The Lane Check

Home › Cars › Chevrolet › Silverado 2500 › 2016

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
26%
30 of 114 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 26% of relevant complaints.

Better than 77% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 14 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 23%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 30 of 114 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (26%). For comparison, the 2015 scores 32% and the 2017 scores 44%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
30
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
128
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
6 crashes · 6 injuries

Complaints by component

STEERING47 · 37%
POWER TRAIN19 · 15%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM19 · 15%
SERVICE BRAKES15 · 12%
ENGINE8 · 6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER8 · 6%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2016 compares with other Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years

Of the 14 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2016 is the best on engine and transmission share (26%). The worst is the 2023 (56%). By volume, the 2016 drew 128 complaints (30 drivetrain), against 258 for the 2015 and 178 for the 2017.

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN03/10/2026
the vehicle developed a extremely hard down shift and then a check engine light came on. the vehicle went into limp mode, took the vehicle to local diesel mechanic and i was informed that the transmission was bad and had to be replaced, while replacing the transmission i was also told the transfer case was making noise…

One of 30 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator26V611000 · Sep 2026
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, GMC Sierra 2500/3500 vehicles, and 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The left-side or…
air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator21V504000 · Jul 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…
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages18V578000 · Aug 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…
air bags: frontal17V437000 · Jul 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…
air bags: frontal16V651000 · Sep 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…
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages16V069000 · Feb 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…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 30 of 114 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (26%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is steering: 47 of 128 complaints (37%) name it, followed by power train (19) and electrical system (19). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 26% of the relevant total.

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 26% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 77% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?

No. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years are better?

The 2016 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years we track (26%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chevrolet-silverado-2500

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

Check a VIN

Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.