Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While driving 43 MPH, the message "Brake Failure" was displayed. The contact then lost control of the vehicle, and the vehicle drove from the right side to the left side of the road, the vehicle drove off the road and crashed into a ditch before coming to a stop. The driver had not sustained any injuries. There was no property damage. The air bags did not deploy. The check engine, the ABS and several unknown warning lights were illuminated after the failure. A tow truck driver who was also a mechanic inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the driver's side front suspension had fractured from the upper ball joint and the wheel was folded in underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. A Police Report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message that the rear seats were occupied and that the windows were rolled down was displayed, which required the contact to press the OK button. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was purchased, but no assistance was provided. The traction control and the ABS warning lights were illuminated while depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, the cruise control mode was inoperable. The contact replaced the brake pedal position sensor independently, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who reprogrammed the sensor. The contact stated that after the repair, the brake lights erroneously illuminated while the vehicle was turned off, causing the battery to drain. …
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH and traveling down a 5 percent grade hill, the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard on several attempts. The vehicle failed to slow down. The driver continued to pump the brake pedal. The contact engaged the parking brake. The service trailer brake system and the engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact had an independent mechanic reset the brakes. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder booster system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 49,400.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine started rumbling with the check engine, stability-trac, and the parking brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed a misfire in cylinder #1. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the lift valve had collapsed, and the right side of the block lifters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was 80,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle started shaking abnormally. The Service Electronic Stability Control (ESC) warning light, Parking Brake warning light, a wrench warning symbol, and the check engine warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH and attempting to decelerate, the brake pedal extended to the floorboard while depressed, and the vehicle failed to immediately decelerate. During the failure, the message "Brake Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 94,000.
Turned from [redacted] into my street, about 9 houses down, i could not brake or turn steering wheel. Ended up hitting 2 cars, the problem was that the air bags did not deploy and the seat belt did not lock. truck was totalled.
I was driving along about 45 mph and the truck was cruising in overdrive so about 1500 rmp on tachometer. I hit the gas to climb a hill as truck started to lose speed and when it tried to shift out of od to pick up speed the brakes seemed to slam on and I skidded to almost a stop. This has happened several times when climbing a hill or anytime I have to pass a vehicle or accelerate from out of overdrive. The dealer could never seem to get it to reproduce during test drive. They recently said there is a service bulletin for this exact issue and are waiting for a new valve body for transmission. My service records show I had a new valve body installed last year due to transmission pump bearing coming apart internally. The valve body is only a year old. But this is a very dangerous situation. …
While driving my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trail Boss, multiple warning lights and messages suddenly appeared related to the ABS and brake system. The brake pedal became extremely difficult to press and the truck became unsafe to drive. The issue happened unexpectedly while the vehicle was in operation, creating a serious safety hazard and risk of accident or injury. After the incident, the truck was inspected by a mechanic who advised that the brake booster had essentially fallen apart and that I effectively had little to no braking capability. I was also informed that the condition and quality of the braking components were not acceptable for a vehicle of this age. This vehicle is only five years old and has been regularly maintained. …
When I start my Chevy Silverado 1500, three warning lights come on that are telling me that I have brake system failure 43 MPH top speed, Service ESC and Service Trailer Brake system. When I drive, the brakes are very mushy and the truck is very difficult to brake. 20 minutes later after stopping and getting ready to take the truck to the dealer, the brakes worked fine. The dealer couldn't replicate the problem at first, but finally had the issue when they were putting it on the rack to perform improve my tire alignment, so they said they updated the software. The truck brakes worked fine when I left the dealership. The next day (Saturday) I went to start the truck and the same issue happened. I can't take it in as Service is not available on Saturdays so I started looking online. Apparently there are several other owners dealing with this same issue and have been for years. …
Brake complaints in other Silverado 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the brakes of the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 5% of the model year's 847 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, though it has 8 recalls 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 Silverado 1500 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 94,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.