2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 problems & reliability
794 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, alongside 11 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 24, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
11 complaints report injuries (15 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes → | 256 | 32% |
| Power Train → | 192 | 24% |
| Electrical System → | 119 | 15% |
| Steering → | 110 | 14% |
| Unknown / Other | 81 | 10% |
| Engine → | 72 | 9% |
| Suspension → | 30 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 26 | 3% |
| Structure → | 21 | 3% |
| Wheels → | 21 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 26 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 447 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 49,235 miles (middle 50% between 32,300 and 71,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Air Bags · filed Sep 18, 2026
“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…”
Engine · filed Aug 28, 2026
“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…”
Power Train · filed Aug 28, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE18012 · opened Nov 20, 2018 · closed Apr 10, 2022 · led to recall 19V645000
Technical service bulletins
1,070 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The 10 most recent:
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 4, 2026
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT5509N · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT5509M · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 14, 2026
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information communicates an issue with aftermarket LED headlights causing IPC warning messages and MIL along with several low speed lan DTCs.
PIT6483 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 5, 2026
This PI Communications information on an alternative product dealers can use to perform 19-NA-255: Wax Coating on Frame Peeling, Metal Shows Corrosion/Rusting due to issue with getting product from current supplier…
PIT6400A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2026
This PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal harness to prevent confusion when ordering
PIP5700G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 12, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 49,235 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.