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 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My wife while driving our 2006 GMC Sierra was involved in a t-bone accident. She was driving south in her lane and was cut off causing her to hit the car that turned in front of her. She could not stop in time and when she hit the other car her airbag did not deploy. She died from broken ribs that puncher-ed her heart and she bled to death at work two hours later, the coroner determined her death to be from blunt force chest trauma.
I took our truck in for servicing at the o'neill GMC dealership in warminster, pa and was told that all of our brake lines needed to be replaced due to rusting. We purchased our vehicle new from o'neill and have continued to have it serviced there. The truck is treated with great respect and only has 40,000 miles on it. I contacted GMC due to the defective materials of the vehicle they sold us and they claim that this is normal. I now am strapped with a bill for $2700.00 to replace all four defective, rusting brake lines their website says customer satisfaction guaranteed. I believe GMC should contribute $1700 towards the bill. I note that there are over ten pages of complaints on the internet regarding corrosion problems. Please hold GMC accountable. This vehicle was purchased in good faith and they should admit responsibility for their inferior brake line materials. …
Tl contact owns a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the master cylinder failed on his vehicle. While driving at an unknown speed, the brake pedal extended to the floor and the vehicle failed to stop. The contact rear ended another vehicle. There were no injuries. The front end, hood, and grill were damaged. The vehicle was towed from the scene and returned to the shop it was repaired at three months prior to the crash. The technician stated that the master cylinder was the cause of the failure. The contact has called different GMC dealers and repair shops to purchase a master cylinder, but there are none in stock. It would take a week for the part to arrive so that the repair can be completed. The failure mileage was 50,000.
ABS activation at low speeds resulting in increase stopping distance. It resulted almost striking a pedestrian in a crosswalk. This had previously been repaired at my own cost in 2011 and the problem has again returned. Previously GMC sierras were recalled with the same problem. Recall number: 05V379000 recall date: 08/29/2005 component: service brakes, hydraulic:antilock problem summary: certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles May experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. Consequence: this can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.
I own a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 pick-up with less than 75,000 miles on January 23, 2017 I lost my braking capability due to the brake lines being completely corroded/rusted through causing the lost of brake fluid. Luckily I lost my brakes in a parking lot and not on a busy main street or highway with the possibility of having an accident and seriously hurting myself or someone else. From what I have read GM has known about this problem for sometime and says it is not a safety concern. From first hand experience I believe this is a major safety concern.
Approaching red light signal applied brakes. Driver rear brake line ruptured due to rust through. Was able to safely stop vehicle as my speed was only about 20 MPH. If this were at highway speeds it would have been extremely dangerous. Fyi there is also extensive frame and body surface rust that the manufacturer refused to help with. This vehicle is mostly parked outside in the mid atlantic regions. Gets very little use so low mileage. The rust is from a manufacturing issue not an environmental issue .
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. While driving approximately 8 MPH and attempting to stop the vehicle, the anti-lock braking system seized without warning. The failure recurred several times. The contact called champion Chevrolet of avon at [phone] (located at 183 s county rd 525, avon, in 46123) and a diagnostic test was recommended. The test was not performed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
I had just replaced the third set of wheel bearings, asked my wife to hold brake so that I could torque axel nut. When she pushed the brake pedal, I seen brake fluid pouring down the frame of truck. Checked lines all were rusted very bad. Called matheny motors of parkersburg wv. The cost of replacement of lines was quoted at over $1200.00 I can not express enough how upset I am that this safety item was not made of stainless steel on a vehicle that was at the cost of almost $40,000.00.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. While approaching a traffic light at an unknown speed, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000. Ma 10/1 the consumer stated the manufacture did not offer any assistance, stating the failure is a maintenance issue due to road salt and not a safety issue. Updated 12/28/2015
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. While driving at a very slow speed, the brake pedal depressed and failed to operate. The contact was unaware if the emergency brake was depressed; however, there was no crash. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake line was rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
Brake complaints in other Sierra 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500?
NHTSA has 67 complaints about the brakes of the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500, 46% of the model year's 145 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. 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 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries and 1 death 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.