1996 Chevrolet L Van Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Chevrolet L Van, 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
- Brakes125.0%
- Interior & seats125.0%
- Other / unspecified125.0%
- Visibility125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED MY VAN USED IN OCT 2003, AND WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF DRIVING IT, THE OUTSIDE PASSENGER AND DRIVER DOORS LATCHES HAVE BROKE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME, WHICH HAS LED TO THE DOOR UNABLE TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE ONLY THE INSIDE. SHORTLY AFTER THE DOOR LATCHES STOPPED WORKING, BOTH OF THE WINDOW MOTORS BURNED UP AND AM NO LONGER ABLE TO ROLL THE WINDOWS UP OR DOWN. I HAVE HAD THE DOOR LATCHES PUT BACK IN PLACE TWICE AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE THEY WON'T STAY ATTACHED. I GOT AN ESTIMATE ON THE WINDOW MOTORS AND THEY WERE VERY EXPENSIVE, AM UNABLE TO REPLACE RIGHT NOW. I FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN YOUR DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE WERE A WRECK, NO ONE COULD GET TO YOU FAST ENOUGH. *JB
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED MY VAN USED IN OCT 2003, AND WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF DRIVING IT, THE OUTSIDE PASSENGER AND DRIVER DOORS LATCHES HAVE BROKE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME, WHICH HAS LED TO THE DOOR UNABLE TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE ONLY THE INSIDE. SHORTLY AFTER THE DOOR LATCHES STOPPED WORKING, BOTH OF THE WINDOW MOTORS BURNED UP AND AM NO LONGER ABLE TO ROLL THE WINDOWS UP OR DOWN. I HAVE HAD THE DOOR LATCHES PUT BACK IN PLACE TWICE AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE THEY WON'T STAY ATTACHED. I GOT AN ESTIMATE ON THE WINDOW MOTORS AND THEY WERE VERY EXPENSIVE, AM UNABLE TO REPLACE RIGHT NOW. I FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN YOUR DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE WERE A WRECK, NO ONE COULD GET TO YOU FAST ENOUGH. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED MY VAN USED IN OCT 2003, AND WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF DRIVING IT, THE OUTSIDE PASSENGER AND DRIVER DOORS LATCHES HAVE BROKE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME, WHICH HAS LED TO THE DOOR UNABLE TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE ONLY THE INSIDE. SHORTLY AFTER THE DOOR LATCHES STOPPED WORKING, BOTH OF THE WINDOW MOTORS BURNED UP AND AM NO LONGER ABLE TO ROLL THE WINDOWS UP OR DOWN. I HAVE HAD THE DOOR LATCHES PUT BACK IN PLACE TWICE AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE THEY WON'T STAY ATTACHED. I GOT AN ESTIMATE ON THE WINDOW MOTORS AND THEY WERE VERY EXPENSIVE, AM UNABLE TO REPLACE RIGHT NOW. I FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN YOUR DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE WERE A WRECK, NO ONE COULD GET TO YOU FAST ENOUGH. *JB
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
WINDSHIELD WIPERS INADVERTENTLY GO OUT. THE CAUSE OF WHY THIS HAPPENS IS UNDETERMINED.*AK
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .