1996 GMC 1500 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 GMC 1500, 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
- Visibility725.0%
- Brakes310.7%
- Fuel system310.7%
- Airbags310.7%
- Electrical27.1%
- Steering27.1%
- Suspension27.1%
- Transmission27.1%
- Driver assistance13.6%
- Engine13.6%
- Body & structure13.6%
- Seat belts13.6%
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
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE SENDING UNIT SHORTAGE OUT WITH 15 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAIN IN THE TANK WHILE DRIVING ALSO CAUSE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME . FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING, AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE VEHICLE CAN BE RESTARTED, THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A SHORTED WIRE TO THE ELECTRICAL IN-TANK FUEL PUMP WHICH BURNED THE PLASTIC HOLDER, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE. NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
INTERMITTENTLY, STEERING WOULD PULL WHILE TURNING. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK WHILE DRIVING AROUND CURVES IN ROADWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 40-50 MPH, THE STEERING ASSIST BECOMES VERY INTERMITTENT, THIS RESULTS IN A SWERVING AS STEERING BECOMES EASY AND THEN HARD, CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 30MPH THE ABS FAILED CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDTIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE JERKED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSON FAILED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND SHIFTING VEHICLE FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTING VERY HARD DUE TO A FAULTY VALVE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S DOOR INSIDE HANDLE BROKE. TO EXIT VEHICLE, WINDOW HAS TO BE ROLLED DOWN SO THAT DRIVER CAN GRAB THE OUTSIDE HANDLE TO GET OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
LAP BELT THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE SHOULDER BELT WON'T STAY ACROSS THE CONSUMER'S LAP, AND WON'T STAY LOCKED. *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 .