YearToAvoid

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 18 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 15% of all 123 complaints filed for the year. Median mileage at failure is 65,800 miles. No related recalls are on file for this area.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
18
15% of 123
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
65,800 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Unexpected or unintended downshifts occur while driving, including manual mode dropping to a lower gear on hills and racing the engine RPM.
  • The transmission jerks, shudders, or shakes at higher speeds with gears cycling up and down on their own.
  • Owners describe the vehicle inadvertently shifting out of gear or lunging forward when accelerating from a stop.
  • Some trucks fail to respond when the driver tries to accelerate, with no warning light, then operate normally again after the vehicle is turned off and allowed to cool.
  • A transmission coolant line has been reported leaking at the crimp connection, draining transmission fluid and causing loss of vehicle use.
  • One owner reported a 6L90 transmission replacement near 71,000 miles due to slippage in fifth and sixth gear with metal shavings found in the pan.

When 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 7, 2016, latest Mar 10, 2026.

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month2Oct 2016May 2018Jun 2022Nov 2022Mar 2025Sep 2025
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2016 to Mar 2026; peak Apr 2025 (2).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Silverado 2500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200521 (8%)
  2. 200632 (18%)
  3. 200721 (10%)
  4. 200814 (7%)
  5. 20092 (3%)
  6. 20102 (10%)
  7. 201110 (10%)
  8. 20125 (9%)
  9. 20134 (8%)
  10. 20145 (13%)
  11. 201520 (11%)
  12. 201618 (15%)
  13. 20179 (17%)
  14. 20186 (11%)
  15. 20199 (12%)
  16. 202033 (31%)
  17. 202129 (34%)
  18. 202219 (20%)
  19. 202317 (36%)
  20. 202436 (26%)
  21. 20259 (32%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have?
NHTSA lists 18 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2016 model year, which is 15% of the 123 total complaints filed for this year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
No related recalls are listed for the Transmission & Powertrain area on the 2016 Silverado 2500.
At what mileage do transmission problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2016 Silverado 2500 is 65,800 miles.
What kind of transmission problems do owners report?
Owners report unintended downshifts, jerking or shuddering at speed, gears slipping out on their own, momentary loss of acceleration response, and a leaking transmission coolant line.
Did any transmission complaints involve crashes?
NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 0 fires or injuries linked to Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2016 Silverado 2500.

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.