RoadVitals

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Suspension Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Suspension reportsComplaints 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.
12
Latest Jul 8, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
18%
of 65 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Chevrolet Caprice submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming suspension

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Suspension
Filed Jul 8, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10081580
Incident
Jun 20, 2004
Suspension
Filed Aug 11, 2003

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH ITS LOWER CONTROL ARM AS STATED IN RECALL 96 V 018 001; BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10033593
Mileage
42,016 mi
Suspension
Filed Apr 19, 2003

RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINTS BROKE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10016205
Incident
Apr 8, 2003
Mileage
80,305 mi
Suspension
Filed Oct 2, 2001

DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT STUD AND NUT WERE SEPARATED, R/R BALL JOINT

NHTSA ID
9004422
Incident
Aug 19, 2001
Suspension
Filed Aug 28, 2001

I CHECKED NHTSA'S WEB SIDT, MY CAR WAS ON RECALL LIST FOR THAT LOWER BALL JOINT. I CALLED GM, THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT ON RECALL LIST FOR THAT PART. *AK

NHTSA ID
751281
Incident
Aug 19, 2001
Suspension
Filed Aug 28, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
751274
Incident
Aug 19, 2001
SuspensionTires & wheels
Filed Mar 1, 2001

CONSUMER WAS GOING 60MPH AND FRONT END OF VEHICLE JUMPED SIDEWAYS AFTER HITTING A BUMP. SHOCKS AND TIRES WERE REPLACED TO RECTIFY PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT HE COULD HIT SOMEONE. DEALERS DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
881862
Incident
Feb 28, 2001
Suspension
Filed Oct 28, 1999

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS SNAPPED WHEN VEHICLE WAS BACKING UP AND ONCE WHEN MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING A LEFT TURN CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY. NLM

NHTSA ID
549268
Incident
Jan 1, 1997
BrakesEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Jan 11, 1999

SUSPENSION CAUSING EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR---REPLACED TIRES AT 18,000 AND NOW AT 29000 MILES. DEALER CLAIMS I NEED ANOTHER ALIGNMENT EVEN THOUGH THEY JUST FIXED IT. TWO TSBS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION. STEERING HAS ALWAYS BEEN LOOSE AND SOMETIMES LOCKS UP COMPLETELY. SUSPENSION HAS ALWAYS PULLED TO THE RIGHT FRONT. BRAKES HAVE SQUEALED SINCE AROUND 10000 MILES. ENGINE HAS SEVERE HESITATION, BUT DEALER CANNOT REPRODUCE.( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA ID
701371
Suspension
Filed Nov 3, 1998

VEHICLE HAS BEEN ALIGNED. BUT WHEN IT WAS TAKEN FOR INSPECTION THE VEHICLE WAS DENIED APPROVAL BECAUSE THE ALIGNEMENT WAS BAD, AND CAUSED UNUSUAL WEAR AND TEAR ON TIRES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
829996
Suspension
Filed Oct 14, 1997

FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE CAUSING NOISE.

NHTSA ID
604278
Incident
Feb 5, 1997
EngineSteeringSuspension+1 more
Filed Sep 11, 1996

SUSPENSION PROBLEM, CAUSING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR.

NHTSA ID
508566
Incident
Sep 1, 1996

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .