Post-failure analyses of Type 316L stainless steel implants have frequently implicated stress corrosion cracking as the mode of failure. If stress corrosion cracking of this stainless steel is likely in vivo, this material would have questionable utility for such applications. However, this material is widely used by manufacturers and approved by government regulating agencies. This study was designed to critically evaluate this issue. No susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking of 316L was found in manufactured implants or in specimens from implant quality material in vitro by both static loading and slow strain rate testing techniques. An adjunct in vitro fatigue study disclosed multiple fatigue cracks with branching tendencies. It is concluded that crack branching and secondary cracking in 316L implants are not adequate indicia of stress corrosion cracking of implants.