2016 Chevrolet SILVERADO 3500: complaints, problems and recalls

THERE IS NO GRILLE BILLET COVERING THE RADIATOR IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND DEBRIS FILLS THE COILS ON THE RADIATOR CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO RUN HOT

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10908108 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH HAULING A GOOSE NECK FLATBED DUEL TANDEM TRAILER, THE POWER BUS BAR SHORTED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH A LOOSE WIRE ASSOCIATED WITH THE STARTER. THE RADIO WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND THE CONTACT WAS LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE WIRES AND REPLACED ALL OF THE BUS BARS. THE NEXT MORNING, WITHIN LESS THAN 20 MILES, THE BUS BARS FAILED…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10909332 at NHTSA ↗

NEW TRUCK HAD LOSE STEERING WHEN I TOOK DELIVERY, REQUIRING OVER CORRECTION. WITH JUST 4529 IN MILEAGE ON IT I TOOK IT BACK TO MY DEALER. WAS TOLD THEY ALREADY HAD MADE REPAIRS TO FOUR OTHER TRUCKS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THEY REPLACED THE HYDRAULIC RECIRCULATING BALL STEERING GEAR. STEERING GEAR ADJUSTER WAY TOO FAR OUT, LEAKING AT SHAFT SEALS. REPLACED GEAR AND THE NEW ONE WAS BAD AS WELL, WITH STEERING STICKING AND THEN SLIPPING. REPLACED WITH SECOND NEW GEAR AND VEHICLE CHECKED OUT AND WAS RETURNED TO ME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN MY OPI…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10909772 at NHTSA ↗

WE HAVE HAD REPEATED INSTANCES, WHERE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AND FUEL GUAGE FLAT LINES. IF YOU CAN NOT GET TO A QUALIFIED DEALER SOON ENOUGH, VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING[ACTUALLY IT REMAINS RUNNING UNTIL IT ALMOST COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP]. WE HAVE HAD TO INSTANCES OF SHUT DOWN, AND AT LEAST 6 INSTANCES ALTOGETHER OF ENGINE LIGHT/ FUEL GUAGE FLAT LINE. THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED SINCE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN SERVICE IN JANUARY / 2016. WE USE THIS VEHICLE TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE LOWER 48, AND PARTS OF CANADA, TO PICK UP BREEDING BULLS, THAT HAVE VALUE…

Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10930297 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL MONITORING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO TRANSFER FUEL PUMPS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10939189 at NHTSA ↗

THE SAFETY CONCERN ON THIS ISSUE IS THE SIGNIFICANTLY ELEVATED POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF VEHICULAR STEERING CONTROL. AFTER THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN TO 1,700 TOTAL MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE TRUCK'S STEERING CONTROL BECAME SLOPPY IN 70MPH + INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DRIVING RESULTING IN HIGHWAY WANDER SIMILAR TO DRIVING IN WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPG+ (WHERE AT TIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN POSITION IN YOUR HIGHWAY LANE). SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE STEERING BOX SHOWED THAT THE STEERING GEAR PITMAN ARM LASH ADJUSTMENT SCREW ON THE STEERING BOX HAD BACKED OF…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10944186 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE WINDOWS CLOSED, THE AIR CONDITIONER ON, WITH THE RECIRCULATE BUTTON LIT AND DASH LEVEL VENTS SELECTED, I WAS OVERCOME BY TRUCK EXHAUST FUMES (A TRUCK PULLED IN MY LANE AHEAD OF ME ON THE ROADWAY) AND BRIEFLY LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE FROM CHOKING AND COUGHING ON IT'S FUMES FROM THE TRUCK EXHAUST. THE FUMES CAME THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WHICH PUMPED THE FUMES INTO MY VEHICLE CABIN. I WAS ON A HIGH SPEED LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY AND WAS IN A BUSY AND DANGEROUS AREA AS TWO HIGH SPEED ENTRANCE RAMPS CAME FROM THE RI…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10947270 at NHTSA ↗

P2636 TRANSFER PUMP - DRIVER INDICATED FUEL GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING FROM FULL TO EMPTY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND GAUGE DROPPED TO EMPTY. DRIVER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION STRONG FUEL ODOR. DEALERSHIP FOUND CLEARED CODE AND FOUND GAUGES READING NORMAL, THEN PUMP "GOT LOUD AND HOT AND QUIT OPERATING". REPLACED FUEL TRANSFER PUMP. VEHICLE HAD 40,396 MILES. BELIEVE THIS TO BE A HAZARD TO OUR DRIVERS, WITH FUEL LEAK/FIRE AND STALLING POTENTIAL OUTCOMES.

Owner-reported narrative. 40,396 miles reported. Look up ODI 10966553 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2016-02-05 (February 5, 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 Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) manufactured March 1, 2014, to February 1, 2016, and 2015-2016 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 heavy duty trucks manufactured October 29, 2013, to February 1, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.

Consequence: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the brake pedal pivot nut and reinstall with an increased torque, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 20760.

Reported: 2016-09-08 (September 8, 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 and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Consequence: 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 driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

Reported: 2017-07-10 (July 10, 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 GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Consequence: 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 driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

Reported: 2018-08-30 (August 30, 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 brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.

Consequence: If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal. Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the nut and reinstall the nut with increased tightness, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18278. Note: The vehicles in this recall need this additional remedy despite being covered by recall 16V069 for brake pedal loosening.

Reported: 2019-02-07 (February 7, 2019)

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.

Consequence: 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 source, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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 recall is N182204190.

Reported: 2021-07-01 (July 1, 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 the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture.

Consequence: 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 vehicle, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and right side RRAB modules, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on August 18, 2021. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy is available. Phase I owner notification letters were mailed on May 5, 2022. Phase II owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on May 31, 2022. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. This recall supersedes NHTSA recall number 20V-736. GM's number for this recall is N202324251.