APPLIED THE BRAKES TO FIND THAT THEY FELT MUSHY, AND BEFORE COMPLETELY STOPPING WENT TO THE FLOOR. I USED THE PARKING BRAKE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WITHOUT CRASHING INTO THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I NURSED THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT USING THE PARKING BRAKE AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND COULD FIND NO ISSUE, THE WEATHER WAS VERY WET AND SLOPPY, AND LIGHT SNOW SO I COULD NOT SEE THE TELL TALE FLUID LEAKAGE FROM A BRAKE LINE. BECAUSE I HAD LOST ALL BRAKING I ASSUMED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD FAILED. I HAD CHANGED ALL CALIPERS, ROTORS AND PADS SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE, AND AT 140,000 THOUGHT THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILING WOULD BE UNUSUAL, BUT THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD CAUSE COMPLETE FAILURE. AFTER REPLACING THE MASTER I ATTEMPTED TO BLEED THE SYSTEM ONLY TO FIND THAT THE PROBLEM REMAINED. NOW THAT THE UNDER HOOD AREA WAS COMPLETELY DRY IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE FAILURE WAS RUST THROUGH AT A POINT THE LINE TO THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE FRAME RAIL BELOW THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE OIL CHANGE HAD PROBABLY CAUSED MOVEMENT OF THE LINE RESULTING IN THE FAILURE. MOVING SOME OF THE OTHER LINES MADE IT APPARENT THAT ALL OF THE HARD LINES WERE SHOT. THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT CAUSED THEM TO FRACTURE. WORSE THAN THAT, THEY WERE ALL ENCASED IN A "SHELL" OF RUST FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER, CONCEALING HOW FRAGILE AND DANGEROUS THEY REALLY WERE. REPAIR ESTIMATES WERE ANYWHERE FROM $800 (LOCAL MECHANICS) TO $3,400 (GM DEALER). LOVELY. I HAD A 1994 S10 BLAZER THAT I SOLD A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH 290,000 MILES ON IT, ORIGINAL BRAKE LINES AND ALL. CHANGED THE LINES MYSELF IN A WEEKEND FOR $120.00, THE GM PARTS GUY NEW EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED AND HAD THE "KIT" IN STOCK, WHAT A SURPRISE. *TR
STARTED OUT WHEN BRAKE FLUID STARTED LEAKING FROM THE TRUCK. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. LUCKILY DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN WAS DRIVING. FOUND OUT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND WAS LEAKING AND THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE OVER $1200. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET THIS LOOKS TO BE A KNOWN FOR CERTAIN GMC/CHEVY YEAR TRUCKS. *TR
I WAS DRIVING IN A 40 MPH STREET WHEN I NOTICED THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL WAS ABOUT TO TURN RED WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WHEN DOWN TO THE FLOOR I LOST ALL BRAKES I SLOWED DOWN BY DOWN SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION AND APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. WHEN I PULLED OVER THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ALL OVER UNDER DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT AND LOST ALL FLUID. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED THERE WAS NO WARNING. I NEEDED TO HAVE MY BRAKE LINES REPLACED I BELIEVE THIS IS A START OF SOMETHING BAD IF GM DOESN'T ACT ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR
I WAS TAKING MY 4 YR OLD TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING WITH HIS 1 YR OLD SISTER WHEN THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. UPON APPROACHING A RED STOPLIGHT AT 30 MILES PER HOUR WITH THREE CARS STOPPED AHEAD OF ME I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I PULLED GEARSHIFT TO THE LOW POSITION AND SWERVED INTO THE VACANT LEFT HAND TURNING LANE TO AVOID THE CARS STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. THEN TURNED HARD RIGHT AS TO NOT ENTER THE BUSY INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ME WITH NO AVAIL. SOMEHOW WE WERE NOT HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT THAT TIME I PULLED VEHICLE OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WHICH ENDED ABRUPTLY AND TURNED INTO A GRASSY AREA OF A BASEBALL FIELD WHERE THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP.GM STATES THAT IF THERE IS A BRAKE LINE FAILURE THE VEHICLE STILL HAS BRAKING ABILITY. I CAN TELL YOU FIRST HAND THAT IS A TOTALLY FALSE STATEMENT. MY VEHICLE DASH DID NOT DISPLAY ANY PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. WHEN VEHICLE WAS TOW TO MY HOME I PUT KEY IN THE IGNITION TO CHECK MY MILEAGE AND NOW A BRAKE FAILURE MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED.I AM VERY ANGRY WITH GM FOR NOT NOTIFYING ME OF THIS PROBLEM AND NEVER HAD ANY IDEA THERE WAS AN ON GOING ISSUE UNTIL TODAY. MYSELF AND MY TWO CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED TODAY BECAUSE OF THIS NEGLECT. PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MANY MORE GM VEHICLE WILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND INNOCENT PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL BE HURT OR EVEN DIE. *TR
BRAKE PEDAL HAD NO PRESSURE AND WENT TO THE FLOOR. TRUCK WOULDN'T STOP. LATER I NOTICED A BRAKE FLUID LEAK. THERE WAS NO LEAK BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND BRAKES WORKED PERFECTLY EARLIER IN THE DAY. IF I HADN'T BEEN IN A PARKING LOT AND OUT ON THE ROAD, THERE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED ON MY 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500 PICK UP TRUCK - INSPECTED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, ALL REMAINING LINES NEED TO BE CHANGE DUE TO CORROSION. *TR
ALL FUEL AND BRAKES LIKE ROTTED. THE BRAKES FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. ONE BRAKE LINE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED APPROX. 1 YEAR AGO. BOTH TIMES VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIR. TOTAL COST FOR MOST RECENT REPLACEMENT/REPAIR WAS $1202.13. *TR
HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY AT ABOUT 20 MPH. BRAKE LINES BURST DUE TO CORROSION. ALL LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED. COST $756.87 FOR REPLACEMENT. *TR
I HAD NOT DRIVEN MY TRUCK IN A FEW MONTHS DUE TO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VENTILATION CONTROLS. WHILE BEGINNING TO PREPARE THE TRUCK TO TOW A 3500 POUND BOAT I NEEDED TO REPOSITION THE TRUCK IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE DRIVEWAY SLOPES DOWN TO THE STREET. WHILE MOVING THE TRUCK, ON MY DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING THE BRAKES WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK THAT WAS TRAVELING AT IDLE SPEED. ALL BRAKING WAS GONE AND THE TRUCK ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO TRAFFIC ON MY STREET. BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND COASTING TO A STOP (IN GEAR) JUST AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. AFTER GETTING THE TRUCK BACK IN MY DRIVEWAY I FOUND TWO DISTINCT PUDDLES OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE TRUCK. INSPECTING THE BRAKE LINES SHOWED THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT FAILURE POINTS IN THE BRAKE LINES. ONE CLOSER TO THE MASTER CYLINDER AND ANOTHER A FEW FEET FURTHER BACK. I BELIEVE ONE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE FRONT BRAKE CIRCUIT AND THE OTHER WAS IN THE REAR BRAKE CIRCUIT WHICH LED TO THE *COMPLETE* LOSS OF BRAKING. THIS IS CONTRARY TO GM CLAIMS THAT THIS FAILURE CAN NOT LEAD TO TOTAL BRAKE LOSS. I HAVE PICTURES AND VIDEO OF THE FAILURE POINTS THAT I CAN FORWARD IF NEEDED. *TR
LOST BRAKES AT STOP LIGHT . FOUND ALL BREAK LINES RUSTED. *JS
BURST STEEL BRAKE LINE DUE TO CORROSION. WAS TOWING A TRAILER AT THE TIME. ALL BRAKE LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. STILL HAVE MALFUNCTIONING FRONT ABS DUE TO CORROSION AFFECTING THE WHEEL SENSORS. *TR
I HAD JUST HAD THE TRUCK INSPECTED. WAS DRIVING HOME AND TWO BLOCKS FROM THE INSPECTION STATION WHEN I CAME TO A RED LIGHT. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY I REACTED QUICKLY ENOUGH TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE TRUCK AND KEEP FROM REAR ENDING THE CAR THAT WAS ALREADY STOPPED. AFTER PULLING INTO PARKING LOT AND INSPECTING THE BRAKES I NOTICED A PUDDLE UNDER THE FRONT LEFT OF THE TRUCK. LOOKING CLOSER I FOUND THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH. I RETURNED TO THE SHOP WHERE I HAD THE INSPECTION DONE. HE REPAIRED THE ONE LINE THAT HAD BURST. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE OTHER LINES LOOKED RUSTED AND READY TO BURST AT ANYTIME. *TR
BRAKE LINES COMPLETED RUSTED OUT. PURCHASED FROM A GMC/CHEVY DEALER WITH NO NOTICE OF THIS ISSUE. THEY KNEW ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED. STILL NO RECALL. I GUESS NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE DIED YET. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES AND FUEL PUMP WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN VERIFIED THE FAILURE AND REPLACED BOTH THE BRAKE LINES AND FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 200,000.
TRAVELING SOUTH, NY RT. 12. ATTEMPTED TO SLOW FOR A RIGHT TURN. SIGNAL ON, TOWING AN EMPTY TRAILER APPROX WEIGHT 2000 LBS. APPLIED THE SERVICE BRAKE FOR THE TURN, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, NO BRAKES. LUCKILY NO INCIDENT. EXAMINED THE UNDERNEATH AND FOUND THAT THE STEEL BRAKE LINES WERE ROUTED OVER THE FRAME ON THE DRIVER SIDE (UNDERNEATH BODY UNDER THE DRIVER DOOR.) WHEN BRAKE LINE(S) FAILED, THERE WERE NO SIGN OF ANY BRAKING ABILITY. BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE SYSTEMS WERE INOPERABLE. THE LINES HAD RUSTED THROUGH FROM APPARENTLY ROAD SALT OR (?), CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SINCE THE INCIDENT I HAVE SPOKE WITH SEVERAL OTHER DRIVERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. *TR
BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED OUT AND BURST SO THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE TRUCK. TRUCK WAS ON A DOWN HILL INCLINE AND WENT THROUGH A STOP LIGHT (FORTUNATELY IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND THERE WAS NO CROSSING TRAFFIC.) HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE BRAKE LINES. *TR
BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND FAILED CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR. *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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