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2016 GMC Sierra 1500 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
37% of relevant owner complaints on the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.
Better than 58% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 5 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 33%).
Does the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 have transmission problems?
More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 16 of 43 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (37%), and the largest group is filed under power train (11). For comparison, the 2015 scores 32% and the 2017 scores 47%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. 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 GMC Sierra 1500 years
Of the 14 GMC Sierra 1500 years with enough complaints to score, the 2016 is the 7th-best on engine and transmission share (37%). The worst is the 2021 (77%), the best the 2013 (19%). By volume, the 2016 drew 48 complaints (16 drivetrain), against 817 for the 2015 and 429 for the 2017.
GMC Sierra 1500 years to avoid and best years →
2010 Sierra 1500 problems · 2011 Sierra 1500 problems · 2012 Sierra 1500 problems · 2013 Sierra 1500 problems · 2014 Sierra 1500 problems · 2015 Sierra 1500 problems · 2016 · 2017 Sierra 1500 problems · 2018 Sierra 1500 problems · 2019 Sierra 1500 problems · 2020 Sierra 1500 problems · 2021 Sierra 1500 problems · 2022 Sierra 1500 problems · 2023 Sierra 1500 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500
- What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- 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 16 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2016 GMC Sierra 1500 engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns on the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500, 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.
8 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 GMC Sierra 1500? 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.
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Does the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 have transmission problems?
More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 16 of 43 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (37%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 is service brakes: 11 of 48 complaints (23%) name it, followed by power train (11) and engine (6). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 37% of the relevant total.
Is the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 37% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (elevated signal). That is better than 58% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 GMC Sierra 1500 years we score, it ranks 7th-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 GMC Sierra 1500?
No. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns on the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which GMC Sierra 1500 years are better?
Among the GMC Sierra 1500 years we track, the 2013 (19%), the 2010 (22%) and the 2014 (25%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (37%). 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/gmc-sierra-1500
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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.