NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
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 was loose. Looked for recalls and this model Chevrolet 1500 has a recall for front suspension arm bushing giving out and it is exactly what happened to my truck. The loud sound must have been one of them and then since most of the weight was put on the other bushing, made the tire give out and both bushings are not broken or torned so the bolt that holds arm and bushing is movable and loose, not holding the wheel the right way
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 again and there were no trouble codes. The service advisor said they could not fix the problem if they did not know the cause of the problem. I left the dealership. Since then, I have had 4 more incidents. Once the warning message appeared again, but no jerk of the steering wheel or truck; once there was the same warning message and a jerk of the steering wheel and truck; and twice there were sudden jerks of the steering wheel and truck but no warning message. I have reported each of these incidents to the dealership. I also called Chevrolet Customer Assistance. I explained the problem and asked if they would assign a Field Service Engineer to assist the dealership. hey declined my request. Because I momentarily lose control of steering the truck, I fear for my safety and the safety of others.
Vehicle suffered a failure cascade of the brake booster vacuum pump system. During a low-speed bumper collision on July 4 and a boat ramp slide, the pedal triggered abnormal ABS-like pulsing as the computer tried to hydraulically compensate for dropping vacuum pressure. This resulted in truck front bumper damage and boat trailer fender damage. On July 10, total failure occurred in a drive-thru, rendering the pedal rock-hard and sopping mear impossible. All marked parts and logs are available for inspection. Onboard diagnostic data reveals the electronic brake control module has driven continuously without a master clear for 22,665 miles, locking the last system initialization to 78,468 miles. This continuous data loop proves code C0299-00 was actively visible in the history log during the subsequent dealer service visits. Instead of performing the hardware pump remedy under Recall N192268490 (NHTSA 19V650). At the Jan 24 dealer visit (78,482 mi), dealer applied a software update and charged out-of-pocket fees to clear symptoms. They also ignored subsequent communication regarding the billing discrepancy. Technicians completely neglected the history logs despite explicit complaints regarding low-speed ABS sensations, trailer brake messages, park assist, and brake assist warnings. The 2026 dealers (and 2024) falsified multipoint inspections stating brakes required NO service until after winter. Jan '26 dealer delayed further diagnostics until June '26. May '26 dealer ignored texts regarding a crooked steering wheel and unstable tracking after alignment service. The truck was intentionally misdiagnosed as functional to avoid the warranty period repair. This unaddressed mechanical failure caused a destructive system cascade requiring replacement of the vacuum pump, oil-contaminated vacuum lines lines, oil-saturated booster, master cylinder, glazed pads, warped rotors, fluid flush, tires from module drag, alongside the resulting bumper and trailer property damage.
Doors automatically unlock while driving or parked and not running.
Rear power window defrost thermal event. While rear defrost was on the plastic connector that goes to the rear defrost of the power rear sliding window began to smoke heavily. In 2020 there was recall number N192265660 for the 1500 series of the same year for the same component that failed and is a fire risk. 2500 had no recall but this vehicle contains the same product and poses the same fire risk as the 1500.
The AFM code p3400 was activated on the truck and the lifters went bad and caused damage to the cam shift. Lifter failure which caused fuel to shoot down exhaust and burned out the catalytic converters. Dealership wants 10k to fix not including the catalytic converters.
While driving truck loses power. We stop put in park & then have to restart the truck to start driving. It has happened 3 times & we know this is a problem for other trucks.
Brake assist activates for no apparent reason
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the message “Service Stabilizer” was displayed and the power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle lost its power steering function, and the vehicle was difficult to steer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,805.
Transmission started shifting hard, shuddering in torque converter, and long time shifting into 1st gear. Took it to a Transmission guy and he said it needs a full rebuild and is very common with this Transmission in this truck.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal failed to function properly and felt spongy while attempting to depress the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously received a brake system software update under an unknown recall, which was completed by the dealer. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the brake system software update might be performed another time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 175,446.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Truck will shut off then on rapidly when turning left. Alert messages on sensors come on and off as lights flicker on and off. Radio screen will go black randomly or not turn on. AC shuts off and on randomly as well. Very dangerous while driving and you are about to turn left if truck shuts down. This happens at least once a week.
Had steering centering go out. Data cable pinched or broken somewhere in system and transmission got out. Also 4x4 system went out.
On road trip from mi to ny. No lights or warnings but transmission failed.we were able to get safely off highway into parking lot.Tried to have towed to chevy dealer but could not look at for days. Able to take to aamco & need to install new transmission in ohio!
Entire Transmission failed and needs to be replaced.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado1500. The contact stated that while driving at 48 MPH and driving uphill, the transmission downshifted and started sputtering. The contact pulled into a parking lot and attempted to troubleshoot the failure, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a torque converter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 103,000.
The contact owned a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became stiff and then loosened. The steering started turning independently and was uncontrollable. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The power steering warning light and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic, who declined to repair it due to the vehicle having an active recall. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer who also declined to perform the recall repair because the vehicle had a salvage title. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
I am reporting a manufacturing defect involving General Motors’ Active Fuel Management (AFM) system that caused catastrophic engine failure in my 2016 Chevrolet Silverado (VIN: [XXX] ). At approximately 78,000 miles, my vehicle experienced piston and lifter failure requiring full engine replacement. This failure occurred without warning and aligns with thousands of consumer complaints regarding AFM-related oil consumption, lifter collapse, and engine damage in GM vehicles. This is a known design defect that GM has addressed through Technical Service Bulletins and engine redesigns, yet many consumers continue to experience premature failures at low mileage. This defect presents a safety and reliability concern, including loss of power while driving and significant financial burden to vehicle owners. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this ongoing defect. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] VIN: [XXX] 2016 Chevrolet Silverado INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On January 6, 2026., I was backing out of my son's driveway when I heard a loud pop, it sounded like a rock hitting the back window of my Silverado. I then discovered the driver's side of the back window shattered. Prior to backing out, I used the auto start to warm up my vehicle. I did some research and found there was a recall for this issue that was supposedly completed by Lithia Chevy of Helena on 6/29/2020. GM is refusing to replace the rear slider window stating there's no recall. I then reported the issue to GM Product Assistance claims it's do to wear/elements. See recall below. GM Program #N192265660 Status: Complete Description: Certain 2014-2019 model year Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with a power sliding rear window (RPO A48) may have areas of high electrical resistance on the rear defroster circuit. This could be caused, in part, by mechanical stress from opening and closing the rear power window, intrusion of debris, and use of the rear defroster. Over time, this condition could generate heat that could melt the areas surrounding the circuit. In rare instances, this heat could cause a non-propagating fire, increasing the risk of property damage or injury. This is the second time Lithia Chevy has claimed they completed a recall. On July 28, 2023, my brakes failed during a 200-mile trip to my hometown. After several days of battling with Chevy and General Motors I paid a private mechanic 100 to verify the vacuum pump had failed on my Silverado, Chevy finally fixed the issue on August 8, 2023. There was 47,781 miles on it at the time. See Repair Description below showing they supposedly completed the recall, the same day as the back window recall (6/29/2020). Repair Description Dealers will reprogram the electronic brake control module with a new calibration that will improve how the system utilizes the hydraulic brake boost assist function when vacuum assist is depleted. Recall Completed: 2020-06-29
The rear 3rd brake light above the back glass started leaking because the seal/gasket went bad. Water leaked into the cab and now the headliner has to be replace as well as that seal. I works for a glass company and this is a known problem for this year. There should be a recall or service campaign put out for this. I'm not the only one with this issue.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission valve body had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
I am writing about my recent engine failure on my 2016 Chevy Silverado High Country. This is a 4x4 with the 6.2L motor. My engine has failed at only 66,790 miles due to the lifter issue that seems to be common with these motors. I noticed a loud ticking from my motor that was getting worse. I took it into A1 Automotive Georgetown, TX. They advised me to contact a dealership for Warranty repair or replacement as they noted it was coming from the valves. I contacted Don Hewlett Chevrolet; they advised me due to the date of the truck being made in 2016 it is no longer covered in warranty and the advisor said they do not see engines with lifter issues. I did standard service with an oil and transmission change using the recommended 0W-20W oil. The next day the ticking was very bad and turned into what I would describe as ‘jack hammer’ noises. Then I lost power while driving and the dashboard lights came on. I got towed back to A1 Auto; they drained the oil and noticed a lot of metal fragments and advised me that theck engine will need to be replaced. The engine was removed and we found the pushrod on the passenger side was sticking out to the side of the rocker arm presumably due to a lifter issue. I now have a new engine with the ‘delete kit’ to remove the 4-cylinder shutoff that has been linked to lifter failures. This has been a very unnecessary expense for something that shouldn’t happen. The motor only having 66,790 miles and I am the only owner, I have always taken very good care of it, and even use only premium gas. I have gotten all the oil changes on time and most of them have been done by the dealership at Don Hewlett. Date of ticking inspection and oil change, A1 Auto – 12/16/2025 miles 66,766 Date of failure 12/17/2025 miles 66,790 Charges: •Towing $235 •Engine replacement $14,064.90 oEngine $8,375 oLabor $3,750 oInjectors $1042 oOil, Tax, misc. $897
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the rear sliding glass defroster element overheated. The contact was unsure but thought that the defroster had activated independently. The contact stated that the heating element had caught fire, burned a hole through the weather stripping, and shattered the rear sliding glass. The contact extinguished the fire with a can of soda. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
I have had so much issues as has thousands upon thousands of other people related to the arm on my truck nothing but issues regarding it
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was a loud rattling sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked unexpectedly, with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal became inoperable. The contact reported that the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard, and the ABS system vibrated following the brake pedal failure. No warning lights were illuminated for the brake failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.
6L80 Automatic RWD Transmission and Torque Converter is dead. No warning lights or any indications that there was an issue. The RPM climbed and could not drive it in gear. Metal shavings found in fluid. 126,524 miles
I was a front seat passenger in a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and was properly wearing my seatbelt at the time of the incident. The vehicle struck a deer, and during the collision, the passenger seatbelt failed to properly restrain me. I was thrown forward and struck the windshield. The seatbelt did not appear to lock or tighten as expected during impact. It is unknown whether the seatbelt pretensioner or airbag system activated properly. This created a serious safety risk, as the seatbelt did not perform its intended function of restraining the occupant during a crash. The vehicle was declared a total loss following the incident and is no longer available for inspection. The incident was documented through insurance and/or police reports. There were no known warning lights or prior indications of a problem with the seatbelt system before the crash. This failure resulted in occupant injury risk due to lack of proper restraint during the collision.
Was a light frost on mirror and back glass. Turned on rear defroster then all of a sudden back passengers side glass shattered.
While driving on the freeway accelerating the truck made a huge clunking noise and dropped speed instantly and I was unable to accelerate. The tow truck driver said it was a transmission problem.truck had to be towed and is at the mechanic awaiting an official diagnosis
Vehicle will cut off as if an electrical short and the Service Stabilitrak indicator will flash on the dashboard along with warning chimes. This has happened several times at low speed (1st gear) especially while turning. The steering wheel locks and can not be turned. I've almost been involved in an accident this week because the truck turns off while making a turn. I was at a stop sign waiting to turn left having to cross 2 lanes of on coming traffic and when I accelerated the trucks electrical cut out and forced the steering wheel to go straight I gave it more gas and the truck turned back on. On another day I pulled up and put it in reverse turned right and the truck shut off I had to put it in park and restarted it to back in my driveway. GM need to fix this.
Transmission shifts erratically, sometimes violently. It seems to shift through several gears within seconds. There is no warning lights or codes that appear. I was rolling in line to exit a parking lot, going less than a crawl, and transmission shifted. It sounded like I had been rear-ended and vehicle lunged forward. There was enough distance that I was able to avoid the vehicle that was in front of me.
While I was driving, my steering wheel was locking up, my dash lights were going off and on, and while my truck was on I wasn’t able to steer. It happened twice that day.
Stability track came on left me stuck a On train tracks and middle of an entersection
Wheel will lock up randomly on slow turns like an intersection, parking lot or anything. It’s very random and there’s no reason why it does it. The truck drives fine most of the time. It will say stabitrack service on my dash then it will go away my wheel locks up so I can’t turn it anymore then it will release like 10 seconds after. I nearly been in two accidents from this. The dealership can’t find out what’s wrong with the truck and I don’t feel comfortable knowing it’s not fix.
2016 Silverado z71 with 6L80 transmission started slipping gears and shudders when accelerating. Vehicle was looked at by a mechanic who drove it and confirmed that the transmission is the issue and said a rebuild is needed.
Vehicle will cut off as if an electrical short and the Service Stabilitrak indicator will flash on the dashboard along with warning chimes. This has happened twice at highway speed (65mph) and several times at low speed (1st gear) especially while turning. The steering wheel locks and can not be turned. I've almost been involved in 2 accidents this week because the truck turns off while making a turn. Also the MyLink infotainment system screen has gone completely blank while driving. Although functioning, the displays comes on and off. This has happened off and on for 3 months.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000. The VIN was not available.
There is a recall (N182202780) for certain models of gm apparently, but my truck does not fall under the recall though it is the same exact problem with the brake vacuum. When pumping my brake pedal, my brakes become almost non responsive, causing me to back into my secondary vehicle.
This vehicle has been driven only on highway and local paved suburban roads. Fully maintained per Manufacturer recommendations. This vehicle has never been used to tow. Transmission suddenly failed during driving creating an unsafe condition on a 55mph busy road.
I own a 2016 Chevy Silverado 1500 with around 61,000 miles on it. I work from home at the moment so I do not put a lot of miles on the vehicle. I drove the vehicle last on July 5 2025 and it sat in our driveway until July 10 2025. I got into the truck and the dash read “service power steering drive with care” and the power steering would not work and it was very difficult to turn the wheel. I tried starting the truck again and the message still displayed and the loss of power steering became intermittent. The power steering would work briefly and then the steering would lock up become stiff again. I let the truck sit over night and came out the next day in the afternoon to see what it was doing. I started the truck and the message did not display I tried to drive it up and down the road to see if it would come back. I drove for about 5 minutes and parked it back in my driveway and the issue came right back. I’m afraid to drive it completely on any main roads for the fact it might come back while I’m driving and cause me to crash or worse.
65,300 miles on my 2016 Chevrolet Silverado with the 5.3 liter engine. Engine lifter and camshaft failure due to the AFM/DFM system. Now my truck is being worked on as we speak by a performance shop who says these seem to be a normal occurrence. Some with more miles and some with less millage. After doing some research online, this is a very common problem. And on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook there is a lot of people having same issues. My question is why isn't this being looked into. I've asked other mechanics, speed shops, and including a Chevrolet Dealer mechanic and he said yes that AFM/DFM is a major problem. But no recall from GM. Please help. This is not a cheap repair, and It's definitely unfair to many others that will have these same issues.
Problem 1: passenger side seatbelt does not retract. Problem 2: the transmission failed due to a bad torque converter. This is apparently a well known problem that General Motors has been ignoring. The cost to repair is approximately $6,500.00 which, for a senior citizen is really going to hurt my cost of living.
At low speeds and turning right or left the steering wheel locks up if wheel is turned quickly and engine quits momentarily, power is lost to instruments and radio, etc. or in one case the vehicle has shut off completely. I saw that there was a recall for this on earlier models but not for my VIN (2016 Silverado 1500)
For the last month or so, occasionally when I am going anywhere around 30-60 and I press the brakes, the vehicle will lose power for a few seconds and Stabilitrak is activated. It has locked up the brakes twice in the last 2 weeks when I was parking and could have caused an accident and if it happens when I am driving, I worry that it will cause an accident. I did some research and saw that there is a recall on my year and model. The symptoms it describes are exactly what my truck is doing but when I put in my VIN, it does not show the recall on my truck.
Transmission issues already had one replaced 5/9/24 having issues again going to be 3rd transmission also having issues now with electrical system going out while driving and dinging noise,when entering or exiting vehicle here rebooting system whining. Going to contact car coverage to have vehicle inspected again for the problems.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle had experienced hesitation to accelerate and reduced speeds. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 130,000.
Truck pulls to one side unexpectedly. Stabilitrack, 4WD and engine light sensors come on when this happens. Door locks activate when this happens as well. Truck pulls more when going through pot holes and it brakes unexpectedly when pulling. Ongoing since the summer.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle and attempting to fasten the driver's side seat belt, the seat belt floor anchor detached. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the seat belt floor anchor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 260,000.
I have a 2016 Silverado 1500 I bought new. It only has 33000 miles on it. Last week I was backing my boat into the shop and the steering wheel jerked back and forth on its own pretty violently and a stabilitrac warning popped up and the radio screen kinda went dead for a second. Then last night I was pulling in a parking space at a restaurant and it did it again. This time it jerked and went dead enough to cut the truck completely off. I had to put it in park and crank the truck again. It actually reset the radios time and date.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Aug 30, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.