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…
2016 Chevrolet SuburbanProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 220 owner complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-033 the manufacturer reports only 64% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 20, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban has problems
220 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
78Service brakes5 crash/fire/injury
45Power train1 crash/fire/injury
27Engine1 crash/fire/injury
26Electrical system
23Steering
12Structure
11Suspension
7Wheels
6Air bags
4015 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 78 | 5 |
| Power train | 45 | 1 |
| Engine | 27 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 26 | 0 |
| Steering | 23 | 0 |
| Structure | 12 | 1 |
| Suspension | 11 | 1 |
| Wheels | 7 | 0 |
| Air bags | 6 | 2 |
| 15 other systems | 40 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2016 Chevrolet Suburban 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 · 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 · 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
Rearview mirrors/devices: exterior
Risk. If equipped with the incorrect right-side rear-view mirror, the driver may misjudge the distance of other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Show 2 more recalls
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.
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?
59kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 48 service brakes complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.
6under 30k miles41under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2016 vs. every other Suburban 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 Suburban median. How we score
1136971830625452189499858457360414201634282440286301204129232922131061171481011185943322014284794420812713447
'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban, and the recalls they led to.
- Brake Vacuum Pump FailureLed to recall 19V-645
In owners' words
What Suburban owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I AM REPORTING A SEVERE AND RECURRING SAFETY DEFECT WHERE MY VEHICLE SUFFERS A COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE POWER WHILE IN MOTION. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DURING VARIOUS MANEUVERS, INCLUDING MAKING TURNS AND DRIVING STRAIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER 500 TIMES…
Increased brake pedal effort to the point of difficulty to stop or control brake pressure at low speeds. This seems like the same issue reported in Safety Recall #N192268499-01, but my VIN is outside the covered range. Is the effected range in the recall correct? This has happened intermittently…
There are 2 components of the vehicle that I believe are malfunctioning. The first component would be the brake system. At first the problem presented itself when going down a parking garage it was approximately 5 miles an hour while applying the brake and the brake suddenly got stuck and really…
Own a 2016 Suburban?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.