Home › Cars › Chevrolet › Silverado 3500 › 2016
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 31% of relevant complaints.
Better than 69% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 6 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 28%).
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 17 of 55 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (31%). For comparison, the 2015 scores 38% and the 2017 scores 43%. 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.
Complaints by component
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 3500 years
Of the 11 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2016 is the 2nd-best on engine and transmission share (31%). The worst is the 2020 (50%), the best the 2022 (28%). By volume, the 2016 drew 61 complaints (17 drivetrain), against 134 for the 2015 and 139 for the 2017.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years to avoid and best years →
2010 Silverado 3500 problems · 2011 Silverado 3500 problems · 2012 Silverado 3500 problems · 2013 Silverado 3500 problems · 2014 Silverado 3500 problems · 2015 Silverado 3500 problems · 2016 · 2017 Silverado 3500 problems · 2020 Silverado 3500 problems · 2021 Silverado 3500 problems · 2022 Silverado 3500 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
- 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
One of 17 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 3500 fuel system recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total. 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.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 GMC Sierra 3500 and Chevrolet Silverado 3500 trucks equipped with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks. The fuel-level sensor in the front tank may stick in a low-level position, allowing the rear tank to overfill the front tank.
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. The hole will leak fuel, which in the presence of an ignition…
Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear-tank fuel-pump module, inspect the front tank and, if necessary, replace the front tank, free of charge. The recall began July 30, 2019. GM's number for this…
6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500? 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 3500
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 17 of 55 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (31%). 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 3500?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 is steering: 18 of 61 complaints (30%) name it, followed by service brakes (11) and fuel/propulsion system (11). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 31% of the relevant total.
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 31% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 69% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years we score, it ranks 2nd-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 3500?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total: 19V088000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years are better?
Among the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 years we track, the 2022 (28%) has a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (31%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chevrolet-silverado-3500
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 VINExperimental 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.