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2016 Buick Cascada

Gas

Subcompact Cars
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

94 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 22

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 23 mpg

2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Buick Cascada is sold in the U.S. as a gas convertible. The most efficient version, the Cascada, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 22 complaints, most often about the structure. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

2016 Buick Cascada

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Cascada	Gas	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	20	27	23	$2,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37192.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Cascada	6 / 10	Bin 4	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Convertible/Cabriolet
Doors	2
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	1.6 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

200 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim. Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	185.0 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.4 in
Height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	106.3 in
Track, front	62.6 in
Track, rear	62.6 in
Curb weight	3,748 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	57/43

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: All versions. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Visibility

16126

4 vehicles 50% reported repaired built Dec 1, 2015 – Feb 24, 2016

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Buick Cascada vehicles manufactured December 1, 2015, to February 24, 2016. The affected vehicles may have had the original convertible roof control module (CRCM) replaced with an incorrect CRCM, that allows the windows to close automatically when the roof is closed and can allow the windows to be closed remotely from distances beyond 11 meters using the key fob. As such, these vehicles no longer meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems." Risk If the windows close automatically or can be closed remotely in ways that do not meet all the requirements of FMVSS 118, the unexpected closure can increase the risk of injury to the passengers. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the CRCM with correct module, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 16126.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V844000 reported Nov 21, 2016 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module — Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture open

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf. Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a subst

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · action EA21002 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Cascada

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Buick publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Buick’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Buick Cascada, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

22complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 5

Most-cited components

Structure 10

Unspecified 7

Engine 6

Visibility/Wiper 5

Electrical System 3

Wheels 2

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

After owning for a year, it started idling very rough. Took it to a shop and there was a GM Service Bulletin issued on these cars N192291620 that expired on 6/2026. They would not reimburse me as it expired and car was repaired by a third party. We had only put 500 miles on it since purchasing. It was the Valve Cover Gasket.

Engine Sep 17, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11765093

The back window on the convertible top has separated from the fabric. Buick dealership said it was not a covered item under the extended warranty. We tried to glue it back down but it keeps separating all around. Dangerous situation because it could separate completely during travel and cause an accident/injury to others.

Structure Feb 18, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11718833

The contact owns a 2016 Buick Cascada. The contact stated that when his wife entered the vehicle, the rear passenger’s side window automatically rolled down when the vehicle was started. The contact was unable to confirm if any warning lights were illuminated.

Visibility/Wiper at 80,000 miles Jul 23, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11675525

The motor is out of the seat belt presenter on the driver's side. It does not present and makes a horrible sound. This part was ordered in July, 2024. I've contacted the dealer and Buick directly to find out when I can expect the part to be replaced. They've told me that the back is on an extended back order.

Seat Belts Dec 11, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11630157

I purchased my 2016 Buick Cascada in 2017, in the summer of 2018 I noticed the paint chipping off all 4 of my rims. Then in december of 2020 I noticed the back window started to become unattached from the convertible top.

Wheels at 50,000 miles Feb 17, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11396566

The contact owns a 2016 Buick Cascada. While driving various speeds, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and/or shut completely off. The vehicle was returned to ed morris auto blvd (10133 US hwy 19, port richie, fl) on fifteen separate occasions for the same failure.

Electrical System at 5,000 miles Sep 17, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11256130

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Buick itself: 5 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 5 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every Cascada model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
C FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 979

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 977 service bulletins, 1 service campaign, 1 other

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Power Train, Unknown Or Other.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT3271Q Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIP6104 Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP4902V Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U Service bulletin
2026-01-08 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5214G Service bulletin
2025-11-20 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does no

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
B3055 B3055 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
P0300 P0300 on Buick →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	7 bulletins
P0308 P0308 on Buick →	Cylinder 8 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	7 bulletins
P050D P050D on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins
B101D B101D on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	4 bulletins
P0442 P0442 on Buick →	A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Gas cap →	4 bulletins
P018B P018B on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	3 bulletins
P0455 P0455 on Buick →	A large leak in the evaporative emissions system — often a fuel cap left off.	Electrical System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins
P2635 P2635 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	3 bulletins
U0028 U0028 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Steering	3 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 6.4%

failed emissions

249 initial inspections of 243 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 Cascada	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	6.4%	4.2%	249
Failed the safety inspection	1.6%	2.2%	249
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.80%	0.27%	249
Miles driven a year	5,292	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	54,680	103,109	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Cascada by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2019 A 0 5 24 mpg 2018 A 0 11 24 mpg 2017 A 0 15 23 mpg 2016 this page A 1 22 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 Cascada

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Buick Cascada have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Buick Cascada. The most serious on file is 16V844000, covering Visibility. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Buick Cascada?

NHTSA gave the 2016 Buick Cascada 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (94/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Buick Cascada?

For the 2016 Buick Cascada, the best EPA combined figure is 23 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Buick Cascada?

Transport Canada measured it at 185.0 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 56.7 in tall, on a 106.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,748 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Buick Cascada?

Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Buick Cascada, most often about structure, unspecified, engine. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Buick Cascada?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Buick Cascada is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. The certificate names the standard as Bin 4.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Buick Cascada?

The manufacturer has filed 979 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Buick Cascada, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2016 Buick Cascada do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Buick Cascada failed the emissions check on 6.4% of first inspections — higher than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.6% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	1 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	1 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	22	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	979	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	7 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API

2016 Buick Cascada

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Engine Output

Fuel Economy

Driver assistance

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (1)

Visibility

NHTSA defect investigations

Whether any of this applies to one specific Cascada

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2016 Buick Cascada

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

Cascada by model year

Common questions about the 2016 Cascada

Does the 2016 Buick Cascada have any recalls?

How safe is the 2016 Buick Cascada?

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Buick Cascada?

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Buick Cascada?

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Buick Cascada?

How clean is the 2016 Buick Cascada?

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Buick Cascada?

How does the 2016 Buick Cascada do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method