Buick · Verano · 2016
2
Recalls
59
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 Buick Verano has 2 recalls and 59 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: air bags (11 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
The 2016 Buick Verano page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is air bags with 11 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
11.3% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured February 16, 2016, to May 12, 2016, equipped with a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine. The engine fuel line assembly may be misrouted, allowing the fuel line to contact the surface of the engine.
Remedy Status
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line assembly, free of charge. The recall began on August 19, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 54180.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Remedy Status
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
While driving on the highway there was a random harsh jerk on my car, and I was immediately unable to maintain safe speeds driving nearly causing a serious crash. All of the service lights (Service Parking Assist, Service Power Steering, Service StabiliTrak, and Check Engine Ligh...
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I am submitting this complaint to report a safety-related issue involving my 2016 Buick Verano. At approximately 112,000 miles, the vehicle experienced a major transmission failure that significantly affected drivability. Shortly thereafter, an airbag warning light illuminated, i...
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After consulting with a certified technician, I’ve learned this model uses the same 6-speed transmission (6T40) found in several GM vehicles, and that it’s widely known to fail prematurely—many as early as 100K–117K miles. There are dozens of similar consumer complaints filed wit...
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The contact owns a 2016 Buick Verano. The contact stated that the doors of the vehicle were locking and unlocking independently, and the radio failed to turn off as needed. The contact stated that an unknown relay and sensors were previously replaced; however, the failure persist...
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Engine is known for bad piston rings and a poor emission ventilation system causing extreme engine pressure, blowback, and oil consumption. Engine stalled due to NO oil in it. No oil warning light appeared. Almost ran over two pedestrians as my car would not brake quickly enough ...
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The contact owns a 2016 Buick Verano. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger's side seat sensor failed to detect a passenger in the seat. The “Air Bag Off” and “Service Air Bag” messages were displayed. The vehicle w...
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The side detection system got corroded as it was exposed to water. My airbags, turn signals, speedometer, cameras, blind spot warnings, etc. went out. This costed almost $2k to replace and get fixed when this could have been avoided if the side detection parts weren't easily expo...
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There are 18 complaints about the passenger airbag sensor that should have been reported as a recall. Buick issued a Special Coverage Adjustment notice for the passenger Presence sensor Reference Number: [XXX] Letter was sent to all customers; I did not ever receive it as i purch...
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- The side detection module became corroded, blew a fuse and stopped functioning. This was reported in a service bulletin and extended warranty protection for some GM vehicles, but not the Buick Verano. [XXX] - This happened while driving. The vehicle would still drive, but los...
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When I start my car air bag lights on when a passenger is not seat air bags keeps light is on and when I have passenger next to me air bag is off. I took this car to dealership I bought they want me to pay $1720 to fix the system I only driven 42000 miles since I bought I had ful...
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Showing 10 recent complaints from 59 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2016 Buick models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2016 Buick Verano has 2 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 59 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Buick Verano.
The 2016 Buick Verano received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 Buick Verano are air bags (11 reports), power train (3 reports), engine (3 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 2 recalls on record for the 2016 Buick Verano. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.