2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 visibility problems

Filed Dec 15, 2025 · Visibility · 106,000 miles · OH · fire

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the rear sliding glass defroster element overheated. The contact was unsure but thought that the defroster had activated independently. The contact stated that the heating element had caught fire, burned a hole through the weather stripping, and shattered the rear sliding glass. The contact extinguished the fire with a can of soda. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

Filed Feb 11, 2025 · Visibility · WI

I purchased a 2016 Silverado in 2021.I am writing regarding previously completed recall (N192265660) for my 2016 Chevrolet Silverado, which addresses issues related to the rear window defroster overheating and the potential for thermal events. The recall repair was performed in 2020, but I am experiencing a recurrence of the issue. We live in Wisconsin, on a cold morning last week, the rear window of my vehicle shattered while I was inside. I believe this was caused by overheating of the rear defroster, since I literally watched it happen in my rear-view mirror, despite the recall repair having been completed. The fracture lines in the glass very distinctly show the source where it shattered, leading directly to the heating element for the defroster. This was a known issue addressed by the recall, and I am concerned that the problem was not fully resolved, as the damage was substantial and could have escalated into a fire hazard. On [XXX], the day of the incident, I tried to get a service appointment to have it looked at and was told there was nothing they could do since the "recall had already been done" to my truck. I contacted customer service and was able to have the truck looked at by a GM Service Center after they set up an appointment for me. The Customer Service manager even documented and diagnosed the cause as being the rear defroster that shattered the window, yet they still denied any help or offer to repair it. After nearly 6 weeks of back and forth with GM customer service, and then eventually escalating to the "Product Assistance Claims Team" I was still denied any help having the issue resolved even with every piece of evidence showing this was a failed recall repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jan 16, 2025 · Visibility · MN

Passanger side windshield wiper, complete failure at highway speeds while using. The wiper broke off, flew into traffic behind me. No warnings, no visible issues.

Filed Feb 29, 2024 · Electrical, Visibility · AZ

My local Chevy dealer has confirmed that the human machine interface (HMI) module has failed on my 2016 Chevy Silverado, causing the back-up camera to be inoperable. The camera is absolutely necessary at night when backing up due to window tinting and I believe this to be a safety-related issue. There currently is a nationwide back order on a replacement HMI module.

Filed Apr 18, 2023 · Visibility · CO

Rear window shattered after a few minutes of defroster use. Seems to be a problem on these years of Silverado but no recall on mine. No warning, window just popped on its own, safety issue to have window failure during driving.

Filed Jan 21, 2023 · Visibility · IN

I remote started my vehicle and the rear defrost caused the back window to shatter. I had previously thought I heard what was a speaker going out/crackling, but upon further research, it appears it was the electronics in the rear defrost arcing. This appears to be a known issue with no US recall.

Filed Jan 19, 2023 · Visibility · 38,000 miles · WV

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact noticed smoke coming from the rear driver's side seat. The contact referenced the failure to TSB: N192265660 (Rear Window Defroster) The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Filed Feb 1, 2022 · Visibility · SD

This morning I turned on my rear defrost, and the rear window shattered. There is a memo entitled "GLOBAL SAFETY FIELD INVESTIGATIONS DCS5273 / N192265660". However, when I contacted GM this afternoon (800‑630‑2438) they had not heard of this memo.

Filed Nov 13, 2021 · Visibility · IN

While sitting in a parking lot with the rear defrost on, the rear window shattered. There were no visible impact marks. My child was covered in small glass shards. I drove home and will be contacting my insurance company shortly.

Filed Nov 4, 2021 · Visibility · 43,205 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH, the rear windshield exploded without warning. The vehicle was not taken to a local mechanic. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 43,205.