2016 Chevrolet Express Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
50/100
#8 most-complained of 15 Express years
NHTSA lists 15 complaints, 6 recalls, and 2 fire reports for the 2016 Chevrolet Express, giving it a Complaint Index of 50 and a Caution rank (8th of 15 model years). Brakes are the top problem area, tied with Electrical System, Engine, and Structure & Body at 3 complaints each (20% share).
- Complaints
- 15
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 12.5
- 11 city / 16 hwy
Top 2016 Chevrolet Express problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes3 (20%)
- Electrical System3 (20%)
- Engine3 (20%)
- Structure & Body3 (20%)
- Other2 (13%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (13%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (7%)
- Fuel System1 (7%)
- Seat Belts1 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (7%)
What owners report
- Brakes reportedly apply on their own while driving, sometimes locking up around 35 mph even after a dealer brake job.
- Sliding or rear doors close on their own while the van is parked on an incline, with no locking mechanism to stop it.
- Fuel odor and stalling reported at 55 mph, traced to a fuel leak that left the van undrivable and towed.
- Van bounces excessively over uneven surfaces or bridges, described by an owner as unsafe and not something the dealer would fix.
- Service theft deterrent warning light illuminates and is linked to an ignition key issue.
- Engine misfires and hesitates while climbing hills at roughly 45 mph, requiring repeated throttle input to recover.
2016 Chevrolet Express recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V387000May 23, 2019Visibility & Wipers1,159 vehicles
Visibility:glass, side/rear
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. One or both of the rear-quarter windows may be tempered glass instead of laminated glass. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: Tempered glass increases the risk of injury in the event of a side impact or rollover crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tempered glass windows with laminated glass windows, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192218960.
- NHTSA 18V655000Sep 21, 2018Electrical System30,448 vehicles
Electrical system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with a single, manual, rear climate control module (CCM). If the temperature is set to maximum heat or the mode knob is set to maximum floor vent and an electrical short occurs, components within the CCM may overheat.
Risk: If the CCM overheats, there is an increased risk of a fire in the vehicle's headliner.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the electrical insulation from a wiring connector within the CCM to remove the fire risk, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. 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 18299.
- NHTSA 18V295000May 3, 2018Visibility & Wipers207,483 vehicles
Visibility:power window devices and controls
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles equipped with power windows. Liquid may leak into the driver's power window switch and cause corrosion, resulting in high electrical resistance.
Risk: High electrical resistance can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side window switch, free of charge. The recall began August 10, 2018. 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 18155.
2016 Chevrolet Express fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 11 MPG
- Highway
- 16 MPG
- Combined
- 12.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $5,200
- 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 Express years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Chevrolet Express reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2016 Express a Complaint Index of 50 and a Caution verdict, ranking 8th worst out of 15 model years covered. It sits in the middle of the pack, better than the 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2021 Express years but worse than 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2018.
- What are the main problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Express?
- NHTSA complaints split evenly across Brakes, Electrical System, Engine, and Structure & Body, each with 3 complaints (20% share). Brakes stand out because they are linked to both fire reports on file for this year.
- Does the 2016 Chevrolet Express have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2016 Express, covering rear-quarter window glass, a climate control module wiring issue, power window switch corrosion, a fire extinguisher replacement, a rearview mirror installation, and a TPMS hardware/software update. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- Which Chevrolet Express years should I avoid?
- Based on this data, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2021 carry Avoid verdicts with Complaint Index values of 100, 93, 79, and 86 respectively. The 2016 model falls under Caution, a step above those years but below the 2015 Best-rated year.