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1996 Chevrolet C/K Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

2 reports
110,000 miles · May 24, 2007
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

96 SILVERADO 4X4 REAR BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, REPAIRED. 6 MONTHS LATER FRONT CROSSOVER BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, REPAIRED. PUT NEW BRAKES/ROTORS ON FRONT, NEW SHOES ON REAR W/NEW WHEEL CYLINDERS AND NEW REAR BRAKE HOSE, OLD HOSE BURST. BLED SYSTEM, BUT PEDAL STILL SPONGY. BRAKES NOT WORKING. TAKES FOREVER TO STOP THIS TRU…

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96 SILVERADO 4X4 REAR BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, REPAIRED. 6 MONTHS LATER FRONT CROSSOVER BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, REPAIRED. PUT NEW BRAKES/ROTORS ON FRONT, NEW SHOES ON REAR W/NEW WHEEL CYLINDERS AND NEW REAR BRAKE HOSE, OLD HOSE BURST. BLED SYSTEM, BUT PEDAL STILL SPONGY. BRAKES NOT WORKING. TAKES FOREVER TO STOP THIS TRUCK, DANGEROUS. I AM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER, AND THIS TRUCK IS THE WORST. THE OTHER BAD ONES WERE CHEVY LUMINAS, WHICH WERE SIMILAR WITH SPONGY PEDAL AND EXTENDED STOP DISTANCES. THE TRUCK HAS A DELAY BETWEEN PEDAL PUSH AND BRAKING STARTING. EXCESSIVE PEDAL PRESSURE REQUIRED, DOESN'T DO MUCH GOOD. I TOWED A TRAILER WITH IT ONCE, AND WAS SCARED TO DEATH. ENGINE HAS LOTS OF POWER, BRAKES ARE USELESS. ANTILOCK SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS, CAUSES THE TRUCK TO SWERVE. GM KNOWS THIS SYSTEM IS "UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED" JUST LIKE THE OLD CORVAIRS WERE. RALPH NADER WHERE ARE YOU WHEN WE NEED YOU? NO ONE ELSE IN THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE ANYTHING. THEY DON'T CARE OR ARE ON THE TAKE. OTHERWISE THIS BLATANT DEFECT WOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED! ALSO MY SISTER OWNS A YUKON, 1996, AND HER ANTILOCK SYSTEM ACTIVATED ALL THE TIME ON DRY ROAD, AND ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. SHE TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND DID THE BRAKES. IT DIDN'T STOP THE ANTILOCK PROBLEM, SO I DISCONNECTED THE FUSE TO THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM AND IT STOPPED THE FAULTY ACTIVATION, BUT THE BRAKES ARE STILL SPONGY, AND THE TRUCK IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. ANOTHER FRIEND WAS INJURED AND THE 1996 SUBURBAN WAS TOTALLED, AND THE CAR SHE HIT WAS TOTALLED AND THE DRIVER INJURED, WHEN SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THEY DIDN'T WORK. SHE SAID THE PEDAL WAS SPONGY FOR AWHILE, AND THE TRUCK WAS HARD TO STOP. SHE WAS BEING CAREFUL BECAUSE OF THIS BUT SOMEONE STOPPED SHORT IN FRONT OF HER AND SHE SAID SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HURT OR KILLED BEFORE THE NTSB MAKES A RECALL FOR THIS? WHAT GOOD ARE THEY IF THEY DO NOTHING?

NHTSA ODI #10191623

136,090 miles · Feb 12, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR TWO YEARS NOW AND LOVE THE POWER AND SMOOTH RIDE I GET FROM IT. THE TRUCK IS A 1996 CHEVY K2500 WITH A 6.5L DIESEL ENGINE. I HAVE PUT OVER $3,600 IN THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST 18 MOS. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND YOU CANNOT STOP OR STEER THE VEHICLE THEN. THE MECHANICS SAY THAT THIS HAPPENS IN A LOT OF VE…

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I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR TWO YEARS NOW AND LOVE THE POWER AND SMOOTH RIDE I GET FROM IT. THE TRUCK IS A 1996 CHEVY K2500 WITH A 6.5L DIESEL ENGINE. I HAVE PUT OVER $3,600 IN THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST 18 MOS. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND YOU CANNOT STOP OR STEER THE VEHICLE THEN. THE MECHANICS SAY THAT THIS HAPPENS IN A LOT OF VEHICLES WITHMOST OWNERS END UP SELLING IT. IF THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THEN WHY DOESN'T CHEVROLET DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.THIS COULD BE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THIS TRUCK IS SO HARD TO HANDLE WHEN IT STALLS.

NHTSA ODI #10057054

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.