Menu

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 51 owner complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, most often about the steering. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-504 the manufacturer reports only 55% of affected cars repaired.

51
CarFlaw IndexSolid year2% below the Silverado 3500 median · #11 of 27 years by complaints
Safety recalls7Lowest repair rate 55%Owner complaints515 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage33kSteering, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 24, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 has problems

51 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Steering150
Fuel/propulsion system110
Service brakes101
Structure60
Electrical system61
Engine50
Power train30
Air bags22
Electronic stability control (ESC)20
6 other systems92

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

7 recalls

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 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.

–no report yet

Curtain: inflator

New

Recall 26V-611 · Sep 24, 2026 · 1,559 vehicles

Risk. 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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

55%repaired · 2025 Q1

Curtain: inflator

Recall 21V-504 · Jul 1, 2021 · 410,019 vehicles · 224,341 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

59%repaired · 2020 Q4

Storage: tank assembly

Recall 19V-088 · Feb 7, 2019 · 18,574 vehicles · 11,019 repaired

Risk. If the front tank overfills, the excess pressure may cause the front tank to expand and contact the driveshaft, possibly resulting in a hole in the tank.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

77%repaired · 2020 Q2

Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

Recall 18V-578 · Aug 30, 2018 · 42,280 vehicles · 32,585 repaired

Risk. If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 3 more recalls
84%repaired · 2018 Q4

Air bags: frontal

Recall 17V-437 · Jul 10, 2017 · 40,683 vehicles · 34,331 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

90%repaired · 2018 Q2

Air bags: frontal

Recall 16V-651 · Sep 8, 2016 · 3,640,162 vehicles · 3,286,598 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

89%repaired · 2017 Q2

Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

Recall 16V-069 · Feb 5, 2016 · 430,771 vehicles · 381,711 repaired

Risk. If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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.

Best & worst years

2016 vs. every other Silverado 3500 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 3500 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 3500 safety ratings

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 PU/EC 4WD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Silverado 3500 owners report

Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The steering is very loose. There are multiple complaints about this. I owned a 2017 GMC 2500 before this and had the same issue. I have not brought this into a shop because I’m not looking forward to the diagnosis & cost. This has been an ongoing issue for years. GM needs to recall something in…
Complaint 11588215 · May 11, 2024
On June 27 2023 we we driving on a two lane highway pulling our travel trailer. We had driven 5 hrs the previous day parked unhooked and drove around the area with no issues. The following morning we left an were just entering the highway speed zone when the truck abruptly crossed the centreline. I…
Complaint 11534373 · Jul 25, 2023
There is excessive play in the steering causing the vehicle to wander. Problem is amplified at freeway speeds or while towing 5th-wheel. On some roads truck will pull one direction till change in road slop cause truck to swerve in opposite direction. Like many others have stated this is a dangerous…
Complaint 11523579 · May 23, 2023

Own a 2016 Silverado 3500?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.