2016 Chevrolet Colorado Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 16 Colorado years
The 2016 Chevrolet Colorado ranks worst among 16 model years, with 707 complaints and a complaint index of 100, driven mainly by steering problems (65% share). It carries 4 recalls covering airbags, fuel system, and structure/body issues, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other Colorado years.
- Complaints
- 707
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 14 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 6 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21.5
- 19 city / 25.5 hwy
Top 2016 Chevrolet Colorado problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering457 (65%)
- Electrical System120 (17%)
- Transmission & Powertrain97 (14%)
- Brakes78 (11%)
- Engine65 (9%)
- Other48 (7%)
- Fuel System22 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires16 (2%)
- Structure & Body11 (2%)
- Airbags10 (1%)
What owners report
- Steering and suspension components, including the lower tie rod attachment made of cast aluminum, reportedly broke away and caused loss of control and crashes.
- Owners report the brake pedal suddenly locking up or releasing unexpectedly, causing the truck to surge and collide with other vehicles at low speeds.
- Some drivers describe the transmission surging forward without touching the gas pedal, including one incident right after backing out of a parking space.
- The vehicle reportedly shut off unexpectedly while stopping or turning, disabling brakes momentarily before being put in park to stop.
- Owners report the horn failing to respond without warning, and one driver described losing power steering suddenly due to a power steering module tied to the CAN bus network.
- Frontal airbags reportedly failed to deploy or improperly inflated during a rear-end crash sequence.
2016 Chevrolet Colorado recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 18V358000May 31, 2018Fuel System895 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. 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 18188.
- NHTSA 17V621000Oct 5, 2017Airbags16 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017. 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 17387.
- NHTSA 16V125000Mar 2, 2016Airbags1,579 vehicles
Air bags:frontal
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 19, 2016, to February 2, 2016, Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured January 9, 2016, to January 26, 2016, and 2016 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 21, 2016, to February 4, 2016. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. 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 28030.
2016 Chevrolet Colorado fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19 MPG
- Highway
- 25.5 MPG
- Combined
- 21.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,175
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2016 compared with other Colorado years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado reliable?
- Compared to other Colorado model years, 2016 ranks worst, with 707 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 100, the highest of any year in the dataset.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado?
- Steering is the top problem area, accounting for 65% of complaints (457 of 707), with a median failure mileage of 68,000 miles.
- Does the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2016 Colorado, covering the fuel system (high pressure fuel pump), two separate airbag issues, and a structure/body issue with the console compartment door latch.
- How does the 2016 Colorado compare to the 2015 and 2017 model years?
- The 2015 Colorado also carries an Avoid verdict with a complaint index of 93, while the 2017 model improves to a Caution verdict with a complaint index of 67, lower than the 2016's index of 100.
- Were there any crashes or fires reported for the 2016 Colorado?
- NHTSA data shows 14 crashes and 1 fire reported for the 2016 Colorado, with 6 injuries and no deaths.