2016 GMC Sierra 1500 Transmission & Powertrain Problems
The 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 logged 92 transmission & powertrain complaints to NHTSA, 24% of all complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 45,117 miles. No related recalls are listed for this problem area on this model year.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 92
- 24% of 377
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 5
- Median mileage
- 45,117 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- Owners describe the 8-speed transmission bucking, hesitating, lurching forward, and clunking during acceleration or deceleration.
- Some report the transmission hangs in a low gear and hesitates, causing the truck to be unresponsive to gas pedal input for several seconds while merging.
- Several describe a vibration or shake at highway speeds, sometimes labeled the "chevy shake," also affecting the driveline with whining noise in AWD/4WD.
- Others report the shifter not engaging the correct gear, with the vehicle failing to move or unintentionally shifting.
- Hard, unpredictable shifting is reported when moving from reverse to drive, sometimes causing the truck to lunge forward unexpectedly.
- Owners state dealers reset the computer or found no fix, and some say GMC acknowledged the issue without offering a repair.
When 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 transmission complaints were filed
First complaint Mar 8, 2016, latest Apr 7, 2026.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Sierra 1500 model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many transmission complaints does the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 have?
- NHTSA lists 92 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2016 Sierra 1500, which is 24% of all complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a transmission recall for the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500?
- No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the transmission & powertrain area on the 2016 Sierra 1500.
- At what mileage do transmission problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure for transmission & powertrain complaints on the 2016 Sierra 1500 is 45,117 miles.
- What kind of transmission issues do owners report?
- Owners describe bucking, hesitating, lurching, hard shifts, incorrect gear engagement, and highway-speed vibration tied to the 8-speed transmission.
- Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?
- NHTSA records 0 crashes and 0 fires for this problem area on the 2016 Sierra 1500, but 5 injuries are listed.