RoadVitals

2016 Chevrolet Express

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Jan 7, 2025
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
6
Latest May 23, 2019
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2

Overview

Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Express, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and brakes categories. 6 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 1,283 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical316.7%
  • Engine316.7%
  • Brakes316.7%
  • Body & structure316.7%
  • Seat belts15.6%
  • Suspension15.6%
  • Tires & wheels15.6%
  • Driver assistance15.6%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

6 campaigns cover this model year

View all 6

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
19V387000

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

May 23, 2019
1,159 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. One or both of the rear-quarter windows may be tempered glass instead of laminated glass. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
The risk: Tempered glass increases the risk of injury in the event of a side impact or rollover crash.
The remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tempered glass windows with laminated glass windows, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192218960.
General Motors LLCManufacturer number N192218960View on NHTSA.gov
18V655000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Sep 21, 2018
30,448 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with a single, manual, rear climate control module (CCM). If the temperature is set to maximum heat or the mode knob is set to maximum floor vent and an electrical short occurs, components within the CCM may overheat.
The risk: If the CCM overheats, there is an increased risk of a fire in the vehicle's headliner.
The remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the electrical insulation from a wiring connector within the CCM to remove the fire risk, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 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 18299.
General Motors LLCManufacturer number 18299View on NHTSA.gov
18V295000

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

May 3, 2018
207,483 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles equipped with power windows. Liquid may leak into the driver's power window switch and cause corrosion, resulting in high electrical resistance.
The risk: High electrical resistance can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side window switch, free of charge. The recall began August 10, 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 18155.
General Motors LLCManufacturer number 18155View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 15
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 7, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Express. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the “Service Engine” warning light flashed on and off. The contact stated that after arriving to the residence and shifting into reverse(R), the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and the contact was able to park the vehicle. The vehicle was later towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the Progressive Snapshot device had caused the failure. The vehicle was repaired, and the Snapshot device was removed; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

NHTSA ID
11634601
Incident
Dec 21, 2024
Mileage
88,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 1, 2024

ABS Module Broken. Needs repair. No part available. Part Number 84055065 needed. Vehicle was on highway slowed on to onramp when ABS went off for no reason. Van Pulled to right drastically.

NHTSA ID
11580460
Incident
Feb 29, 2024
EngineTires & wheels
Filed Aug 1, 2023

LT245/75R16 The fist tire failure was rear driver's side which caused a code service stable trac- this caused the vehicle to lose power and engine to die. I made home at 20mph in yraffic.I spent $500 for diagnostic check and new tire. The tire is misshapen and alerts sensor that caused engine to lose power and ultimately die. With new tire the problem was solved. But then the rear passenger tire while on the freeway acted up and caused the van to shake and rattle violently. Drove home at lower speed . I replace that tire with the spare which is a different brand and the van ran fine. Checked the bad tire and it is higher on one side than the other. Checked front tires and there are flat spots and irregularities on both tires

NHTSA ID
11535732
Incident
Jul 2, 2023
Brakes
Filed Mar 2, 2022
Fire reported

I'd be driving down the street when my brakes would apply by them selves slowing my car down . after that my dash would bong and the ABS light would come on . I took it to my Chevy dealer and they replaced the brakes and said it was fixed . I pulled out of the dealers lot and was driving at 35MPH when the brakes locked and a skidded to a stop . If I hadn;t been buckled in I would have gone thru the windshield . I held the gas pedal to the floor and returnd to the dealer at about 20 MPH and some salesman came running out and said my van was on fire .I got out of my van but I didn't see any fire but there was heavy smoke coming from around the brakes . THE cHEVY DEALER HAD MY VAN APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS AND SAID THEY REPAIRED IT TWICE MORE , bUT EVERYTIME i PICKED IT UP THE BRAKES WOULD GO ON A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY AND i WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK . I have been driving the car because the chevy dealer says they can't get the ABS Module to fix it and I can't drive more than a mile or so from home because the brakes apply themselves and I'm afraid the car will break down or catch on fire . I need a safe car to drive and the chevy dealer says they can't fix it because they can't get the part .

NHTSA ID
11454858
Incident
Jul 25, 2021
Brakes
Filed Feb 18, 2022
Fire reported

I'd be driving down the street and the brakes would start applying themselves by themselves . I took the van to Ganly Chevrolet the first time and they did a brake job and said it was fixed . I drove it about a half mile and was doing about 35MPH when the brakes locked , if I wasn't buckled in I probably would have gone through the window . I immediately took it back by putting the gas pedal to the floor . you could smell and see the brakes burning . later Ganly said I needed a Brake Module and kept the car After about 6months of having my Van . they finally admitted they couldn't get a Brake Module and they had been on back order for about a year and didn't know if they would ever get one Later they called me and said they found a loose wire and my van was fixed again . I picked the Van up again and while driving home the brakes started stopping me again and my dash board started boinging and my ABS light came on . To this day if I drive it more than a mile my brakes grab , my dash starts boinging , my van shakes and my ABS light comes on and I must atep on the gas to get where I have to go and all this has happened since I paid Ganly Chevrolet approximately $2500.00 for fixing my Van this started in July of 3021 and is still going on .

NHTSA ID
11452869
Incident
Jul 29, 2021
Electrical
Filed Feb 27, 2020

PROBLEM: POWER WINDOW WOULDN'T WORK, REAR DEFROSTER WOULD NOT WORK, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, VEHICLE WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED. THE RELAYS WERE DEFECTIVE AND WERE REPLACED. UPON TAKING THE RELAYS APART , I FOUND THAT THEY WERE RUSTED INSIDE AND THE RUST WAS FLAKING OFF. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WOULD NOT COVER RUSTED PARTS.THE REPRESENTATIVE ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE RELAYS FAILING.THERE ARE TEN OF THESE RELAYS IN THIS VEHICLE AND FOUR HAVE FAILED DUE TO RUST. THERE IS NO WAY TO TEST THE REMAINING UNITS FOR RUST UNTIL THEY FAIL. THIS IS A REAL ELECTRICAL SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11311860
Incident
Jan 7, 2020
Mileage
21,253 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 25, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET EXPRESS. WHILE TRAVELING UP A HILL AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED MISFIRING AND HESITATING. AFTER DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES, THE VEHICLE RESPONDED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES OCCURRED SINCE MAY OF 2019. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GEORGE KELL MOTORS INC (3808S VAN DYKE RD, NEWPORT, AR 72112) FOUR TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, TORQUE CONVERTER, FUEL INJECTORS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND MUFFLER; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID
11282142
Incident
Oct 26, 2019
Mileage
35,000 mi
Filed Oct 8, 2019

FRONT A/C SWITCH TO TURN A/C OFF AND ON AND ALSO TO GO FROM DASH VENT TO FLOOR VENTS AND DEFROST WILL NOT GO TO ANYTHING BUT FRONT VENTS...

NHTSA ID
11267145
Incident
Mar 12, 2019
Mileage
40,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PIT5099J

PI to help diagnose A/C concern

PIT6247B

This Preliminary information communicates direction to find information at www.gmupfitter.com for Police and Special Service Vehicles.

PIT3271Q

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

PIP4902V

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

PIP6104

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

PIT6400A

This PI Communications information on an alternative product dealers can use to perform 19-NA-255: Wax Coating on Frame Peeling, Metal Shows Corrosion/Rusting due to issue with getting product from current supplier listed in the bulletin.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Express by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026030—
2025040—
2024100—
2023210—
2022410—
2021132055.4
2020161052.5
2019840—
2018116048.4
2017206047.6
2016Viewing156052.0
2015831—
2014147048.6
2013228046.1
2012136064.6
2011125054.4
2010155053.7
2009107049.4
20081410040.9
2007174057.5
20061216067.9
2005239063.5
2004217156.6
20035811264.3
2002550137.1
2001452152.7
2000841144.5
1999682044.7
1998232046.4
1997292049.8
1996153055.0
1995100—
1994000—
1993000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.