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GMC Sierra 3500Model year report

2016 GMC Sierra 3500 Problems

Complaints
19filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
27,500miles, 7 complaints with mileage
Recalls
7campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2016 GMC Sierra 3500 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 2016 GMC Sierra 3500. The part named most often is brakes, with 6 complaints (32% of the total), followed by steering (6) and engine (5). 7 of the complaints include a mileage, and 57% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 27,500 miles. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns and 668 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 2 recall campaigns and 19 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Steering complaints overlap with 24 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Brakes: “-all started with loud pop, metal failure sound. -at a stop, with brakes applied, the power steering turns the wheel to the right. I have to pull to the left to keep the wheel centered. (not moving) this pressure issue will finally stop and the wheel will center on it's own. -steering has slop, feels loose, dead center -while at speed applying the brakes the steering wheel was torn from my hand 3 times. The power steering causes truck to change directions when braking. 99% of the time the truck turns right. …”

NHTSA complaint #10948966, filed 2017-02, 16,000 miles

Steering: “Steering wheel has slop/play in it. Wheel has 3-4 inches of play before it catches. Can drive down road and 1 min wheel is to the left next its to right to keep truck going straight.”

NHTSA complaint #11191309, filed 2019-03, 20,400 miles

Engine: “Driving my vehicle in the mountains pulling a 16000 lb 5th wheel trailer, the engine goes into Reduced Engine Power due to a Turbo Vane Position sensor / Turbo Over Boost or Under Boost fault. This has happened 4 times in the last 3 months and has nearly caused an accident following each occurrence. The vehicle is a 2016 GMC Sierra 3500HD with the 6.6L LML Duramax Diesel engine with 75000 miles. I believe the Reduced Engine Power protection is far to abrupt in the loss of Engine Power to safely move the vehicle out of the flow of traffic. …”

NHTSA complaint #11652777, filed 2025-04

Fuel system: “I own a 2016 GMC 3500 Diesel that had a serious mechanical breakdown while traveling on the freeway. The truck lost all motive power and needed to coast across 4 freeway lanes. Once towed to a local GMC Dealer, they diagnosed the problem as the Bosch CP4 fuel pump internally came apart while driving. I have to have this vehicle working so I got it repaired at a cost of $16,145. This is a known issue and losing all power while at highway speeds could have caused a serious incident. Please address this issue before someone dies.”

NHTSA complaint #11532754, filed 2023-07

Mileage when problems were reported

57% of the 7 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 20,400 and 100,000 miles.

0%0–1043%10–2514%25–500%50–750%75–10043%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (7 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 27,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

201720192021320233320253
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

See all 7 recalls for the 2016 GMC Sierra 3500 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 668 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 668 bulletins →

Other model years of the GMC Sierra 3500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202652,2502———Too new
20251740,0001———Too new
20245036,0003——Too new to compareToo new
20232833,8001——47 · TypicalToo new
20223231,1543——54 · TypicalRising
202120101,5005———Rising
20205128,7008——95 · MoreRising
20191353,0047———Not enough data
20181453,8006———Not enough data
20171321,0007———Not enough data
20161927,5007———Rising
20153138,5007——50 · TypicalFalling
2014768,0003———Not enough data
20131449,2184———Not enough data
2012931,2004———Not enough data
20112077,2505———Falling
2009536,6005———Not enough data
20082559,0003——0 · FewerFalling
20071636,0003———Rising
20061149,9740———Not enough data
20052450,5000———Rising
20042484,0000———Rising
2003760,5000———Not enough data
20022079,0002———Stable
20013663,5402——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20002657,0072——Not compared (before 2008)Rising
19991959,5001———Stable
199812128,0002———Not enough data
19971095,0001———Not enough data

All GMC Sierra 3500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2016 GMC Sierra 3500 have?

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 2016 GMC Sierra 3500 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2016 GMC Sierra 3500 is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 6 complaints (32% of the total), followed by steering with 6.

Has the 2016 GMC Sierra 3500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2016 GMC Sierra 3500 reported?

Among the 7 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 27,500 miles and the middle half falls between 20,400 and 100,000 miles; 57% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.