The Lemon IndexBrakes that fail or barely stop the car need help before the car moves again.
Stop and get help. Don’t drive it. Have it towed.
A brake fluid leak or a burst brake line. Then: a failed master cylinder or brake booster; an ABS or electronic brake fault.
Owners describe this in 29,505 complaints to the U.S. government, most often on the Chevrolet Silverado.
Cars owners report it on most
Complaints describing this symptom, by model, all years. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more complaints.
Model years that report it most
| Model year | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 Toyota Prius | 442 | 16% |
| 2003 Chevrolet Silverado | 240 | 12% |
| 2000 Chevrolet Silverado | 224 | 11% |
| 2002 Chevrolet Silverado | 214 | 13% |
| 2004 Chevrolet Silverado | 176 | 10% |
| 2001 Chevrolet Silverado | 168 | 10% |
| 2007 Toyota Camry | 150 | 4% |
| 2010 Ford Fusion | 142 | 3% |
| 2018 Ram pickup | 127 | 3% |
| 2015 Ford F-Series | 120 | 5% |
| 2016 Ford F-Series | 117 | 4% |
| 2014 Ford F-Series | 110 | 6% |
Each row is that model year's record in NHTSA complaints, not the history of any one car. Share = complaints describing this symptom out of every complaint we hold for that model year (shown when the year has 50+ complaints).
Where it makes up the biggest share
2010 Toyota Prius · 16% 2025 Chevrolet Traverse · 14% 2009 Hyundai Genesis · 14% 2002 GMC Yukon · 14% 2020 GMC Terrain · 14% 2006 Nissan Armada · 14% 2002 GMC Sierra · 14% 2000 GMC Sierra · 13%
Model years with 150+ complaints in our data and 10+ describing this symptom, ranked by share. A high share means owners of that year who complained often mentioned it.
The details
Common causes of brakes not working
- A brake fluid leak or a burst brake line
- A failed master cylinder or brake booster
- An ABS or electronic brake fault
- Pads or shoes worn out completely
- Overheated brakes (fade) after long downhill braking
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive if the brakes are not working?
Stop and get help. Don’t drive it. Have it towed.
Get help right away if you notice it at all.
Of the 29,505 complaints describing it, 20% mention a crash, 5% say the car was towed, 1% mention a fire and 8% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: service brakes, hydraulic (49%), service brakes (37%), electrical system (8%), vehicle speed control (7%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 56,460 miles.
Most reports by make: Chevrolet (6,169), Ford (4,457), Toyota (2,945), Gmc (2,063), Dodge (1,870).
What owners say it cost to fix
Repair bills owners named in complaints that describe this symptom (brakes repairs): the middle half ran $631 to $2,300, typical $1,200, from 493 bills.
Each figure is one repair bill as an owner wrote it in a complaint, not a quote for your car. Prices vary with the part, the shop and the year.
Engine codes that come up with it
C1391 C1256 C1252 C1253 P25A2 C1179
Trouble codes owners named in these complaints more often than in other symptom complaints. Look up any code →
Related symptoms
Brake pedal goes to the floor Brake pedal hard to push Grinding noise when braking ABS light on Car shakes when braking Squeaky brakes
Quick answers
What causes brakes not working?
Brakes that fail or barely stop the car need help before the car moves again. Common causes: a brake fluid leak or a burst brake line; a failed master cylinder or brake booster; an ABS or electronic brake fault; pads or shoes worn out completely; overheated brakes (fade) after long downhill braking.
Is it safe to drive if the brakes are not working?
Stop and get help. Don’t drive it. Have it towed.
Which cars have this problem most?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners describe it most on the Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota Prius and Ford F-Series. These are raw counts, so popular models rank higher; complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
How much does it cost to fix?
In 493 repair bills owners named in complaints describing it, the middle half ran $631 to $2,300. The right repair depends on the cause.
Counts: NHTSA owner complaints whose text describes this symptom (we matched owners' own wording, then read samples to check the matches). A complaint is an owner's report, not a diagnosis or proof of a defect. Causes and advice are general information in our own words, not repair advice for your car. Every symptom · Engine code lookup