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 1999 GMC Sierra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt: the caller said at speeds 3-10 MPH the anti lock brakes would kick in, and the consumer would not be able to stop the vehicle. She said there was a recall and she had the recall work done. The caller had the hubs were replaced once less than two years ago at manufacturer's s expense. Dealer said the problem was in the hub and that was not covered by the recall. Manufacturer offered no help for free. She said her husband has had a close call with a wall. He stopped in time. She said the vehicle had to be put in park once to get vehicle to stop. The truck was returned to the dealer the day after the recall work was performed to have the hubs replaced., which the dealer told her that was causing the problem. GM refused to pay for the hubs even though this was the cause of the documented problem in the recall. …
I was driving and went to apply brakes for the stop sign ahead, and I had no brakes. Once I had the truck home I parked it. I determined that the brake lines had rusted through by having a piece of cardboard under the truck to locate the leaking brake fluid. I'm so lucky that I didn't have a camper on the truck and had gone on vacation to colorado, as I intended this to be my recreational vehicle for this purpose. I am haunted by the possible scenarios and crashes that could have occurred to me and my family. Wife, son, and two daughters. This needs to be addressed before other human beings end up seriously injured, traumatized, or death being very highly likely. So I have a near new truck sitting in the yard for nearly the past five years. My attempt to install after-market brake lines has been a failure. GM should be responsible for this catastrophic failure. …
ABS activated on dry road while stopping on a slight grade . This resulted in a loss of brakes as if a brake line failed. I shot forward about three feet then all four wheels locked up. After the accident the ABS light came on so when I got home I had my mechanic check the codes. The ABS control unit was bad but gave no indication until after the accident. The mechanic told me that this wasn't the first time he had someone with a99 - 02 GM truck in his shop with this same problem . For me this failure resulted in $5000.00 damage to my truck as well as damage to the vehicle in front of me (which luckily we also own).I just got a recall notice today almost three months after the accident for the ABS speed sensor that causes this same type of malfunction but what about the control unit on the frame rail ? …
Dt: at slow speeds there is a clanking sound in the brakes, and can be felt in the brake pedal on the consumer's foot. This has been a problem since 2002. The vehicle has been in the repair shop 3 times for the same problem. The first time, the vehicle was involved in an accident in the parking lot. The owner was driving 5 MPH or less and had no brake control, and the pedal was working against the driver. The owner took the vehicle back to the shop 2 more times for the same problem. GM, the manufacturer came and inspected the truck. GM would not allow the truck to be fixed by the dealership until they inspected it. The dealerships report stated that they replaced the right front hub bearing after testing and the found bearing caused unwanted ABS operation during slow speeds. There were no injuries in the crash.
My vehicle was parked overnight with the emergency brake on. Sometime the next day I started up my truck and released the emergency brake, all seemed fine. I then released my foot from the brake pedal to proceed to back up. Gave the vehicle a little gas to do so, went to apply the brakes again and had them go all the way to the floor boards. In order to stop I had to allow the vehicle to hit into a telephone pole. No damage to either other than a scuff. This is not the first time this has happened. Underside of the vehicle is completely rusted and mechanic says all lines need replacing. Going to cost upwards of a $1000. This is a very common failure with this vehicle and something needs to be done to prevent loss of life!
This is for some people that are experiencing breaking problems with 1999 (new body style) and newer GMC and Chevy 1/2 ton pick-ups 2+4wd trucks. If your having problems with your ABS going off at slow speeds like under 15 MPH, have your service shop check your ABS sensor located on your hub. If its rusted, the sensor can't tell if your wheel is moving or not and sets it off. I had this problem with mine and had to change the whole hub/wheel ass. On both sides because it's hard to pin point which side was the cause. This can get expensive unless you can do the work yourself. Good luck.
(1) recall on wheel speed sensor causing increased stopping distances. (2) due to wheel speed sensor causing unwanted ABS activation, the ABS module turned defective. As a result, the module needed replacing due to over activation. A low speed crash occurred due to not being able to stop. (3) during the recall campaign, the manufacturer refused to relate the crash or the faulty ABS module to the wheel speed sensor. They estimated repairs in the thousands of dollar range. They refused to fix the malfunction. I do not have ABS on my vehicle at this time.
Dt*: the contact stated the ABS activated at low speeds causing an increased stopping distance. Due to the inability to stop at low speed, the vehicle gently tapped another vehicle in the rear bumper. No damage or injuries were sustained. The police were not contacted regarding this incident. There is a NHTSA recall, # 05V379000, regarding the anti-lock brakes. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN. Updated 02/21/06.
While pulling out of my driveway I experienced complete brake failure. Looked under truck and brake fluid was everywhere and the brake lines were severely rusted and had busted. Looked it up and this appears to be a common problem with this model truck but there has never been a recall?! This issue needs to be addressed with GM.
Brake line burst while shifting from park to drive, resulting in loss of braking and slow speed crawl into garage door. On inspection, heavily corroded section of rear brake line underneath the drivers door on the inside of frame rail was split lengthwise and leaking large volume of brake fluid.
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles May experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas.
Remedy: Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel…
Parking brake
On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions and built with either pbr parking brake systems or trw parking brake systems, the parking brake friction linings May wear to an extent where the parking brake can become ineffective in immobilizing a parked vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will install a low-force spring clip retainer for vehicles equipped with a pbr parking brake system. On vehicles equipped with the trw parking brake system, dealers will install a redesigned parking brake cable…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a clearance condition between the front right-hand brake pipe and the body cross sill that could decrease to the point of allowing contact during the life of the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front right-hand brake pipe for wear. If there are signs of wear, this section of the brake pipe will be replaced with a new designed brake pipe section.
NHTSA investigations
Brake line corrosion failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received Defect Petition DP10-003 on March 2, 2010, requesting the investigation of model year (MY) 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD pickup trucks for corrosion failures of the vehicle brake lines.DP10-003 was granted and on March 30, 2010, Preliminary Evaluation PE10-010 was opened on more than six million model year 1999 through 2003 light trucks and sport utility…
Unwanted low-speed ABS activation
In a letter dated August 29, 2005, GM notified odi that it was recalling certain model year 1999 through 2002 c/k pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles to correct a problem with anti-lock brake system (ABS) wheel speed sensor corrosion that May result in unwanted ABS activation and extended stopping distances during low-speed braking (recall 05v-379).GM's recall covers approximately 804,000 vehicles currently…
Parking brake failure
Odi opened pe03-057 to assess parking brake ineffectiveness in the subject vehicles.these vehicles are equipped with four wheel disc brakes that incorporate a single-shoe drum-in-hat parking brake independent of the service brakes.complaint and warranty data indicate that the parking brake linings tend to wear out early in the life of the vehicle (at an average of 24 months in service), reducing the parking brake…
Parking brake failure
In a letter dated April 20, 2005, GM notified NHTSA that it had decided that defects that relate to motor vehicle safety exist in certain model year (my) 1999-2002 c/k 1500 series (pbr parking brake system) and my 2001-2005 c/k 2500 and 3500 series (trw parking brake system) pickups with manual transmissions.according to GM, some of these vehicles May have conditions that cause the friction linings to wear to an…
Parking brake failure
Odi's review of complaint data received since the close of ea04-011 revealed no indication that the investigation should be re-opened.more details can be found in the federal register notice enclosed in the dp05-009 public file.odi reserves the right to reopen the investigation in the future should conditions warrant.
Brake complaints in other Sierra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1999 GMC Sierra?
NHTSA has 338 complaints about the brakes of the 1999 GMC Sierra, 56% of the model year's 600 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (197 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 GMC Sierra brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 05V-379 (antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Aug 29, 2005); NHTSA recall 05V-161 (parking brake, Apr 22, 2005); NHTSA recall 00V-345 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Oct 30, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 GMC Sierra brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 34 crashes, 0 fires and 7 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.