Most common 2016 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Share of the 220 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Suburban complaints by model year
Best Suburban years: 2014, 2009, 2020. Years to avoid: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
2016 Chevrolet Suburban recalls (6)
Service brakes
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, and GMC Yukon, and 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 5.3-liter engine, a 3.08-ratio rear axle and four-wheel drive.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EBCM, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge. The recall began October 8, 2019.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
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…
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.
Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices › Exterior
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Suburban HD vehicles. These vehicles were assembled with a convex right-hand outside mirror, instead of with a non-convex (flat) right-hand outside mirror.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the convex mirror with a non-convex mirror and provide a new page for the owner's manual with the customer notification letter, free of charge.
Seat belts › Pretensioner
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…
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.
Suspension › Front › Control arm
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate welds near the control arm bushing.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban:
Brake Vacuum Pump Failure
On November 20, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE18-012 to investigate instances of sudden onset of a hard brake pedal that could result in extended stopping distance due to an issue with the brake assist vacuum pump in model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 series pickup trucks and MY 2015 through 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet…
What 2016 Chevrolet Suburban owners say
Brakes all 82 →
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The vehicle had previously been serviced under NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V761000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Service Brakes, Electronic Stability Control) and 19V645000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) at the dealer; however, the failure recurred after the recalls were repaired with a stiff brake pedal and increased braking effort while driving. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went over a curve and the front passenger's side crashed into a tree, then came to a complete stop in a ditch. There were no air bags deployed. The contact's wife sustained neck and back injuries but did not receive medical attention. The vehicle was towed to Coughlin Hyundai (2300 Hebron Rd, Heath, OH 43056) where it remained and was not repaired. The vehicle was not deemed totaled by the insurance company. …
On October 23, 2024, my 2016 Chevrolet Suburban was stopped in a line of traffic on a downhill. As traffic began to move forward, the brakes failed to hold, despite pressure on the brake pedal. This resulted in a low-speed collision with the vehicle in front, which then impacted another vehicle. Component/System: The braking system failed to engage despite pressure on the brake pedal. The vehicle is a total loss; however, documentation of the damage is available through my insurance company, New Jersey Manufacturers, claim number 2024-884575, and the police report from the accident scene. Safety Risk: This brake failure posed a significant safety risk to my family (who were occupants), and other drivers. The collision caused substantial vehicle damage. Confirmation: The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer or independent service center due to it being a total loss. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 45 →
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the transmission shifted hard and made an abnormal humming sound. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced 11/2021 and 11/2022. Additionally, the contact stated that there were only 3,000 miles within the two previous transmission replacements. The contact stated that the first transmission replacement was covered by the warranty company and the second transmission replacement was covered by the manufacturer. …
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 70 MPH, she felt the vehicle decelerate while the RPM's increased. Additionally, there was a loud noise coming from the engine. The contact stated that his wife observed that the transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that his wife was able to pull over safely. The contact towed the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,133. Pump on the transmission went which caused the toque converter to get damaged. They replaced the entire transmission.
Engine & cooling all 27 →
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had stalled while driving on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that four fuel injectors were faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair and was informed that there was a special coverage program related to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the special coverage program. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idle, the vehicle made a choking sound as if the vehicle was about to shut-off. The brake pedal was stiff requiring extra effort than normal for the vehicle to come to a stop. While turning left or right at low speeds, the steering wheel was difficult to turn and made an abnormal hissing sound. The contact stated that there was oil leaking from the front-end of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the vacuum pump failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that due to the mileage on the vehicle, the vehicle no longer qualified for the special recall related to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000.
2016 Chevrolet Suburban engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban a good car?
Based on 220 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Suburban rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Suburban at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban?
The brakes — 82 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (45) and engine & cooling (27).
How many recalls does the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban, the most recent from October 24, 2019 (service brakes). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Suburban?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2009 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2022 and 2024. See the full Chevrolet Suburban years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Suburban problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 39% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.