Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 GMC C/K Suburban (gmc), most frequently naming the brakes and engine 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.
When owners filed reports about this model year
Not enough dated records to plot a meaningful trend — 3 months of data.
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
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.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP FOR RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. FRONT SECTION OF METAL BRAKE LINE HAD FAILED DUE TO RUST. HAD LEAKING BRAKE LINE REPLACED. GARAGE NOTED THAT REAR SECTION OF METAL BRAKE LINES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IN FUTURE BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTED AND WOULD PROBABLY START TO LEAK. ON JULY 20, 2012 THE REAR SECTION OF LINE FAILED. MILEAGE 87,697. *TR
COMING TO A STOP BEHIND A LINE OF CARS (NOT TOO LONG AFTER SUBURBAN PURCHASED) & BRAKE PEDAL STARTED GIVING RESISTANCE & MAKING NOISE (GROWLING-LIKE/PUSHING BACK) & DID NOT WANT TO STOP. HAD ALMOST CONSTANT TROUBLE W/ IT AFTER THAT, ESPECIALLY IN COLD & WET CONDITIONS & WE LIVE IN THE NORTHWEST, SO THIS IS HAPPENS A LOT! COUPLE OF TIMES, ALMOST SLID OFF OF ROADWAY OR INTO BACK OF PEOPLE, EVEN W/ MORE THAN ENOUGH STOPPING DISTANCE. BEFORE WE BOUGHT VEHICLE (WE HAVE GONE LESS THEN 5K MI) SEVERAL BRAKE COMPONENTS WERE CHANGED (PADS/DRUMS/ROTORS/CALIPERS, ALL PARTS MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE) & BRAKES WERE CONSTANTLY BEING CHECKED OUT, SO THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE, NOT JUST W/ OUR 96 SUBURBAN, OTHER SURBURBANS HAVE HAD ISSUES AS WELL, OF ALL YEARS. TOOK OUT ABS FUSE AND BRAKE SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE WORKING BETTER, BUT THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX. MECHANICS CAN NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THERE OBVIOUSLY IS (ABS LIGHT ALWAYS ON & BRAKE LIGHT ONCE FUSE IS PULLED). SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE PEOPLE GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN DIE! THESE TRUCKS ARE WAY TOO BIG NOT TO BE ABLE TO STOP. *TR
THE SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING,THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND VAN OVER HEATS AND I CANNOT MOVE THE VAN. I CAN BARLEY GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BECAUSE OF THE STEERING.IT HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS . AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME AT LEAST 12 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. I GAVE THE DATE OF THE LAST TIME . IT IS IN MY DRIVE NOW BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO SEND IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. I HAVE HAD DIFFERENT GARAGES WORK ON IT BUT IT STILL CAME OFF. SO I TOOK IT TO SCORE A DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE HAD IT 4 TIMES I THE PAST 3 MONTHS. I HAVE ALSO HAD MY SON AND MY HUSBAND COME AND PUT IT ON WHEN I WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO MANY TIMES I CANNOT COUNT THEM. MY VAN IS A 1996 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. SOMEONE HAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
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.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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.