Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Total brake system failure due to rusted brake line. Brake pedal went completely to the floor during operation and vehicle luckily came to a stop when pedal was ground into the floorboard. Brake fluid was dripping from the line directly underneath the driver's side door. Vehicle was towed to a local garage and is awaiting an estimate for repairs.
Driving to help my daughter after she slid on icy road into ditch christmas morning, I hit the same patch of ice, when I stepped on the brakes it went to the floor. Took to repair shop they said the front bake line was rusted through and all the others were just as bad. Said they all should be replaced at a cost of $1700
Noticed noise in my power steering on inspection found to be low on fluid finley found leak at break system. On research found this to be a problum on many Chevy autos and trucks from 2003 to 2006 those are the ones I found
Brake line blew while driving my 2005 z71 Chevy Tahoe. Had no clue until I tried to stop and my pedal went all the way to the floor not stopping my truck and I ran a red light. Thank-god I hit no other car or person! There was no warning - no lights - nothing indicating this was going to happen, not even a little drip of brake fluid before the burst line. I take my truck in for it's free oil changes every 5000 miles. Dealership tells me every time all the things that need repair or will need attention soon. After getting under my truck and looking at my brake lines, I was so scared! Holly crap they are nothing but rust. This didn't happen over night. …
My wife was driving our 2005 Chevy Tahoe when she lost the brakes. She said the pedal went to the floor. She was not in any traffic but the car did not stop very quickly. I then drove the car very carefully to our local service station about 2 miles away. The mechanic found that one of our rear bake lines had rusted through causing all hydraulic fluid to be lost. The rear brakes had completely failed. After looking under the vehicle with the mechanic, he showed me all the rust under this car. He also pointed out that the other brake line were also very rusted and could fail. I replaced both rear brake lines with material that will not rust. It was a very labor intensive job and also very costly. Please let other people that own this type of vehicle to check their brake lines. This could have been a very serious situation if my wife had been traveling fast on a highway. …
The "service stability" warning message displayed, ABS warning light, tc tire deflation, and brake failure light. The first failure occurred on or about February 13, 2012. I took the vehicle to the Chevrolet dealership immediately and the repair was completed by March 27, 2012 after 3 attempts. The computer tester was alleged to show that the ebcm had failed and was replaced. This did not clear the defect and the same warnings continued when ever the car was washed or became wet from rain. The defect was said to be in the wire that powered the ebcm in the proximity of the firewall. The wire was stated to be frayed. When the wire was replaced the problem was corrected. I am concerned that the wire May have been damaged from abrasion near the firewall combined with corrosion from road salt. …
After attending my nephew's high school basket ball game, my daughter and I returned to the Tahoe in the school parking lot. I started the vehicle and put the transmission into drive and started to roll when the brake pedal went to the floor. I engaged the emergency brake to stop and thankfully stopped the Tahoe before hitting anyone or any other vehicle in the lot. Looking at the owners manual and the dash lights, I realized the vehicle needed to be towed. The mechanic informed me the brake line running along the frame rail to the rear was corroded and needed replacing. After completing this task and while bleeding the system a front line went for the same reason, corrosion. I had all lines (front & back) replaced at a cost of over $800. Talking with the mechanic, it appears to be a common occurrence in the Tahoe, silverado and similar GM vehicles.
Just after coming off of a major highway,slowing down as I was approaching a set of lights,the brake pedal lost pressure,and went to the floor on my 2005 Chevy Tahoe. The rotors,pads and calipers had just been replaced 6mths prior,so I knew they were not the problem. I figured either the master cylinder went, or something was wrong with the brake lines. The service brake system and brake light were on. I was able to use the parking brake and downshift the transmission to come to a stop. Turns out,one of the brake lines rotted out at the rear,causing the fluid to leak out,and the loss of my brakes. Luckily I did not get into an accident.vehicle is only 8yrs old,with just turning 100000 mi. In my opinion, this should not be happening this soon.
When I was getting ready to back out of my driveway and pressed the brake to put the car into gear the brake felt loose. As I got the to bottom of my short driveway I pushed my foot on the brake and the pedal went to the floor luckily I was able to stop. I brought the truck into the be looked at and they advised me that my break line had been rusted through. I bought this vehicle 1 month and 10 days ago. I then did a search online and found that this is a pretty common problem and that there is even a repair kit; however, there hasn't been a recall so now the cost is on me to fix. 365.00 per month car payment and now near 1500 dollar car repair.
My wife was operating our Tahoe and felt the brakes seemed "funny" we proceeded onto the freeway for 40 miles,upon getting off the brake pedal was laws went to leave our destination and all the lights came on in the car brake system service, traction disabled fluid reservoir was empty took it to mechanic who said the brake lines were "rotted to pieces" I put it into the shop and had the rear lines replaced at a cost of $506.00. The mechanic stated the fronts will also need to be done. I feel the age of the vehicle does not match up to the rot involved on the brake lines it is a safety concern as well as an expensive repair.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Pedals and linkages
On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake pedal pushrod retainer May be missing. If the retainer is missing, the brake booster pushrod could disengage from the brake pedal.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for the brake pedal pushrod retainer and install one if it is missing free of charge. The manufacturer began contacting owners by telephone on March 10, 2005.
Brake complaints in other Tahoe years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the brakes of the 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe, 9% of the model year's 293 complaints. The component named most often is conventional (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 05V-103 (pedals and linkages, Mar 18, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 4% 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.