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2WD platform

2016 Chevrolet Suburban

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Suburban.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2016 Chevrolet Suburban is a full‑size SUV built on a 2‑wheel‑drive chassis, powered by an engine that requires 8.5 quarts of 0W‑20 oil and is mated to a six‑speed automatic transmission. It achieves EPA‑rated fuel economy of 16 city, 23 highway and 18 combined miles per gallon. Overall, 2016 models have generated 216 owner complaints, a number that reflects a long‑term decline from the 1,004 complaints recorded at the model’s high point in 1994. Consequently, the 2016 Suburban sits in the middle of a reliability trajectory that has improved markedly by 2024, when complaints fell to just 36.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192016

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity8.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/23/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 660 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731742. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 48 · 660 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP265/70R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rimSTANDARD 7.5; OPTIONAL 8.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731742
Engine air filter22845992
Spark plug12622441
Battery88865934 alt 88866124
Front wiper blades84613732
Serpentine belt12643517 alt 12658178
Thermostat12620318 alt 12674639
Cabin air filter23281440

Diagrams

Power distribution wiring8 sheets

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 6-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length224.4 in
Overall width80.3 in
Overall height74.4 in
Wheelbase129.9 in
Curb weight5776 lb
Track (front / rear)68.1 / 68.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)51/49

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Suburban of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.1–7.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 2015 LTZ
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2015LTZ 5.3L V87.10 sec15.50 sec355 hp4x4
2015LTZ 5.3L V87.30 sec15.70 sec355 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 8.5 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, Synthetic · 75W-90 · GL-5 · 75W-85 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidDEXRON(R)-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity6.0
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilSynthetic · 75W-90 · GL-5 · 75W-85
Engine CoolantDex Cool
Engine Coolant Capacity17.4 qt
Engine Oil0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity8.5 qt

Engine torques

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts17
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts9.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Driveshaft Flange to Transmission18.0 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts44.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel HubInstall a new nut and torque to 188.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3
Spark Plug ManufacturerAc Delco
Spark Plug Gap.037 - .043 in
Spark Plug Torque11 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAc Delco
Spark Plug Gap.037 - .043 in

Battery & A/C

Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance660 cca
Optional BCI Group Number48
Optional BCI Cranking Performance730 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)46-84

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 77; Rear: 40 /; Front: 74; Rear: 38
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 169; Rear: 150 /; Front: 170; Rear: 148
ABS Sensor Torque7.5 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationJD9: .0007; J95: .001
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
148.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9048 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 8515 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts.

159.0 ft. lbs.59 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
3Short bolts 40 degrees40 degrees
4Long bolts60 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In the 2016 Chevrolet Suburban, complaints peaked in 2007 at 481, then fell to 314 in 2008 and 161 in 2009, before the record jumps back to 2021 with 179 complaints; 2016 sits between the 2009 low and 2021 high, indicating a moderate complaint level for its cohort. Recall counts in the 2000‑2009 era ranged from 2 to 11, with 2000 recording the highest at 11; 2016’s recall count is not listed but the trend suggests it would be on the lower side of that decade. The most frequent complaint categories for 2016 are Service Brakes (62) and Power Train (36), mirroring the broader generation’s focus on mechanical reliability rather than safety or fire issues, which were low (9 crash, 1 fire). Compared to the 2007 peak and the 2021 uptick, 2016 falls near the middle of the decline, implying fewer systemic problems than the earlier peak years. Therefore, a 2016 Suburban is a reasonable purchase, offering a balance between lower recall exposure and moderate complaint rates.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1777
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
216
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’90’91’92’93’94’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’21’22’23’24

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 216 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes62
Power Train36
Unknown Or Other17
Steering8
Structure6
Engine5
Steering,Electrical System,Engine4
Suspension4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1777 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT5509M2026-05-14Unknown Or OtherThis PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues.
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT64832026-02-04Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates an issue with aftermarket LED headlights…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Suburban. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 48 batteryVehicles taking 8.5 qt2WD-platform vehiclesEngine oil filter 12731742Engine air filter 22845992Spark plug 12622441Battery 88865934

Fuse box & wiring diagrams

Interactive fuse-box and wiring references for this vehicle, searchable by circuit.

Wiring diagrams

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2016 Suburban take?

8.5 qt of 0W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 2016 Suburban have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Suburban get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.