RoadVitals

1996 Chevrolet Express 1500 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
4
Latest Sep 24, 2013
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.
0
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Apr 12, 2008

What this page shows

Our database holds 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet Express 1500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–4 of 4

Brakes
Filed Sep 24, 2013

I WAS BRAKING WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY AND LOST THE REAR BRAKES. AFTER AN INSPECTION, I FOUND THE BRAKE LINE BROKE ABOUT MIDWAY THROUGH THE CHASSE. I ALSO FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES WOULD CRACK WHERE EVER YOU BENT THEM. I HAD TO HAVE ALL THE BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED BECAUSE OF CORROSION AT A COST OF $2143.00.

NHTSA ID
10545125
Incident
Sep 10, 2013
Mileage
146,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 11, 2013

WIFE COMPLAINED OF PULSATING BRAKE PEDAL, TOOK VEHICLE FOR A SHORT TEST DRIVE, ON THE WAY BACK WHILE TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT APPROX. 30 MPH MADE A STOP APPLYING MODERATE PEDAL PRESSURE, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. CAREFULLY DROVE THE REMAINING 1/8TH MILE HOME AND CRAWLED UNDERNEATH VAN. BRAKE LINES A MASS OF RUST, LINE THAT RUNS BACK ALONG LEFT SIDE RAIL FROM WHAT LOOKS LIKE AN ABS UNIT BURST UPON PEDAL APPLICATION AND WAS DRIPPING BRAKE FLUID, MASTER CYLINDER WAS ALMOST EMPTY UPON INSPECTION. THE MOST UNSAFE AND UNRELIABLE VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. AT 40,000 MILES A REAR LINE FROM THE PROPORTIONING VALVE ALSO RUSTED THROUGH BUT AT LEAST DID NOT BURST SUDDENLY, STARTED DRIPPING. IT AND THE 2 REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WHICH WERE ALSO A MASS OF RUST NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10502420
Incident
Mar 10, 2013
Mileage
51,951 mi
Transmission
Filed Mar 4, 2009

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION HAS A PROBLEM WHERE A WELD INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION GOES BAD AND MAKES THE TRANSMISSION FAIL. VAN WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND REBUILT A FEW TIMES THE MECHANIC SAYS A NEW GM TRANSMISSION MUST BE PURCHASED AT $1,600 DOLLARS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10260735
Incident
Dec 18, 2008
Mileage
130,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Apr 12, 2008

96 CHEVY EXPRESS VAN, FAILED SIDE CARGO DOOR HINGES. THESE HINGES, PINS AND BUSHINGS, FAIL, SEIZE UP, AND THE SIDE CARGO DOORS ARE UNABLE TO BE OPENED. THIS MAKES IT UNSAFE FOR EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE FOR ANY PERSONS SITTING IN THE BACK OR REAR SEATS. GM KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE 4 SERVICE BULLETINS FOR THIS PROBLEM. DATED- SEPT. 24, 2001, MAY 01, 2002, JUNE 1, 2003, AND OCT 1, 2006... THE COST TO REPAIR THESE DOOR HINGES IS OUTRAGEOUS.. THEY ARE GM ONLY PARTS, AND TO REPLACE ALL 8 HINGES (THERE ARE 2 HINGES, BODY & DOOR, THAT MAKE UP 1 FULL HINGE. SO A TOTAL OF 8 ARE NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL) COST MINIMUM 115.00 A PIECE (SOME ARE MORE). THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE PINS AND BUSHINGS TO MAKE THE HINGES MOVE PROPERLY. THESE ARE 83.00 FOR JUST 2 PINS. SO TO DO ALL 4 HINGES YOU NEED 2 SETS. FOR A TOTAL TO COMPLETELY REPLACE ALL HINGES W/PINS AND BUSHINGS-- 1,036.00 JUST TO USE 2 DOORS ON YOUR VEHICLE. AND THAT ISN'T LABOR.. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS.!!!!!!! THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM, AND THEY ARE KEEPING THE REPLACEMENTS TO THEMSELVES... MEANWHILE, I HAVE 2 DOORS ON MY VAN, THAT WON'T OPEN, SO IF I DO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT, MY CHILDREN WON'T BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THANKS GM.. *TR

NHTSA ID
10224313
Incident
Apr 10, 2008

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .