RoadVitals

1996 GMC K1500

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.
14
Latest Dec 28, 2013
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.
1
Latest Oct 24, 2007
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.
1

Overview

Our database contains 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 GMC K1500, most frequently naming the visibility, brakes and electrical categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 4 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

  • Visibility633.3%
  • Brakes422.2%
  • Electrical15.6%
  • Engine15.6%
  • Airbags15.6%
  • Powertrain (other)15.6%
  • Steering15.6%
  • Transmission15.6%

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

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
07E088000

EQUIPMENT

Oct 24, 2007
121,680 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451 THROUGH A72571 SEQUENTIALLY. THE DATE CODE AND PART NUMBER APPEAR ON THE FILTER HOUSING. FRAM RACING HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS NOT BEARING A DATE CODE IN THIS RANGE ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THE GASKET OF THE OIL FILTER BECOMES MORE PLIABLE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES.
The risk: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE INADEQUATE SEALING AND LOSS OF ENGINE OIL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
The remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

View all 14
Brakes
Filed Dec 28, 2013

MY GIRLFRIEND WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK ON THE ABOVE DATE, WHEN ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND NEARLY RESULTING IN A REAR-END COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT OF HER. ALSO, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I HAD ANOTHER BRAKE LINE FAIL WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I REPLACED IT, THINKING IT WAS NORMAL, HOWEVER I HAVE NOW DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER GM OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR, I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS IN THE TANK. WHEN I REMOVED THE TANK, THE FUEL LINES WHERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND BROKE, NECESSITATING MY HAVING TO HAVE CUSTOM LINES MADE. I BELIEVE THESE ISSUES ARE SERIOUS HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS, AND GENERAL MOTORS IS DOING NOTHING TO ALLEVIATE THESE POTENTIALLY FATAL FLAWS IN THEIR PRODUCT. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE GM TO ISSUE A RECALL AND HAVE THESE ISSUED CORRECTED. HOW PEOPLE NEED TO BE INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE THEY FIX THESE PROBLEMS? *TR

NHTSA ID
10557522
Incident
Dec 27, 2013
Mileage
151,160 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 9, 2010

DATE IS APPROXIMATE. WHILE BACKING UP THE TRUCK AT THE STORAGE FACILITY THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING WAS POOR. I WAS ONLY GOING VERY SLOW, SO STOPPING WAS NOT A PROBLEM. AFTER PARKING, I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND BELOW THE TRUCK BED A COUPLE OF FEET AHEAD OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. A FEW PRESSES OF THE BRAKE PEDAL REVEALED A STREAM OF FLUID COMING OUT OF THE STEEL LINE THAT LEADS FROM THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK TO THE REAR WHEELS. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE LINE WAS CORRODED THROUGH AND THEY RAN A NEW LINE. THIS LINE WAS SPLICED INTO THE ORIGINAL NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND ROUTED TO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE RUN OF THE ORIGINAL LINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER FAILURES TO DATE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10324761
Incident
Jul 1, 2007
Mileage
85,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 3, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GMC K1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TEND TO WORK PERIODICALLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 06/25/08. *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE HE EXPERIENCED WAS IDENTICAL TO RECALL 03V159000. UPDATED 06/25/08

NHTSA ID
10229772
Incident
Sep 15, 2007
Mileage
75,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 18, 2002

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN, AND DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATES WIPER MOTOR TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. IF SWITCH IS LEFT ON THE WIPERS WILL COME BACK ON AND THEN GO OFF AGAIN.*SCC

NHTSA ID
8014262
Incident
Jul 18, 2002
Visibility
Filed Dec 5, 2001

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL INTERMITTENTLY WORK. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
899868
Incident
Nov 1, 2001
Visibility
Filed Aug 24, 2001

WIPER FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN RECAL 98043 DATED SEP 1998. MY VIN DOES NOT MATCH THE RECAL LIST. THE VIN LIST SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
751096
Incident
Feb 25, 2001
Visibility
Filed Sep 16, 2000

WIPERS STOP AND WON'T RESTART IN ANY SETTING

NHTSA ID
731615
Incident
Sep 1, 2000
Airbags
Filed Jun 23, 2000

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM CAUSED BY PROBLEM WITHIN THE AIR BAG COIL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
864133

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

020864016

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON FRONT DOOR HINGE PIN BUSHING WEAR, FRONT DOOR SAG, OR DOOR CHUCKING MOVEMENT IN EXTREME OPERATING CONDITIONS. *TT

010730021

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN STATES THAT TECHNICIANS MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN REMOVING THE CONNECTORS FROM THE PARK / NEUTRAL POSITION SWITCH, USUALLY WHEN TRYING TO REMOVE THE SWITCH DURING TRANSMISSION SERVICE. *TT

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 K1500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1996Viewing141039.3
1995271149.2
1994201137.8
1993122052.2
1992520—
1991322—
1990431—
1989231—
1988124—
1987011—
1986011—
1985311—
1984011—
1983011—
1982011—
1981011—
1980011—
1979011—
1978011—
1977011—
1976011—
1975011—
1974021—
1973021—
1972011—
1971011—
1970021—
1969020—
1967010—

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.