IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. *AK *YD
1996 Chevrolet C1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most C1500 years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet C1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 41.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all C1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 14 of 229 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.
- Visibility. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports3 fire reports12 injury reports
Visibility complaints
58 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPERS UNEXPECTEDLY BECOME INOPERABLE WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD. *AK CONSUMER STATES THERE ARE TWO ROUNDED CONTACTS ON THE MOTOR CONTROL BOARD WHICH RIDE ON A ROTATING DISK TO SUPPLY VOLTAGE TO THE MOTOR, AS THESE CONTACTS WEAR FLA…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS UNEXPECTEDLY BECOME INOPERABLE WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD. *AK CONSUMER STATES THERE ARE TWO ROUNDED CONTACTS ON THE MOTOR CONTROL BOARD WHICH RIDE ON A ROTATING DISK TO SUPPLY VOLTAGE TO THE MOTOR, AS THESE CONTACTS WEAR FLAT DUE TO USE THEY BEGAN TO RIDE UP ON THE GREASE WHICH COATS THE ROTATING DISK TO REDUCE WEAR, WHEN THIS HAPPENS VOLTAGE IS LOST TO THE MOTOR AND THE WIPERS STOP WORKING.*JB
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED. *YH
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING. DEALER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL. CHEVROLET WILL REIMBURSE CONSUMER FOR THIS REPAIR. *AK THERE WAS RECALL ON WIPER MODULE FOR PRIOR YEAR MODELS, BUT THE DEALER INCIATED THAT THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. *YH
WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE BUT FAILED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER AS IT WAS WORKING PROPERLY. HOWEVER, IT FAILED LATER ON AND THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *YH
WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING .*AK THERE WAS A RECALL ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES BUT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. *YH
WHENEVER USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY WILL JUST QUIT. THEN, CONSUMER HAS TO GET OUT IN THE RAIN AND PLAY UNDER HOOD, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL START AGAIN. THERE'S BULLETIN # 98043 THAT DESCRIBES THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
WHENEVER IT IS RAINING OR SNOWING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL EITHER NOT COME ON AT ALL, OR IF THEY DO, YOU CAN'T TURN THEM OFF. DURING THE TIMES THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WON'T WORK PROPERLY, THE WINDSHIELD WASHERS WILL NOT OPERATE. IF THE WIPERS OR WASHERS ARE USED DURING A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER, THEY BOTH WORK PROPERLY. THERE IS …
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WHENEVER IT IS RAINING OR SNOWING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL EITHER NOT COME ON AT ALL, OR IF THEY DO, YOU CAN'T TURN THEM OFF. DURING THE TIMES THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WON'T WORK PROPERLY, THE WINDSHIELD WASHERS WILL NOT OPERATE. IF THE WIPERS OR WASHERS ARE USED DURING A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER, THEY BOTH WORK PROPERLY. THERE IS A RECALL OUT ON CERTAIN TRUCKS JUST LIKE MINE FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM, BUT CHEVROLET SAYS MY TRUCK DOES NO QUALIFY FOR THIS RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT IN A DIFFERENT PLANT. IT IS MY OPINION THAT EVEN THO MY TRUCK WAS ASSEMBLED IN ANOTHER PLANT, THE CIRCUIT BOARD MENTIONED IN THE RECALL COULD HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED IN THE SAME PLANT AS THE DEFECTIVE ONES AND THEN INSTALLED ON MY TRUCK AT THE OTHER PLANT. THE NHSTA SAFETY BULLTEIN THAT MENTIONS THIS DEFECT ON THE 1996 CHEVROLET C-1500'S IS "CAMPAIGN NUMBER 98V150001". THE CHEVROLET NUMBER IS "CAMPAIGN NUMBER 98043". I HAVE CALLED NHSTA SEVERAL TIMES OVER THIS ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE LADY ON THE PHONE THAT THE SAFETY BULLETIN IN QUESTION DOESN'T EVEN EXIST. I HAVE GIVEN HER THE CAMPAIGN NUMBER AND STILL SHE SAYS SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. HOW CAN NHSTA PUT OUT BULLETINS AND NOT HAVE A CLUE HOW TO TRACK THEM. IF MY MECHANIC CAN FIND THEM, WHY CAN'T NHSTA'S OWN EMPLOYEES FIND THEM? " I HAVE TAKEN THIS TRUCK OFF THE ROAD UNTIL I CAN RESOVLE THIS SITUATION BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE LIVES OF MY DAUGHTERS AND OTHER DRIVERS AT RISK BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT CONTROL MY WIPERS, THEREFORE THE VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER IS IMPAIRED. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND SEE IF CHEVROLET CAN'T BE MADE TO EXTEND THIS RECALL TO ALL OF THEIR TRUCKS THAT HAVE THIS DEFECT ON IT, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT WAS ASSEMBLED. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS DUE TO CRACKS IN THE SOLDER JOINTS. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.