RoadVitals

1996 Chevrolet C/K Series

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest May 24, 2007
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet C/K Series, most frequently naming the brakes and engine categories. 19 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes150.0%
  • Engine150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed May 24, 2007
Crash reported2 injuries reported

96 SILVERADO 4X4 REAR BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, REPAIRED. 6 MONTHS LATER FRONT CROSSOVER BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, REPAIRED. PUT NEW BRAKES/ROTORS ON FRONT, NEW SHOES ON REAR W/NEW WHEEL CYLINDERS AND NEW REAR BRAKE HOSE, OLD HOSE BURST. BLED SYSTEM, BUT PEDAL STILL SPONGY. BRAKES NOT WORKING. TAKES FOREVER TO STOP THIS TRUCK, DANGEROUS. I AM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER, AND THIS TRUCK IS THE WORST. THE OTHER BAD ONES WERE CHEVY LUMINAS, WHICH WERE SIMILAR WITH SPONGY PEDAL AND EXTENDED STOP DISTANCES. THE TRUCK HAS A DELAY BETWEEN PEDAL PUSH AND BRAKING STARTING. EXCESSIVE PEDAL PRESSURE REQUIRED, DOESN'T DO MUCH GOOD. I TOWED A TRAILER WITH IT ONCE, AND WAS SCARED TO DEATH. ENGINE HAS LOTS OF POWER, BRAKES ARE USELESS. ANTILOCK SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS, CAUSES THE TRUCK TO SWERVE. GM KNOWS THIS SYSTEM IS "UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED" JUST LIKE THE OLD CORVAIRS WERE. RALPH NADER WHERE ARE YOU WHEN WE NEED YOU? NO ONE ELSE IN THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE ANYTHING. THEY DON'T CARE OR ARE ON THE TAKE. OTHERWISE THIS BLATANT DEFECT WOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED! ALSO MY SISTER OWNS A YUKON, 1996, AND HER ANTILOCK SYSTEM ACTIVATED ALL THE TIME ON DRY ROAD, AND ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. SHE TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND DID THE BRAKES. IT DIDN'T STOP THE ANTILOCK PROBLEM, SO I DISCONNECTED THE FUSE TO THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM AND IT STOPPED THE FAULTY ACTIVATION, BUT THE BRAKES ARE STILL SPONGY, AND THE TRUCK IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. ANOTHER FRIEND WAS INJURED AND THE 1996 SUBURBAN WAS TOTALLED, AND THE CAR SHE HIT WAS TOTALLED AND THE DRIVER INJURED, WHEN SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THEY DIDN'T WORK. SHE SAID THE PEDAL WAS SPONGY FOR AWHILE, AND THE TRUCK WAS HARD TO STOP. SHE WAS BEING CAREFUL BECAUSE OF THIS BUT SOMEONE STOPPED SHORT IN FRONT OF HER AND SHE SAID SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HURT OR KILLED BEFORE THE NTSB MAKES A RECALL FOR THIS? WHAT GOOD ARE THEY IF THEY DO NOTHING?

NHTSA ID
10191623
Incident
Apr 11, 2007
Mileage
110,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 12, 2004

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR TWO YEARS NOW AND LOVE THE POWER AND SMOOTH RIDE I GET FROM IT. THE TRUCK IS A 1996 CHEVY K2500 WITH A 6.5L DIESEL ENGINE. I HAVE PUT OVER $3,600 IN THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST 18 MOS. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND YOU CANNOT STOP OR STEER THE VEHICLE THEN. THE MECHANICS SAY THAT THIS HAPPENS IN A LOT OF VEHICLES WITHMOST OWNERS END UP SELLING IT. IF THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THEN WHY DOESN'T CHEVROLET DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.THIS COULD BE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THIS TRUCK IS SO HARD TO HANDLE WHEN IT STALLS.

NHTSA ID
10057054
Incident
Feb 10, 2004
Mileage
136,090 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

17-NA-073

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

G-197151

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

00064H - SPECIAL COVERAGE (REVISED PART INFORMATION). SOME CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC DIESEL FUEL INJECTION PUMP. THIS SPECIAL POLICY APPLIES ONLY TO ELECTRONIC DIESEL-FUEL INJECTION PUMP REPAIRS AND/OR REPLACEMENT AS A RESULT OF INJECTION PUMP FAILURE. THIS SPECIAL COVERAGE DOES NOT COVER: GLOW PLUGS, TURBOCHARGER WEAR, LOW COMPRESSION ENGINES OR PCM/PCM WIRING CONDITIONS.

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

000730022B

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

A NO REVERSE, NO SECOND GEAR, OR NO FOURTH GEAR CONDITION. *TT UPDATED *EH

01349A

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

6.5L L49 L56 L57 L65 DIESEL ENGINE REQUIRING FUEL INJECTION PUMP REPLACEMENT. MODELS P32/P42 1994-1999 INCLUDED. *TT

02054

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE DUE TO CRACKED BOULDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THIS SPECIAL POLICY COVERS THE CONDITION FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS OR 70,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST FROM THE DATE THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PLACED IN SERVICE REGARDLESS OF OWNERSHIP OR FOR THESE VEHICLES CURRENTLY OUTSIDE OF THIS COVERAGE UNTIL FEBRUARY 29, 2004. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet C/K Series by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2003703—
2002404—
2001404—
2000205—
1999903—
1998802—
1997401—
1996Viewing200—
1995300—
1994300—
1993200—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.