YearToAvoid

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

50/100

#11 most-complained of 21 Silverado 2500 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 has 123 owner complaints and 5 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 50 out of 100 — #11 highest of 21 Silverado 2500 model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is steering (46 complaints, 37% of the total). Complaints report 5 crashes, 2 fires, and 4 injuries.

Complaints
123
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
5 / 2
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2016 Chevy Silverado 2500 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering46 (37%)
  2. Electrical System22 (18%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain18 (15%)
  4. Brakes14 (11%)
  5. Fuel System13 (11%)
  6. Engine9 (7%)
  7. Other9 (7%)
  8. Structure & Body5 (4%)
  9. Airbags4 (3%)
  10. Seat Belts4 (3%)
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 complaints: complaints filed per quarter102016 Q42018 Q12019 Q32020 Q42022 Q12023 Q22024 Q42026 Q1
151 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2017 Q3 (10).

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V504000Jul 1, 2021Airbags410,019 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window:curtain:inflator

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks. The roof-rail air bag (RRAB) inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

    Risk: A separated inflator end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape, resulting in the end cap or other components being propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on August 18, 2021. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy is available. Phase I owner notification letters were mailed on May 5, 2022. Phase II owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 31, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. This recall supersedes NHTSA recall number 20V-736. GM's number for this recall is N202324251.

  2. NHTSA 18V578000Aug 30, 2018Brakes42,280 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, 1500 Crew Cab Special Service, Tahoe Police Pursuit/Special Service, GMC Sierra 2500, and 3500 vehicles. The brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.

    Risk: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the nut and reinstall the nut with increased tightness, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 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 18278. Note: The vehicles in this recall need this additional remedy despite being covered by recall 16V069 for brake pedal loosening.

  3. NHTSA 17V437000Jul 10, 2017Seat Belts40,683 vehicles

    Seat belts:pretensioner

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

    Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. 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 17287.

See all 5 recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 →

2016 compared with other Silverado 2500 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Best15402—
2015Avoid801766—
2016Caution501235—
2017Best20545—
2018Good25535—

All Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 ranks #11 of 21 among Silverado 2500 model years (Complaint Index 50/100, verdict: Caution). It has 123 complaints and 5 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
The most reported problem areas are steering (46 complaints), electrical system (22 complaints), and transmission & powertrain (18 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 35,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, most recently reported 2021, covering airbags, brakes, and seat belts.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.