About this problem
A brake pedal that suddenly goes rock hard usually means the brake booster has lost its assist. On many trucks and SUVs the booster relies on a vacuum pump driven by the engine, and when that pump or its hose fails, the booster has nothing to work with. The brakes still work, but stopping takes far more pedal effort and a longer distance, which is why owners describe it as frightening.
Across all owner complaints filed about the Chevrolet Tahoe since 2012, 128 (4.5%) describe hard brake pedal, the second most reported problem we track on the Tahoe. The reports cluster on the 2015, 2016 and 2017 model years, and the 2015 drew the most, with 82. It tends to show up in the middle years of ownership: half of the owners who gave a mileage were between 50,000 and 82,000 miles. 9 reports describe a crash or fire linked to it. 2 recalls are related to it, and recall repairs are free at any dealer.
What owners report
Owners of the 2015 to 2017 Tahoe report a hard brake pedal at low speed and the truck being slow to stop. The cause is usually a failing brake vacuum pump. The 2015 drew the most reports.
How it gets fixed
The fix is replacing the vacuum pump. GM recalled some trucks for this problem.
Typical cost: A vacuum pump costs about $500 to $900.
Complaints by model year
In owners' words
"I initially noticed difficulty with braking while backing out of a parking space at a very low rate of speed. The brake pedal became hard and the vehicle continued to roll backward, with full weight on the brake pedal."
2015 Chevrolet Tahoe, 54,000 miles
"Hard brake pedal resulting in little or no stopping power when applying the brakes at low speed. To get the vehicle to stop, you must stomp on the pedal as hard as you can. The situation typically occurs when parking."
2017 Chevrolet Tahoe, 43,000 miles
"Brake pedal became extremely hard to push first instance was slowing to make a right hand turn after nearly crashing got vehicle stopped after sitting for a while brakes returned to normal operation."
2016 Chevrolet Tahoe, 65,000 miles
Excerpts from public owner complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, lightly trimmed.
Related recalls
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon vehicles equipped with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. Check a specific car by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Chevrolet has sent dealers 21 bulletins that mention this problem on the Tahoe. A bulletin tells technicians how to fix a known fault. It is not a recall, so the repair is usually free only while the car is under warranty or covered by an extension.
N182206730 - Customer Satisfaction Program.
N182206730 01 - Customer Satisfaction Program - Certain vehicles equipped with special service package (RPO 5W4) and certain 2018 ?
Special Coverage Adjustment - In some circumstances, some 2014-2018 model year Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, and GMC Yukon vehicles may have a condition where customers...
N182202780 01 - Special Coverage.
N182202780 - Special Coverage Adjustment.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Service Engine Soon Malfunction Indicator Lamp on.
Government investigations
Preliminary evaluation PE18012 · 2015, 2016 · opened Nov 2018, closed Apr 2022
Before you buy a Tahoe
- Test the brakes several times at low speed.
- Press the pedal after a cold start; it should not feel hard.
- Check by VIN for open brake recalls.
Questions
Which Chevrolet Tahoe years have hard brake pedal?
Complaints are highest for the 2015, 2016, 2017 model years. The 2015 drew the most, with 82 reports.
At what mileage does it usually start?
Among owners who gave a mileage, the middle figure was about 65,000 miles, and half reported it between 50,000 and 82,000 miles.
How much does it cost to fix?
A vacuum pump costs about $500 to $900.