Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Chevrolet Blazer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the vehicle lost braking functionality. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard. After exiting the vehicle, the contact became aware of a fluid leak underneath the vehicle. The "BRAKE Failure" warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where technicians diagnosed a fluid leak from the vacuum pump, causing the brake failure. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V645000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) as a possible cause for the failure. However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer replaced the vacuum pump, and the vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer. The stated that upon depression of the brake pedal, an abnormal grinding noise would emit from the vehicle without warning. When the contact notified the dealer of the failure, he was informed that they were aware of the failure however, there was no fix for the failure. The contact then received a letter from the dealer where he was informed that a repair was under development. Recently, the contact called the dealer for an update and was informed that no update was available and that the repair remained unavailable. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 429. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the electronic parking brake independently activated. Additionally, the failure had occurred while the vehicle was parked. The failure was persistent. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.
The brakes failed on my SUV as I was driving on a city street. Yes it is available for inspection. Losing my breaks almost caused a collision with the car in front of me but due to the distance between the cars and the low speed at the time, I was able to avoid collision and detour into a parking lot where I cruised to a stop with the help of a parking lot space concrete stop. The problem was not reproduced by me but the service center computer diagnostics confirmed break issues. The service center says that the cause was low voltage of the car battery which affected the brakes. This is a very dangerous situation if the vehicle can lose complete braking ability due to a low voltage battery. This is the reason for reporting the issue. They replace the battery and said that should fix the issue. …
While driving my 2021 Chevrolet Blazer LT on the freeway with my wife and child, the "Brake Assist" warning came on and the brake pedal suddenly became extremely stiff. I was going about 65 mph, and it became difficult to slow down safely. We were terrified. This created a serious safety hazard, as I almost couldn't stop in time and could have caused a crash or gotten someone killed. The check engine light came on as well. I had previously taken the vehicle in for a similar rattling or braking noise back in 2021 and was told it was "fine." Now the issue seems to have gotten worse. I have since learned that other owners have reported similar brake assist issues on 2021 Chevrolet Blazers, and it appears there are service bulletins but no recall yet. …
The breaks make a squealing noise all the time which is concerning. I was told by Beaver Chevrolet that this is normal as the breaks were changed in newer car models. They have made a squealing noise ever since I bought the car brand new. I took the car into Beaver Chevrolet approximately 4 months ago and was told that they were unable to replace the breaks because they "weren't squealing bad enough". They did spray my breaks down, however they told me that once I hit 36,000 miles if the issue was still occuring (which it will be) that I would have to pay to have the breaks sprayed. The issue persisted and the spray they used only lasted a few days. Typically breaks should not squeal unless they have gone bad, which isn't the case here. I find this issue to be a safety hazard as how are customers supposed to know when their breaks actually do go bad if they squeal all the time. …
My name is [redacted] and I was a passenger in our 2021 Chevy Blazer with our young child in the back seat when the brakes suddenly failed while we were driving on the freeway. The brake pedal went stiff and wouldn't respond. It was terrifying - we truly felt like we were going to crash. I was panicked, and my child was crying. Since then, I've been too afraid to drive or ride in this vehicle, even if it gets repaired. This isn't the first issue with the car, and GM has not resolved it in a timely or helpful way. The vehicle is currently at the dealership and we are paying for a rental car out of pocket. I'm reporting this because I believe this vehicle poses a serious safety risk to families like mine. I'm asking NHTSA to please investigate this issue before someone gets hurt.
I have made numerous complaints to Jeff Schmitt Chevy dealership Dayton, Ohio regarding parking brake being engaged upon starting vehicle even though vehicle is on flat surface. Twice now, last occurring [redacted], while gradually increasing speed to make a left hand turn the vehicle suddenly self-brakes, during acceleration, making a harsh screeching sound. I remove my foot completely from the accelerator before I accelerate again. The initial incident was reported to chevy dealership. No findings have been noted per dealership. No accidents have occurred.
The vehicle's brakes failed while I was driving. I was luckily able to steer the vehicle off the road narrowly avoiding hitting another car. We had the vehicle towed to a Chevy dealer and they told us the fault was due to a low voltage battery. They would also not drive the vehicle until the battery was replaced because it was giving an error message of "brake system failure". The dealer is the only place that has inspected the vehicle at this time. The warning messages appeared at the time of failure and not before. I find this to be a manufacturing defect in need of a recall as this could have easily caused harm or loss of life.
Car purchased on 5/19/21 with 117 miles on it. It now has 1153 miles and the brakes are grinding. The Chevy dealership states that it needs replacement brake pads, but they are on backorder. I have been uncomfortable driving the car after the dealership said it needed new brake pads and have not driven the car for two days. I can get by another four days, but I have a Dr's appointment this coming Wednesday that requires a 50 mile trip.
Brake complaints in other Blazer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the brakes of the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, 15% of the model year's 139 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2021 Chevrolet Blazer brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2021 Chevrolet Blazer brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 0 miles, and 60% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.