2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

156 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 27/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 32,500 miles.

156Complaints
27/100Trouble index
5Recalls
35,500Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2016 sits among all Silverado 2500 years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Steering 49 complaints (31%) · typically ~32,500 miles
“4" of play in steering wheel, 19500 miles on truck, vehicle wanders when driving, worse on the highway, very dangerous.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Silverado 2500
Electrical 22 complaints (14%) · typically ~51,000 miles
Transmission & drivetrain 18 complaints (12%) · typically ~65,800 miles
Brakes & stability 14 complaints (9%)
Fuel system 13 complaints (8%)
Other 10 complaints (6%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 88 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 35,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 17,500 and 60,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (5)

AIR BAGS 21V504000 2021

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.

Fix: 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…

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 18V578000 2018

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…

Fix: 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…

AIR BAGS 17V437000 2017

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…

Fix: 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.…

AIR BAGS 16V651000 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet…

Fix: 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.…

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 16V069000 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 1, 2013, to February 1, 2016, 2015-2016 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) manufactured March 1, 2014,…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the brake pedal pivot nut and reinstall with an increased torque, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact…

Technical service bulletins

1,779 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2016 Silverado 2500 TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2016peak 22 in 20172026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 reliable?

The 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 drew 156 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 27/100, scored against the model's worst year (2003).

What are the most common 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems?

The top reported problems for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 are steering (49 complaints), electrical (22), and transmission & drivetrain (18).

At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems show up?

Owners most often report 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems around 35,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 17,500 and 60,000 miles.

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have recalls?

5 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.