RoadVitals

1996 Chevrolet Silverado Transmission Problems

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

Data refreshed

Transmission 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.
17
Latest Mar 3, 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.
9%
of 186 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.
1
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 the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Chevrolet Silverado submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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 transmission

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

Transmission
Filed Mar 3, 2004

TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND STOPPED SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR AT 50,000 MILES. WAS REBUILT AT TRANS SERVICE SHOP. CAUSE WAS LACK OF GROUND WIRE BETWEEN CONTROL MODULE AND TRANSMISSION CAUSING ERRATIC FLUID PRESSURES. I PAID THE $1470.00 REPAIR BILL. TSB DESCRIBED THE DEFECT, I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THIS WAS PREVENTABLE FROM CHEVY'S PERSPECTIVE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10060308
Incident
Feb 23, 2004
Mileage
50,400 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 23, 2003

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE TRAVELING, TRANSMISSION GOES OUT DURING PASSING GEAR. CONSUMER IS NOW ON 3RD TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID
10024756
Transmission
Filed Jan 23, 2002

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR PROPERLY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS CURRENTLY CHANGING CORRECTLY, HOWEVER NOW THERE IS A FLUID LEAK, DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE CONSUMER FOR THESE REPAIRS. *SLC

NHTSA ID
8002704
Incident
Apr 21, 2001
Transmission
Filed Nov 28, 2001

Z71 TRUCK TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 55,000 MILES. GM STATES THAT MY VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION & THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I DID TO CAUSE THE FAILURE. GM SERVICE BULLETIN (DOC. #225207) STATES THAT THE VCM CAN CAUSE ERRATIC LINE PRESSURE WITH THE 4L60-E TRANSMISSION. ALTHOUGH THE BULLETINS ARE FOR TECH. INFO ONLY, THIS SERVICE BULLETIN DOCUMENTS A KNOWN PRE-EXISTING DEFECT THAT CAN "LEAD" TO PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO THE VCM COMMUNICATING INTERMITTENT, ERRATIC, UNSTABLE LINE PRESSURE. THE BULLETIN ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM & POTENTIAL "FAILURE OR DAMAGE" VERSUS BEING INFORMATIVE & TOOLS NEEDED FOR THE JOB. BECAUSE CONSUMERS ARE NOT NOTIFIED OF BULLETINS, THEY END-UP PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET, NEVER KNOWING THEY STEM FROM FACTORY DEFECTS & COULD BE REPAIRED FOR LITTLE OR NOTHING. NOTIFICATION PRECLUDES ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS & EXPENSE THAT COULD BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY OR HIDDEN WARRANTY (SO CALLED GOOD WILL PROGRAM).*AK

NHTSA ID
755016
Incident
Oct 31, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jul 2, 2001

THIS IS THE SECOND TRANSMISSION THAT FAILED AT 10,000 MILES ON REPLACEMENT. EXACT THING HAPPEND LOUD NOISE LOST FORWARD GEARS AND REVERSE AND FORWARD CAME BACK WITHOUT REVERSE. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN USED TO TOW.*AK

NHTSA ID
747654
Incident
Mar 10, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jun 27, 2001

1ST TRANSMISSION WENT AT 37,000 ON 3/10/2000 2ND TRANSMISSION WENT ON 06/24/2001 WITH ONLY 10,000 MI ON IT. 7 1996 VEHICLES AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE THAT WE KNOW HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID
747460
Incident
Mar 10, 2000
Transmission
Filed Mar 12, 2001

I WAS TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED BECAUSE A MODIFACATION WAS NOT MADE .WHY WAS I NOT NOTIFIED ?*AK

NHTSA ID
742326
Incident
Mar 9, 2001
Transmission
Filed Feb 5, 2001

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
879807
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Oct 16, 2000

DRIVER COULD NOT DISENGAGE THE RUNNING GEAR FROM THE MOTOR, CAUSING SPRING TO BREAK IN CLUTCH PEDAL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
873029
Transmission
Filed Oct 3, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON A SIDE STREET AND GIVING VEHICLE GAS RPMS WOULD GO UP, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE DUE TO TRANSMISSION GOING OUT. DEALRR HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
872098
Transmission
Filed Jul 19, 2000
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION EXPLODED, RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK WHEN EXPLOSION OCCURED THERE WAS A BAD SMELL OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. AFTER PULLING OVER THE VEHICLE, HEAVY SMOKE POURED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND THE VEHICLE BURNT COMPLETELY. *YH

NHTSA ID
865657
Incident
Jun 23, 2000
Transmission
Filed Apr 7, 2000

TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCES PROBLEM WITH LOSS OF 3RD. AND 4TH. GEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID
859897
Incident
Mar 15, 2000
EngineExterior lightingTransmission
Filed Nov 3, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH TRANSMISSION/ EGR VALVE AND HEADLIGHT'S WENT OUT. WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP, AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TO GET THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
852507
Incident
Oct 1, 1999
Transmission
Filed Apr 16, 1999

VEHICLE DOES NOT DECELERATE WHEN RELEASING GAS PEDAL, ENGINE STAYS AT HIGH RPM'S CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES BEFORE MANUALLY SLOWING DOWN. MJS

NHTSA ID
545030
Transmission
Filed Jan 5, 1999

DURING BLIZARD ROAD CONDITIONS ON WAY TO WORK 4-WHEEL DRIVE DID NOT ENGAGE. I THINK THIS GAVE ME A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY AND SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

NHTSA ID
701893
Incident
Dec 30, 1997
Transmission
Filed Nov 20, 1998

WHILE DOING SOME REPAIR WORK AND BY THE VEHICLE BEING IN THE DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER NOTICED A TRANMISSION FLUID COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND THE TRANMISSION RUBBING ACROSS THE EXHAUST PIPE. TRANMISSION FLUID WAS GETTING ON THE EXHAUST PIPE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
831140
Incident
Nov 18, 1998
Body & structureBrakesEngine+5 more
Filed Nov 25, 1997

REMOTE DOOR OPENER FAILED.

NHTSA ID
525371
Incident
Aug 12, 1997

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 .