This service bulletin provides information on the proper Reflective High Temperature Heat and/or Insulating Tape to use for certain repairs, such as Wiring Harness Repairs.
View on NHTSA →2016 Buick Verano electrical problems
severe 12 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 12 electrical complaints filed for the 2016 Buick Verano, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 5 model years of Buick Verano we track for electrical problems, this one has the fewest owner complaints on file (12).
Electrical accounts for 20% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 6 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
The intent of this service bulletin is to identify aftermarket ALDL or DLC interface devices as potential sources for causing multiple customer concerns that do not have other diagnostic methods to identify them.
View on NHTSA →This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information.
View on NHTSA →This service bulletin provides information to diagnose batteries that have set for a long period of time and/or cold weather climates and testing those batteries.
View on NHTSA →This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
View on NHTSA →Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of the 2016 Buick Verano report a pervasive electrical defect pattern affecting critical and convenience systems. The most dangerous failures are sudden power loss while driving—the engine stalls, power steering cuts out, and the vehicle nearly stops on interstates. Multiple owners describe near-misses and stalling at highway merge speeds. One owner reports the intake cam solenoid valve failed with no warning light, causing total loss of acceleration on I-20. Dealers cannot replicate these events and dismiss them as unfixable without a stored code.
The side detection module corrodes and blows a fuse, cascading into complete gauge failure (speedometer, tach, fuel, temp), airbag deactivation, and blind-spot-detector shutdown—all mid-drive. One repair ran nearly $2,000. The passenger airbag logic is backwards: it's off when someone sits down with the belt fastened, but on when the seat is empty. Owners also report random radio cutoffs, door locks cycling without input, and battery drain issues. One 2016 Verano caught fire under the driver seat at 5,500 miles while parked overnight; Buick never determined the cause. Dealerships and Buick have ignored owner requests for recalls, citing inability to replicate or offering only parts replacement without addressing the root cause.
Same Buick Verano electrical reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Power loss / stalling / loss of power steering
Engine loses power suddenly while driving, sometimes stalling completely. Power steering is lost simultaneously, creating immediate hazard. Occurs randomly and intermittently.
When: May through August at unspecified mileage; one case at 5,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: engine stalling on interstate; loss of power steering while driving; random acceleration declines; loss of power even with cruise control active
Codes mentioned: STABILITRAK needs serviced
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership unable to replicate; no repairs completed. Hard shifts from 1st to 2nd gear also reported but dismissed as normal.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership stated unable to replicate issue without error code; owner told to return when warning appears. GM has faced prior litigation over similar issues.
Intake cam solenoid valve failure
Intake cam solenoid valve failed abruptly without warning light. Vehicle could not accelerate and nearly stalled on interstate during merge.
When: Unspecified mileage; failure occurred while on interstate
Symptoms owners cite: no acceleration capability; near-complete stop on interstate; engine cut off at gas station; no warning light before failure
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership could not explain cause; vehicle was towed.
Side detection module corrosion and electrical failure
Side obstacle/blind spot detection module becomes corroded, blows a fuse, and stops functioning. Causes cascade of electrical failures affecting multiple systems. Occurs while driving or upon startup. Water exposure is the suspected cause.
When: Unspecified mileage; one case noted at approximately 189,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: blind spot detection stops working; service side detection warning appears on dash; loss of all gauge functions (speedometer, tachometer, fuel, temp); airbag system failure; turn signals malfunction; camera systems fail; passenger airbag stays OFF with passenger seated
Codes mentioned: SERVICE SIDE DETECTION SYSTEM, SERVICE AIR BAG
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of side detection module cost approximately $2,000. Reported in service bulletins for some GM vehicles but not covered by recall for Verano.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service bulletin issued for some GM vehicles; extended warranty protection available for some models but NOT Verano. No recall issued.
Airbag system malfunction
Passenger airbag activation logic is incorrect—airbag remains OFF when passenger is seated with seatbelt, but activates when seat is empty. Also reported as airbag module failure requiring replacement.
When: Present since purchase; one module replacement needed at unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: passenger airbag ON when no passenger and seatbelt unbuckled; passenger airbag OFF when passenger seated and seatbelt fastened; airbag warning light illuminates while driving
Codes mentioned: SERVICE AIR BAG
Repairs/costs cited: Airbag module replacement required; described as annoying repair on relatively new vehicle.
Radio on/off malfunction
Radio cuts off and on randomly while driving without user input. Occurs intermittently.
When: May through August; ongoing at 189,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: radio powers off while driving; radio powers on while driving; radio fails to turn off as commanded
Door lock and electrical control malfunction
Doors lock and unlock independently without user command. Accompanied by radio failure to turn off. Relay and sensors previously replaced but failure persisted.
When: 189,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: doors lock independently; doors unlock independently; radio will not turn off
Repairs/costs cited: Unknown relay and sensors replaced previously without resolving issue. Vehicle remains unrepaired.
Fire under driver seat
Fire started under driver seat while vehicle was parked unattended at night. Fire burned through seat into driver door, advancing from bottom to window opening.
When: 12/6/2017 night; vehicle at approximately 5,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: fire initiated under driver seat; seat burned through; driver side door burned; windows smoked over from interior fire; driver door would not open after fire
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle declared total loss. Fire cause never determined by Buick.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: As of 1/23/18, Buick determined vehicle is complete loss but did not determine cause and offered no settlement.
Thermostat display malfunction
Temperature display does not show outdoor temperature. Thermostat controls display in Celsius only with no option to switch to Fahrenheit.
When: Present since purchase
Symptoms owners cite: no outdoor temperature display; thermostat shows Celsius instead of Fahrenheit; no user option to change temperature display format
Battery drain / charging system malfunction
Battery drains rapidly, requiring dealership intervention. Battery saver mode activates. Charging system failure warning appears.
When: December 2017
Symptoms owners cite: dead battery; battery saver active warning
Codes mentioned: SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM, BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership attributed to excessive auto-start usage.
Tire pressure monitoring system malfunction
Tire pressure is not reading correctly in the monitoring system.
When: Unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: tire pressure not reading properly
Codes mentioned: SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
- 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 lost all gauge functions (No speedometer, tachometer, fuel, or temp gauges). -The side obstacle detection system does…
The intake cam solenoid value failed without any warning. No light came on to warn me. The car would not accelerate and almost completely stop. I was entering a very usy interstate I - 20 and the car was stalling as other cars were speeding behind me. I could not accelerate at a safe speed. I made it to an exit. The car shut off . I put gas in because I was on a half tank. I thought it…
Side sensors have become disabled.
Beginning in may, I started noticing odd declines in accelerations, randomly, even when using cruise control. Then, I almost stalled out on the road & lost power steering. This is dangerous & scary. I took it to the dealership & reported a hard shift from 1st to 2nd gear and my radio shutting off randomly, too. After looking over my car, I was told they could not 'replicate the issue' of losing…
Service tire monitor system, tire pressure system not teading properly, service battery charging system, battery saver active, service power steering, service air bag
Service tire monitor system, tire pressure not reading properly, service battery charging system, battery saver active, service power steering, service air bag, radio powers off & on while driving. All light indicators
Had electrical trouble with your 2016 Buick Verano?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2016 Buick Verano?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 20,000 and 39,000 miles, with the median around 29,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 20,000; a quarter make it past 39,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Buick/Verano.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.