no report yet
Curtain: inflator
NewRisk. A detached end cap or inflator rupture can allow compressed gas to escape and project the end cap or fragments of the inflator into the vehicle, increasing the…
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 797 owner complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 12 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-245 the manufacturer reports only 49% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 13, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has problems
797 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
256Service brakes29 crash/fire/injury
194Power train1 crash/fire/injury
119Electrical system10 crash/fire/injury
110Steering10 crash/fire/injury
72Engine2 crash/fire/injury
30Suspension
26Fuel/propulsion system
21Structure
21Wheels
12616 other systems16 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 256 | 29 |
| Power train | 194 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 119 | 10 |
| Steering | 110 | 10 |
| Engine | 72 | 2 |
| Suspension | 30 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 26 | 1 |
| Structure | 21 | 2 |
| Wheels | 21 | 2 |
| 16 other systems | 126 | 16 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
12 recalls
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2025 Q1
Curtain: inflator
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…
repaired · 2023 Q4
Seat belts: front
Risk. A broken pretensioner cable reduces the effectiveness of the driver's seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.
no report yet
Curtain: inflator
Risk. If the end cap separates from the inflator, the compressed gas will escape and the end cap can be propelled into the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or…
Show 8 more recalls
repaired · 2021 Q2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
Risk. Unintended activation of the driveline-protection system will cause unintended braking on the wheel on the opposite side of the failed sensor, causing the…
repaired · 2021 Q1
Power assist: vacuum
Risk. As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the…
repaired · 2020 Q2
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
Risk. If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal.
repaired · 2019 Q3
Seat belts: front
Risk. If the pretensioner cable becomes fatigued or breaks, the driver may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
repaired · 2018 Q4
Air bags: frontal
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…
repaired · 2018 Q2
Air bags: frontal
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…
repaired · 2018 Q2
Front: control arm
Do not driveRisk. Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2017 Q2
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
Risk. If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do service brakes problems start?
50kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 176 service brakes complaints. 96% were reported before 100,000 miles.
26under 30k miles169under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Service brakes
14 owners mentioned a cost$700median
Middle half: $601 – $1,059
Power train
11 owners mentioned a cost$4,800median
Middle half: $4,250 – $5,700
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2016 vs. every other Silverado 1500 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Silverado 1500 median. How we score
'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 safety ratings
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid PU/CC RWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (17.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and the recalls they led to.
- Brake Vacuum Pump FailureLed to recall 19V-645
In owners' words
What Silverado 1500 owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Vehicle suffered a failure cascade of the brake booster vacuum pump system. During a low-speed bumper collision on July 4 and a boat ramp slide, the pedal triggered abnormal ABS-like pulsing as the computer tried to hydraulically compensate for dropping vacuum pressure. This resulted in truck front…
I was pulling up behind a vehicle that was entering the highway when I noticed that the driver had to yield to oncoming traffic and did not continue driving. I applied my brakes, but the vehicle did not come to a complete stop, and as a result, I struck the vehicle in front of me. My safety was put…
For the last month or so, occasionally when I am going anywhere around 30-60 and I press the brakes, the vehicle will lose power for a few seconds and Stabilitrak is activated. It has locked up the brakes twice in the last 2 weeks when I was parking and could have caused an accident and if it…
Own a 2016 Silverado 1500?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.