Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Chevrolet Suburban owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
The contact's husband owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while her husband had merged onto the highway at 30 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate without warning upon depression of the accelerator pedal. Her husband pulled the vehicle over and attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was initially towed to their home and then to the dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle with a faulty transmission. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and denied covering the cost of the repair due to the vehicle being out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually stalled. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle would not accelerate above 10 MPH. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the torque converter was faulty and had caused damage to the transmission. The contact was advised that the transmission needed to be repaired. The transmission was repaired, and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 123,123.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ. The contact stated that while driving on a neighborhood street at 25 MPH her transmission slipped into neutral. No warning lights were illuminated, and the contact proceeded to bring her vehicle to a complete stop, put the transmission into park, attempted to get into drive again however the vehicle remained in neutral and the RPM's shot up significantly. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that the transmission had failed and that it would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. Additionally, the contact was unable to shift the gear shifter into reverse(R) or drive(D). No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence, and the contact stated that an abnormal noise was heard when she attempted to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet taken to an independent mechanic or local dealer for diagnosis or repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the torque converter was faulty and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.
The torque converter/transmission failed in my 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. It started shuddering while I was driving--no warning lights, system errors, info panel alerts or anything--and I came close to losing control of the vehicle, risking the lives of pedestrians, other drivers, myself, and my passengers. The torque converter/transmission problem was confirmed by a 3rd party mechanic, and also by TWO Chevrolet dealerships. Additionally, my mechanic informed me there was an active Technical Service Bulletin relating to this issue: #N212338770: "High Severity Fleet Transmission Torque Converter Proactive Service to Prevent Potential Failure." They told me to take it to a dealership-the dealership should pay for the repair. …
On Friday evening, I noticed a higher revving noise when accelerating at lower speeds. The noise appeared to resolve at higher speeds. The noise continued into Saturday. After driving approximately 90 miles Saturday, while at highway speeds of 75mph, the engine stopped accelerating and began dropping speed. When pushing the gas pedal, the rpm revved up to 3-4000 immediately with no change in speed. Arriving at the destination quickly, I turned the car off. My husband got in approximately 5 minutes later, turned the car on, put it in drive, and the car immediately went backwards. This happened multiple times even though the car was in drive and the accelerator was pushed. The following morning (Sunday) after being turned off approximately 16 hours, the car cranked and drove normally through the yard about 500 feet. …
After replacing my transmission on my 2016 suburban at 83k miles at the cost of $6,097 in January 2022, I was endangered again on 3/2/22 when I attempted to drive on the interstate. My SUV failed to accelerate and the check engine light started flashing. Thankfully, I was able to maneuver and exit the interstate as soon as possible and waited two weeks for an appointment at my local dealer. I did not drive the car on the interstate during this two weeks. I am told that my engine is misfiring and they are going to try to figure out why. My car (that is barely 5 years old - purchased 2/14/17) has both transmission failures and engine problems. And the air conditioner failed. The list goes on and on. NHTSA please check into accidents involving chevrolets. I could easily have died on the interstate two weeks ago and no one would have known that it was because my car would not accelerate. …
Transmission complaints in other Suburban years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban, 20% of the model year's 220 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission › torque converter (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Chevrolet Suburban transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Suburban transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 101,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.