RoadVitals

1996 Chevrolet C15 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

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.
26
Latest Sep 16, 2003
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
12
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.
6

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Chevrolet C15, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

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

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Brakes930.0%
  • Airbags620.0%
  • Driver assistance310.0%
  • Visibility26.7%
  • Interior & seats26.7%
  • Suspension26.7%
  • Transmission13.3%
  • Seat belts13.3%
  • Steering13.3%
  • Body & structure13.3%
  • Heating & air conditioning13.3%
  • Engine13.3%

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

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

9
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

BRAKE SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING BRAKES TO FAIL. PROBLEM OCCURRED THREE TIMES IN TWO YEARS. DEALER/MANUFACTURER CONTACTED, AND THEY WERE AWARE OF PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID 836473 · filed Apr 5, 1999

BRAKE PADS ON THE LEFT SIDE FAILED BEFORE THE RIGHT SIDE BRAKE PADS MALFUNCTIONED. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER. ALSO TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ID 825406 · filed Aug 11, 1998
All 9 reports naming brakes →

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

6
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER REARENDED A TRAILER AT A 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT ,DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID 842786 · filed Jul 21, 1999

BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID 515621 · filed Mar 11, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

GOING ABOUT (65) MPH AND CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE HIT THE BRAKES THREE TIMES AND THEN TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE FINALLY BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN, CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE THROTTLE STICKS SOMETIMES WHEN CRUISE IS NOT ENGAGED, THIS HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN WARMED UP. *SLC

NHTSA ID 986493 · filed Jul 3, 1996

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE ON COLD START RPM WILL ACCELEATE AT HIGH SPEED, HAVE TO CONTINUE APPLYING BRAKES, NO CONTROL OVER VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID 983906 · filed May 1, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW. DEALER STATED NO RECALL CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID 10040026 · filed Sep 16, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY OPERATE ON HIGH SPEED. THE MANUFACTURER/DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

NHTSA ID 836583 · filed Apr 7, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHEN DRIVING OVER 45 MPH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT VIBRATES AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A NOISE AND THE TRANSMISSION MAKES NOISE AND SHIFTS HARD AT 20 MPH. *AK

NHTSA ID 807786 · filed Jan 16, 1997

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT, WILL NOT STAY PROPERLY ON THE TRACK, SEAT ROLLS BACK A FORWARD. *AK

NHTSA ID 804155 · filed Nov 13, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

FRONT SUSPENSION, THE SWAY BAR BROKE/BUSHING IS MISSING, NEVER INSTALLED BY MANUFACTURER, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING.

NHTSA ID 811819 · filed Apr 29, 1997

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY, FOR NO REASON, TAKEN TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED PUT IN 2 BAGS OF CONCRETE IN REAR, MFG SAID ITS NORMAL, DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM. HAS DOCUMENTS/FILE NUMBER 960773864. *AK

NHTSA ID 807372 · filed Jan 9, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Transmission

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHEN DRIVING OVER 45 MPH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT VIBRATES AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A NOISE AND THE TRANSMISSION MAKES NOISE AND SHIFTS HARD AT 20 MPH. *AK

NHTSA ID 807786 · filed Jan 16, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID 515621 · filed Mar 11, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD END BOLTS CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING WHILE DRIVING. TT

NHTSA ID 978807 · filed Feb 7, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

FRAME CRACKED WHILE DRIVING. TT

NHTSA ID 978805 · filed Feb 7, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Heating & air conditioning

Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

AIR CONDITIONING VENTS DO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY/ALL COLD AIR COMES OUT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE/ HARDLY ANY AIR ON DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID 509068 · filed Sep 25, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

EGR VALVE FAILED CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE.

NHTSA ID 544185 · filed Mar 2, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .