2016 Chevrolet SILVERADO 1500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Chevrolet SILVERADO 1500 has 1041 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 13.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: my truck came with an optional $770.00 trailering package including auto locking 3.42 ratio rear end, 5.3 litre v-8. the sales pitch is i can now tow 9800 pounds. they don't tell you that there are no trailer brakes! so how am i supposed to stop when i'm towing 9800 lbs? i contacted gm and they gav. ⚠️ 11 fire reports filed.

11 fire reports 45 crash reports 10 injuries

1041

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

13.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

266 complaints

26%

• MY TRUCK CAME WITH AN OPTIONAL $770.00 TRAILERING PACKAGE INCLUDING AUTO LOCKING 3.42 RATIO REAR END, 5.3 LITRE V-8. THE SALES PITCH IS I CAN NOW TOW 9800 POUNDS. THEY DON'T TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE NO TRAILER BRAKES! SO HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO STOP WHEN I'M TOWING 9800 LBS? I CONTACTED GM AND THEY GAV
• WENT TO MAKE LEFT TURN ON WET ROAD AN IT DIDN'T TURN IT SLIDE AN KEPT GOING STRAIGHT .IT JUST DOESN'T STOP IT SLIDES YES VEHICLE WAS MOVING THE ROAD WAS WET MADE THIS SAME TURN FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS IN MANY CHEVROLET SILVERADO TRUCKS AN THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED DIFFERENT TIME EVERYONE ALL TRAFFIC ST
• WHILE IN MOTION IN CITY AT INTERSECTION, STOPPED FOR LIGHT, PROCEEDED FORWARD BUT STEERING LOCKED, BRAKES, AND IGNITION SWITCH INACTIVE, A GRINDING CLICKING NOISE HEARD JUST AS BEGAN ACCELERATING BEFORE SAFETY FAILURE. TRUCK TOWED TO A DEALER, UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE, RELEASED TRUCK, PROBLEM OCCU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 27 crashes

“MY TRUCK CAME WITH AN OPTIONAL $770.00 TRAILERING PACKAGE INCLUDING AUTO LOCKING 3.42 RATIO REAR END, 5.3 LITRE V-8. THE SALES PITCH IS I CAN NOW TOW 9800 POUNDS. THEY DON'T TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE NO TRAILER BRAKES! SO HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO STOP WHEN I'M TOWING 9800 LBS? I CONTACTED GM AND THEY GAV”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

190 complaints

18%

• I BOUGHT A 2016 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 LTZ Z71 AND IT VIBRATES AT IDLE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. I HAD ALREADY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX, BUT NO LUCK. GM TOLD ME THAT IS HOW THE TRUCK IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE, WHICH IS HARD TO BELIEVE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO HELP FROM GM TO HELP
• THE ISSUE(S) THAT I AM EXPERIENCING ALL APPEAR TO BE WITH THE TRUCKS 8 SPEED TRANSMISSION. THE FIRST TWO OCCUR DURING BREAKING AND THE THIRD HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A 'COLD' START. A DESCRIPTION OF EACH OF THE THREE MAJOR ISSUES ARE OUTLINED BELOW: 1)DURING INITIAL BREAKING THE TRUCK WILL
• I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY NEW 2016 SILVERADO AND A VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED WITH AROUND 340 MILES ON IT. I WAS TOLD THEY COULD DO NOTHING UNTIL I HAD 1000 MILES ON THE TRUCK (THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT GET PAID BY CHEVY FOR WARRANTY I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I BOUGHT A 2016 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 LTZ Z71 AND IT VIBRATES AT IDLE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. I HAD ALREADY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX, BUT NO LUCK. GM TOLD ME THAT IS HOW THE TRUCK IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE, WHICH IS HARD TO BELIEVE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO HELP FROM GM TO HELP ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

118 complaints

11%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PARKING ASSIST DISPLAY WOULD ERRONIOUSLY ACTIVATE ALONG WITH AN AUDIBLE CHIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. T
• UPON ACCELERATING AFTER TRAFFIC LIGHT, POWER FAILS, STEERING LOCKS FOLLOWING GRINDING CLANKING SOUND IN STEERING COLUMN. ALSO OCCURS SAME SYMPTOMS IN ATTEMPT TO MOVE GEAR SHIFT TO PARK POSITION. MORE FREQUENT DOING THIS PROCEDURE. KEY MOVES BY ITSELF TO ORIGINALLY INPUT POSITION IN PROCESS OF LOC
• ONGOING SAFETY ISSUE...VEHICLE LOOSES POWER, STEERING, BRAKING, ALL OTHER DEVICES INACTIVE, DRIVING SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS AND OTHERS RELEVANT WHEN DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL DUE TO DEFECT. CHEVY MECHANICS BELIEVE MIGHT BE STEERING SYSTEM SUCH AS IGNITION AND LOCKING ELEMENTS, DUE TO GRINDING NOISE BEFORE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PARKING ASSIST DISPLAY WOULD ERRONIOUSLY ACTIVATE ALONG WITH AN AUDIBLE CHIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

108 complaints

10%

• THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I TAKE MY VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER IT'S A 2016 SILVERADO 1500 IT HAS A VIBRATION THAT COMES FROM THE FLOORBOARD ON THE DRIVER SIDE THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SEAT STARTS ABOUT 60 65 MILES AND IT UP TO ABOUT 70 72 73 SOMEWHEAROUND THAT AREA NUTRA BALANCE IS NOW THE SECOND TIME AROUND
• I WAS LEAVING MY HOME MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN AS I WAS COMING UP TO THE 35 MPH SPEED LIMIT THERE WAS A BEEP AND THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO TURN. A MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INFORMATION DISPLAY ADVISING TO GET POWER STEERING SERVICED.I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS TWO MILES AWAY. WAS ADVISED
• ELECTRIC STEERING FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS MULTIPLE TIMES DURING A LONG TRIP, WHEN NEW. THE STEERING, WHEN OUT, WAS VERY HARD TO STEER BUT DID NOT LOCK UP OR CAUSE ANY SUDDEN TRUCK MOVEMENTS. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE ELECTRIC STEERING ON THE NEW TRUCK. NO MORE ISSUES AFTERWARDS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 10 crashes

“THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I TAKE MY VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER IT'S A 2016 SILVERADO 1500 IT HAS A VIBRATION THAT COMES FROM THE FLOORBOARD ON THE DRIVER SIDE THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SEAT STARTS ABOUT 60 65 MILES AND IT UP TO ABOUT 70 72 73 SOMEWHEAROUND THAT AREA NUTRA BALANCE IS NOW THE SECOND TIME AROUND”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

80 complaints

• I BOUGHT A 2016 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 LTZ Z71 AND IT VIBRATES AT IDLE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. I HAD ALREADY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX, BUT NO LUCK. GM TOLD ME THAT IS HOW THE TRUCK IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE, WHICH IS HARD TO BELIEVE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO HELP FROM GM TO HELP
• I HAVE WHAT HAS BEEN DEEMED "THE CHEVY SHAKE". TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND BALANCED. BUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 70 MPH AND ABOVE THERE IS A VERY NOTICEABLE VIBRATION IN THE TRUCK. I JUST READ A REPORT DESCRIBING THIS PROBLEM IN THE '14 & '15 MODELS BUT GM HASN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM YET IN '16.
• THE STEEL CABLES THAT HOLD THE TAIL GATE IN THE DOWN POSITION ARE DIFFERENT LENGTHS. THE LEFT OR DRIVER SIDE CABLE IS THE ONLY CABLE THAT HAS TENSION ON IT IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE TAIL GATE IS ONLY ON ONE CABLE THAT COULD CAUSE FAILURE OF THE CABLE DUE TO THE WEIGHT AND COULD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1041 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: MY TRUCK CAME WITH AN OPTIONAL $770.00 TRAILERING PACKAGE INCLUDING AUTO LOCKING 3.42 RATIO REAR END, 5.3 LITRE V-8. THE SALES PITCH IS I CAN NOW TOW 9800 POUNDS. THEY DON'T TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE NO TRAILER BRAKES! SO HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO STOP WHEN I'M TOWING 9800 LBS? I CONTACTED GM AND THEY GAV
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I BOUGHT A 2016 CHEVY SILVERADO 1500 LTZ Z71 AND IT VIBRATES AT IDLE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. I HAD ALREADY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIX, BUT NO LUCK. GM TOLD ME THAT IS HOW THE TRUCK IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE, WHICH IS HARD TO BELIEVE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO HELP FROM GM TO HELP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PARKING ASSIST DISPLAY WOULD ERRONIOUSLY ACTIVATE ALONG WITH AN AUDIBLE CHIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I TAKE MY VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER IT'S A 2016 SILVERADO 1500 IT HAS A VIBRATION THAT COMES FROM THE FLOORBOARD ON THE DRIVER SIDE THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SEAT STARTS ABOUT 60 65 MILES AND IT UP TO ABOUT 70 72 73 SOMEWHEAROUND THAT AREA NUTRA BALANCE IS NOW THE SECOND TIME AROUND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)