RoadVitals

1996 GMC 1500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
24
Latest Sep 8, 2005
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
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.
3
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 24 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 GMC 1500, most frequently naming the visibility, brakes and fuel system categories. 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Visibility725.0%
  • Brakes310.7%
  • Fuel system310.7%
  • Airbags310.7%
  • Electrical27.1%
  • Steering27.1%
  • Suspension27.1%
  • Transmission27.1%

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

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 24
Brakes
Filed Sep 8, 2005

BRAKE SYSTEM OPERATED NORMALLY FOR SOME TIME AND THEN AT OR AROUND 2/14/2005 I BEGUN TO EXPERIENCE IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS AT SLOW SPEED STOPPING THE ABS WOULD ENGAGE AND OVER RIDE THE NORMAL BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSING MUCH LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES. IT CAUSED AT LEAST 10 NEAR COLLISIONS WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AND SEVERAL TIMES I SWERVED OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID CONTACT. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, I DISABLED THE ABS SYSTEM BY REMOVING THE ABS FUSE, THIS WAS SUGGESTED BY A LOCAL TIRE AND REPAIR SHOP. *JB

NHTSA ID
10135794
Incident
Feb 14, 2005
Mileage
72,000 mi
AirbagsEngineSteering+1 more
Filed May 16, 2005

DT: CONSUMER BOUGHT A VEHICLE "AS IS", AND FOR THE FIRST TIME I DROVE IT, 3 HOURS AFTER I BOUGHT IT, THE RADIATOR BLEW. THE GARAGE THAT SERVICED THE VEHICLE SAID THE BALL JOINTS WERE READY TO FALL APART. THE STEERING WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND THE REAR END MADE A HUMMING NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. HE SAID THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD. THE SELLER WILL NOT REPAIR OR REIMBURSE FOR ANY OF THE DEFECTS. *TT

NHTSA ID
10121000
Incident
May 14, 2005
Mileage
77,781 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 14, 2005
Crash reported1 injury reported

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT COLLISION AT 60 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WILL NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

NHTSA ID
10115061
Incident
Mar 11, 2005
Visibility
Filed Sep 30, 2004

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD THEM REPAIRED. HE THEN SHOWED THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. HE WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT ON RECALL, AND ADVISED CONSUMER TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. CONSUMER THEN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. CONSUMER FELT SINCE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING DURING RAINY TIMES IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A CRACKED SOLDER JOINT ON THE CONTROL BOARD. CONSUMER INSISTED ON BEING REIMBURSED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10094750
Incident
Sep 30, 2004
Driver assistanceVisibility
Filed Aug 25, 2004

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL WANDERED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. FOLLOWING THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE POWER SENSOR SWITCH , AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10089796
Incident
Aug 25, 2004
Transmission
Filed Aug 5, 2004

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE JERKED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSON FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10087247
Incident
Jul 22, 2004
Brakes
Filed Sep 10, 2003

WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10039690
Incident
Jul 25, 2003
Electrical
Filed Jul 12, 2003

WIRING CONNECTOR ON TILT WHEEL WILL WEAR CAUSING LIGHTS NOT TO WORK. REPAIR ONCE BUT PROBLEM IS BACK COULD CAUSE FIRE. 1996 GMC PICKUP EXTENDED CAB. *AK

NHTSA ID
10025948
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Mileage
80,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

17-NA-073

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

GMC 1500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2000010—
1999010—
1998010—
1997010—
1996Viewing240037.4
1994290033.8
1990800—
1985300—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.