2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems, complaints & recalls

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls (12)

• Recall 26V611000Sep 24, 20261,559 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR

  General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, GMC Sierra 2500/3500 vehicles, and 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The left-side or right-side roof rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

  Risk: A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace both RRAB modules, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 9, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262569920. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 24, 2026.

• Recall 21V504000Jul 1, 2021410,019 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks. The roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

  Risk: A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on August 18, 2021. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy is available. Phase I owner notification letters were mailed on May 5, 2022. Phase II owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 31, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. This recall supersedes NHTSA recall number 20V-736. GM's number for this recall is N202324251.

• Recall 21V245000Apr 8, 20212,568 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS:FRONT

  General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Tahoe, and 2014-2015 GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles that may have received an incorrect replacement tensioner cable assembly as part of a previous recall remedy or a subsequent repair. The flexible steel cable connecting the driver's seat belt to the outboard side of the seat may be repeatedly bent over the seat side shield as the driver enters and exits the vehicle causing the cable to fatigue and separate.

  Risk: A broken pretensioner cable reduces the effectiveness of the driver's seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver seat belt lap pretensioner, free of charge. The recall began on May 5, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212330040.

• Recall 20V736000Nov 25, 20209,279 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN:INFLATOR

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2015 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 trucks. The roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator.

  Risk: If the end cap separates from the inflator, the compressed gas will escape and the end cap can be propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RRAB modules on the left and/or right side, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on December 22, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. Note: GM filed a new recall, number 21V-504 that supersedes this recall. All vehicles previously recalled under 20V-736 will now be repaired under the new recall number 21V-504. GM's numbers for this recall are N202309680, N202309681, and N202309682.

• Recall 19V761000Oct 24, 2019652,967 vehicles
  ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · SERVICE BRAKES · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR/TONE RING

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive. If a wheel-speed sensor fails, while the vehicle is traveling between 41 and 60 mph in four-wheel or automatic mode, the Electronic-Brake Control Module (EBCM) software may activate the driveline-protection system.

  Risk: Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the vehicle to pull to one side unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192261050.

• Recall 19V645000Sep 6, 20193,456,719 vehicles
  SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.

  Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192268490.

• Recall 18V578000Aug 30, 201842,280 vehicles
  SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, 1500 Crew Cab Special Service, Tahoe Police Pursuit/Special Service, GMC Sierra 2500, and 3500 vehicles. The brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.

  Risk: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the nut and reinstall the nut with increased tightness, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18278. Note: The vehicles in this recall need this additional remedy despite being covered by recall 16V069 for brake pedal loosening.

• Recall 18V291000May 3, 201823,004 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS:FRONT

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Tahoe Police Pursuit and Special-Service vehicles. The flexible steel cable connecting the driver's seat belt to the outboard side of the seat may be repeatedly bent over the seat side shield as the driver enters and exits the vehicle causing the cable to fatigue and separate.

  Risk: If the pretensioner cable becomes fatigued or breaks, the driver may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the pretensioner cable and seat side-shield, free of charge. The recall began June 19, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18156.

• Recall 17V437000Jul 10, 201740,683 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE · SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

  Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

• Recall 16V651000Sep 8, 20163,640,162 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE · SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

  Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

• Recall 16V256000Apr 28, 20163,738 vehiclesDo not drive
  SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.

  Risk: Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Until the repairs have been made, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 42190.

• Recall 16V069000Feb 5, 2016430,771 vehicles
  SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

  General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 1, 2013, to February 1, 2016, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) manufactured March 1, 2014, to February 1, 2016, and 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 29, 2013, to February 1, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.

  Risk: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the brake pedal pivot nut and reinstall with an increased torque, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 20760.

NHTSA defect investigations

• PE18012Opened Nov 20, 2018Closed Apr 10, 2022led to recall 19V645000

  Brake Vacuum Pump Failure

  On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and GMC Yukon SUVs.If the brake assist vacuum pump fails to operate as intended, the amount of brake power assist supplied to the driver can be significantly reduced, extendi…

NHTSA 5-Star safety ratings

Recent 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed Oct 3, 2026INTransmission & Drivetrain

   "While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of propulsion/acceleration due to internal failure of the 6L80 6-speed automatic transmission. The failure occurred without prior warning, creating an immediate highway safety hazard by leaving the vehicle unable to maintain speed in traffic. A professional mechanic diagnosed the issue as a catastrophic torque converter failure that contaminated the entire transmission system with metal debris, requiring a…

   NHTSA complaint #11768767 · source
2. Filed Sep 30, 202630,000 miTXLighting

   The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that after parking and turning off the vehicle, the three rear brake lights remained illuminated overnight, causing the battery to drain. The contact had to disconnect the battery terminals to prevent the battery from draining. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and mechanic on several occasions, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 30,000.

   NHTSA complaint #11768047 · source
3. Filed Sep 18, 202691,300 miWVCrash1 injuredTowedAirbags

   The contact owned a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was involved in a crash, and the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle drove over an embankment and down a hill and then crashed into the sides of two vehicles. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The contact was transported to the local medical center. The contact sustained a concussion and had oxygen treatment. In addition, the contact…

   NHTSA complaint #11765362 · source
4. Filed Aug 28, 2026CAEngineOther / UnknownTransmission & Drivetrain

   I had noticed that my a/c was not cooling due to refrigerant loss. went to dealer and was told that I needed a new condenser and that my original was out of warranty & no recall was in effect. I was charged $1600.00 after the replacement was installed. I asked to see my original condenser & was directed behind the shop & low & behold there was a pile of 30 condensers exactly identical to mine

   NHTSA complaint #11760480 · source
5. Filed Aug 28, 2026120,000 miNETowedTransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to make a left turn from a complete stop, the vehicle lost motive power while depressing the accelerator pedal and was stranded in the middle of traffic. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was placed in neutral(N) and pushed to the shoulder of the road. The contact's husband arrived at the scene and restarted the vehicle; however, while driving at low speeds, the failure…

   NHTSA complaint #11760277 · source
6. Filed Aug 18, 2026TXAirbagsSuspensionWheels & Tires

   This truck is a 1500 Silverado custom with extended tail. There was a loud sound as if something happened , I moved to the shoulder and there was nothing visibly wrong. All tires had air in them, continued driving but did noticed a difference when I would back or turned to the right. Then days later one of my tires sort of was ruptured from the side of the tire and had to change tire. I put the spare and it is when I notice the bushing on both arms that hold the front wheels…

   NHTSA complaint #11757832 · source
7. Filed Aug 12, 2026MOSteering

   For the past 2 years ive been having issues of losing power steering. Lots of parts and modules have been replaced out of pocket. Still not fixed. When it goes out it can be out for days to weeks and is extremely hard to steer. Its gone out or come back in during a turn which is very problematic and unsafe. I always get the same dash message, "service power steering drive with care". The dealership is aware and has seen the malfunctioning steering. So far the rack and pinion…

   NHTSA complaint #11756540 · source
8. Filed Jul 25, 2026GAElectrical SystemSteering

   Approximately one week ago I was driving at a safe speed on a two-lane highway. Suddenly, my steering wheel and truck jerked to the right. For 8-10 seconds a warning message was displayed "Power Steering ... Drive Carefully." I took the truck to my local dealership. They scanned for trouble codes. The technician said something about an interruption communicating with the electrical system. My service advisor took the truck on a 15-mile drive and had no problem. They scanned…

   NHTSA complaint #11752802 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology