2016 Chevrolet Silverado Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 15 NHTSA recalls and 983 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required. The counts include both the light-duty (1500) and the heavy-duty (2500/3500) pickups, which NHTSA lists under the same model name.
F
10/100
Very High Reported Activity — 2016 Chevrolet Silverado
The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.
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15
NHTSA Recalls
15 recalls on record
983
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
52
Crash Reports
12 fire reports
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NHTSA Recalls — 2016 Chevrolet Silverado (15)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Chevrolet dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Air Bags: Frontal: Sensor/Control Module-Inactive
If the SDM housing fractures, water may get into SDM causing it to malfunction and hinder the proper deployment of the air bags in the event of a crash, thereby increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will have the mounting stud repositioned and the SDM replaced, free of charge. The recall began December 2, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer…
🔧 Electrical System: Software
An unbelted driver is at a greater risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or…
🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Pedals And Linkages
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…
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…
🔧 Air Bags: Frontal
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…
🔧 Air Bags: Frontal
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…
🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Pedals And Linkages
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…
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,…
🔧 Air Bags: Side/Window: Curtain: Inflator
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…
🔧 Air Bags: Side/Window: Curtain: Inflator
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…
🔧 Seat Belts: Front
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…
🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Power Assist: Vacuum
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,…
Showing 10 of 15 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2016 Chevrolet Silverado
Based on 983 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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Chevrolet Silverado — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2016 model year is highlighted.
→ Recently checked Chevrolet Silverado VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.
→ Decode a Chevrolet VIN — free Chevrolet VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.
⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2014 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2012 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2016 Chevrolet Silverado
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado has 15 recall campaigns and 983 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado have?
The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado has 15 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado are: Service Brakes, Power Train, Steering, Electrical System. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado safe to buy?
The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 15 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Chevrolet Silverado should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Chevrolet Silverado are: 2012. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2014.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.