Brake complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 GMC Jimmy. While driving 65 MPH, the brakes failed to respond without warning and the contact crashed into the preceding vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the entire front end was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 06/02/2017
There have been a number of recalls for the 2001 GMC Jimmy, mainly recall #01073a & b stating ext. Lighting brake switch/ no rear brake lights. I'm told that the service was apparently completed on my vehicle in 2002, but another recall came out in 2008 stating the same problem. GM Canada is refusing to do the necessary recall on my truck stating that it was previously completed and that my vehicle is over a decade old, so it's my problem. I won't be purchasing another GMC in the future due to this issue. My rear brake lights stop working and its the switch that needs replacing. Thanks for nothing GM! You just lost a long term customer over a recall part. Dec 2001 - recall #01V364000 May 2008 - recall #01V364 / 01073b
This happens a lot. I was backing up out of my sister's driveway and when I hit the brakes there was a crunching feeling under my foot along with a weird sound like, "doing" at the end. I could not stop fast enough and ran into her brother in laws hitch on his truck with my right rear corner bumper cover. (if that's what it's called? Maybe fascia?) it didn't hurt his truck at all, but it sure busted up that corner piece real good on my Jimmy. It's been scary a few times since! I have had the brakes bled, and new brake pads installed, and it's still doing it! Also, the ABS light is on most of the time. When it's off is when this problem occurs. So I get a little panicky when that light goes off, although I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be on to begin with? I don't know what else to do about this except to contact someone about it. …
2000 GMC Jimmy experienced a problem with the front right hub and the wheel speed sensor. The consumer was pulling into a parking space and the brake pedal became stiff and or would not activate. The consumer had run into a brick wall and bounced into traffic. The check ABS system light had immediately illuminated. The consumer was then able to apply the brakes and backed into a parking space. The left front hub was replaced days before the consumer purchased the vehicle. The vehicle was also losing coolant. The consumer was informed that no coolant was in the vehicle.
I replaced my front pads and rotors. Been fine for a week till yesterday I stopped at a light brakes felt slightly spongy, not long after maybe ten minutes three cars ahead of me had stopped as I hit the brake my foot went straight to the floor and I smacked the vehicle in front of me doing appx. 35-40 MPH. It was a four car pileup I took heavy front end damage more or less totaled the vehicle but the airbags had failed to deploy causing me to hit my head on the steering wheel and suffering a concussion. The seatbelt didn't lock as it should have either therefore causing my whiplash to be severe.
I was just getting ready to leave the car wash. I pressed the brake padal to put the truck in gear, a second later the padal went to the floor, thought it was air in the line. Tried a few more times then got out of the truck to look for the leak, found (steel line) drivers side rusted. Had truck towed to shop, as I could not drive it. They found heavy rust on all brake lines in the front, the control arms also have heavy rust. Thank god I was not in traffic as I am sure I would have crashed. The shop is replacing all front brake lines and are going to inspect all other lines ie: all brake lines to back, all fuel lines. Parking brake failed as well. How did this truck pass nys inspection? Truck was purchased 3/30/2006 from dealer facility #7096646 a&a used car sales inc. 969 sunrise hwy,brightwaters,ny 11706 nys inspected by station 7099758
Dt: the front and rear windshield wipers began to intermittently work. This was over a period of three months and later stopped working all together. Consumer did not take the vehicle to a dealer for any repairs because it was no longer under warranty. The transmission did not shift properly after acceleration for a period of about thirty seconds, and then it shifted into gear. The ABS was delayed when applying brake pressure. The brakes locked, and then the vehicle slid. The brakes pads were replaced every three months, this has been ongoing for the last two years. The steering wheel pulled to the right continuously, an alignment was performed a year ago but it did not correct the problem. In January 2004 the vehicle was involved in an accident, it struck a parked car at a speed of about 30 MPH and the air bags did not deploy. This was front impact. …
Tl contact owns a 1998 GMC Jimmy. While driving less than 15 MPH down a steep, wet road, the brakes failed and the vehicle crashed into a guardrail. The bumper and headlamps were damaged. The vehicle is currently at the body shop and will be taken to the dealer for an ABS diagnosis. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 97V218000 (service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). The dealer information was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 113,000.
Related recalls (4)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Vehicle description: s -trucks equipped with 2 wheel drive. These vehicles May have had the right-hand antilock brake system (ABS) module feed pipe and/or brake crossover pipe tube nuts tightened without seating the pipe-flared-ends enough to withstand normal assembly and vehicle inputs without partially unseating.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the brake pipe union for signs of brake fluid, and if necessary, install a new brake pipe union.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Vehicle description: certain 4-wheel drive pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with ABS (antilock braking system) manufactured from September 1989 through August 1996. Under certain driving conditions the switch which signals the ABS system whether the vehicle is in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive can malfunction causing…
Remedy: Dealers will replace or repair the 4-wheel/2-wheel drive switch.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. A fatigue fracture of the rear axle right-hand brake pipe can occur causing a slow brake fluid leak resulting in a soft brake pedal.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pipe.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Pedals and linkages
The brake pedal pivot bolt was started in the weld nut, but was not torqued correctly causing the bolt to disengage from the weld nut.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for hand-started brake pedal bolts and torque them to correct specifications.
NHTSA investigations
Loss of power assist braking
Consumers allege a partial loss of braking ability
ABS braking system
This investigation resulted in a safety recall, 99v-193, and a service campaign, 99i-006.
Loss of power assist
There is no summary currently available
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Jimmy years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (243), 1996 (183), 1997 (54), 2000 (38) and 1998 (31) model years. Brake complaints make up 49% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for GMC Jimmy brake problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 99V-220 (antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Aug 11, 1999); 99V-193 (antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Jul 19, 1999); 97V-218 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Nov 24, 1997). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Jimmy brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 97,000 miles; 26% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (393 mentions), followed by the foundation components (35).
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.