2015-2020 Chevrolet Colorado Brake Job Guide: Symptoms, Costs and the Right Parts

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

A brake job on a 2015-2020 Chevrolet Colorado means pads and usually rotors on a four-wheel disc system: the front axle wears first and does most of the work, and the rear axle uses its own disc pads plus small parking-brake shoes inside each rear rotor. If you hear a steady high-pitched squeal, feel a pulse in the pedal, or notice the pedal travelling farther than it used to, the truck is telling you it is due.

How the Brakes Work on the 2015-2020 Colorado

The second-generation Colorado (and its twin, the GMC Canyon) uses vented disc brakes at the front and disc brakes at the rear on every trim, from the WT through the Z71 and ZR2. Detroit Axle lists matched rear disc rotor pairs for the 2017 Colorado Base, LT, WT, Z71 and ZR2, which confirms there is no rear drum service brake on these trucks. That matters when you shop: you are buying rear pads and rotors, not rear shoes and drums.

The parking brake is a foot pedal. GM's owner's manual tells you to hold the service brake, push the parking pedal down to set it, and push it again to release. That pedal works a pair of small parking-brake shoes that sit inside the center "hat" of each rear rotor, so those shoes and their hardware are part of any thorough rear brake job.

The hydraulic side is simple. The master cylinder reservoir is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid, and on manual-transmission trucks the same reservoir also feeds the hydraulic clutch. ABS, Brake Assist and Hill Start Assist all run through the stability control module, so a healthy brake job also means healthy fluid.

Symptoms That Your Colorado Needs a Brake Job

• A high-pitched squeal while driving. GM builds audible wear indicators into the disc pads. The sound can come and go, or be constant while the truck is moving, and it often stops when you press the pedal firmly. GM's manual is blunt: when you hear it, the brakes will soon not work well, and continuing to drive on worn pads leads to a more expensive repair.
• Pulsation or a shaking steering wheel when stopping. Usually uneven rotor thickness. GM specifically warns that unevenly tightened wheel nuts can cause brake pulsation and rotor damage, so a tire shop that skipped the torque wrench is a common cause.
• A grinding or scraping noise. The pad friction material is gone and the backing plate is contacting the rotor. At this point rotors are almost always part of the job.
• A low pedal or a rapid increase in pedal travel. GM lists this as a sign brake service may be required. Check the fluid level first.
• The BRAKE FLUID LOW message or the red brake warning light. The fluid level drops slowly as pads wear, which is normal. A sudden drop points to a leak at a caliper, hose, line or the master cylinder.
• A light squeal only on the first few cold stops. GM notes that some climates and driving conditions cause this and it does not mean something is wrong.

Front vs Rear: Which Wears First and What to Replace Together

The front axle does most of the stopping on any pickup, so the front pads on a Colorado normally wear out before the rears, often going through more than one set of fronts per set of rears. Do not assume the rears are fine, though. Every time the tires are rotated, GM recommends inspecting the pads for wear, and that is the cheapest moment to catch a thin rear pad before it damages a rotor.

GM also states that brake linings should always be replaced as complete axle sets. Never replace one side. Here is what a proper job on each axle includes:

• Front axle: front brake pads, two front brake rotors (or a professional check that the old ones are within the minimum thickness cast on the rotor and run true), new abutment clips and brake hardware, and cleaned and lubricated caliper slide pins.
• Rear axle: rear pads and rotors, new clips, and a look at the parking-brake shoes and springs inside the rotor hat while the rotors are off. If the parking shoes are thin or contaminated, replace them now; it is the same disassembly.
• Calipers: replace a caliper that is leaking, sticking or has a torn piston boot. If one side pulls or runs much hotter after a drive, suspect a stuck caliper or slide pin. Replacement brake calipers are sold by position.
• Fluid: top up or flush with fresh DOT 3 only. GM warns that the wrong fluid can keep the brakes from working well.

If you want to do one axle in a single order, a matched pad and rotor kit removes the guesswork of pairing a pad compound with a rotor.

Recall Check: 2015 Front Caliper Leak

Before buying parts for a 2015 model, run the VIN through NHTSA. Recall 15V278000 covers certain 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks manufactured January 6, 2014, to December 24, 2014. Air pockets in the metal caliper body could let the front calipers leak brake fluid, which increases stopping distance. The remedy is a dealer inspection and, if needed, replacement of the front calipers at no charge. If your truck is in that build range and the recall was never done, get that handled before a pad job. A leaking caliper will also contaminate new pads.

How Hard Is the Job and What Drives the Cost

On the Colorado this is one of the friendlier brake jobs for a home mechanic with a floor jack, jack stands, a torque wrench and basic hand tools. The front is conventional: remove the caliper, the caliper bracket and the rotor, clean the hub face, and reverse. The rear takes a little more time because the parking-brake shoes live inside the rotor hat; if the rotor is stuck, backing off the parking-brake adjustment and releasing rust at the hub usually frees it. Torque every caliper and bracket bolt to the value in the factory service manual, then tighten the wheel nuts in a crisscross pattern to the torque in your owner's manual. Bed in the new pads before any hard use.

What changes the final bill, from least to most:

• Pads only on one axle. Only possible when the rotors are still above minimum thickness, smooth and true.
• Pads and rotors on one axle. The most common Colorado brake job, because worn rotors are the usual cause of pulsation and noise.
• Pads and rotors on both axles. Roughly doubles the parts and adds the rear parking-brake inspection.
• Calipers, hoses or a fluid flush. Adds parts plus bleeding time.
• Shop labor. The biggest variable. Doing it yourself turns the job into a parts-only cost.

Towing and Off-Road Colorados

Towing and Off-Road Colorados

A Colorado that tows, carries a loaded bed, runs bigger tires or lives off-road puts much more heat into its brakes. GM's owner's manual says a loaded trailer over 2,000 lb (900 kg) needs its own brake system, and even with trailer brakes the truck's own pads and rotors work harder on long grades. For these trucks, a truck-and-tow pad compound paired with a matched rotor is the right call. Power Stop, for example, designs its Z36 Truck and Tow kits for towing, hauling, mountain driving and big-tire trucks, pairing a carbon-fiber ceramic pad with drilled and slotted rotors and including stainless hardware and brake lubricant. Browse Power Stop brake kits, or everyday ceramic brake pads for a daily driver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 2015-2020 Chevy Colorado have rear drum brakes?

No. These trucks use disc brakes at all four wheels. The only drum-style surface at the rear is inside the hat of each rear rotor, which the parking-brake shoes grip when you set the pedal.

What brake fluid does a 2015-2020 Colorado use?

DOT 3, per GM's owner's manual. Use new fluid from a sealed container and clean the cap before opening the reservoir. On manual-transmission trucks the same reservoir also supplies the clutch.

Should I replace rotors every time I replace pads on my Colorado?

Not automatically. If the rotors are above the minimum thickness stamped on them, have no deep grooves and do not cause pulsation, pads alone are fine. In practice most Colorado brake jobs include rotors because pulsation or noise is what sent the owner to the shop in the first place.

Can I replace just the front brakes?

Yes. Front and rear wear at different rates, so doing one axle at a time is normal. Replace both sides of that axle together, as GM requires, and check the rear pad thickness while the truck is in the air.

Are Colorado and GMC Canyon brake parts the same?

For 2015-2020 the two trucks share a platform, and most pad, rotor and kit listings cover both. Always confirm fitment for your exact year and trim before ordering.

Why do my new brakes squeal on cold mornings?

A light squeal on the first few applications in damp or cold weather is normal according to GM. A constant high-pitched squeal while driving is the pad wear indicator and should be checked.

Sources

1. 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GM) - DOT 3 fluid, shared brake/clutch reservoir, pad wear indicators, axle-set replacement, pedal parking brake, wheel nut torque warning, 2,000 lb trailer brake rule
2. NHTSA recall data, 2015 Chevrolet Colorado - recall 15V278000 front caliper leak, build dates and remedy
3. Detroit Axle rear disc brake rotors, 2017 Colorado - rear disc rotors on Base, LT, WT, Z71 and ZR2
4. Detroit Axle front disc brake rotors, 2017 Colorado - front disc rotors sold as a matched pair
5. Power Stop Z36 Truck and Tow Brake Upgrade Kit - truck-and-tow kit design, pad and rotor pairing, included hardware and lubricant