IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER TALKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALE CONSUMER WAS TOLD, THERE WAS A RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
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
What owners actually said
229 reportsWHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
CHEVROLET FULLSIZE TRUCK RECALL TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES.*MR GM ISSUED A RECALL OF 2000-2004 SILVERADOS FOR TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES WHICH ARE KNOWN TO RUST AND FAIL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO AT LEAST 1995 VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE CABLE TAILGATE HANGER SINCE THOSE ARE ALSO KNOWN TO RUST AND BREAK. …
Read full complaint
CHEVROLET FULLSIZE TRUCK RECALL TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES.*MR GM ISSUED A RECALL OF 2000-2004 SILVERADOS FOR TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES WHICH ARE KNOWN TO RUST AND FAIL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO AT LEAST 1995 VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE CABLE TAILGATE HANGER SINCE THOSE ARE ALSO KNOWN TO RUST AND BREAK. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE CABLE HANGER ON HIS 1996 C1500 2 YEARS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *NM
INTAKE GASKETS LEAKING ANTYFREEZE.THE INTAKE GASKET LEAKING AT FRONT AND REAR OF THE INTAKE AND CYLINDER HEAD,ON BOTH SIDES, FRONT AND REAR. THE GASKETS STARTS TO BRAKE DOWN AND CRACKS AT ALL OF THE WATER JACKETS CAUSE THEM TO LEAK ANTYFREEZE.THIS IS THE THIRD VEHICLE I HAVE DONE ,ALL OF THEM BEING 1996 CHEVY C1500 TRUCK HAVING…
Read full complaint
INTAKE GASKETS LEAKING ANTYFREEZE.THE INTAKE GASKET LEAKING AT FRONT AND REAR OF THE INTAKE AND CYLINDER HEAD,ON BOTH SIDES, FRONT AND REAR. THE GASKETS STARTS TO BRAKE DOWN AND CRACKS AT ALL OF THE WATER JACKETS CAUSE THEM TO LEAK ANTYFREEZE.THIS IS THE THIRD VEHICLE I HAVE DONE ,ALL OF THEM BEING 1996 CHEVY C1500 TRUCK HAVING THE 305 ENGINE .ONE OF THE VEHICLES WAS MINE WHICH ONLY HAD 70,650 MILES ON IT AND WAS MAINTAINED BY ME .I,M A {A.E.S.} CERTIFIED MECH WITH OVER 25YR OF SERVICE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A DITCH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOTH ROTORS WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
VEHICLE IS MISSING TWO OF THE THREE SEAT BELTS IN THE REAR SEATS. ALSO, VIN NUMBER IS MISSING FROM THE DOOR, AND THE DASH VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, TITLE OF THE VEHICLE SHOWS 89000 MILES AND THE ODOMETER SHOWS 106000 MILES.*AK
CONSUMER STATED WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK DUE TO CIRCUIT BOARD FAILURE. DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE WIPER ARMS UNDER RECALL. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARK IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. FRONT WINDOW WAS DARK AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS STARTED FROM THE DASHBOARD AREA. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF. *AK
I HAVE A 1996 CHEVY 1/2 TON 2 WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK WITH LESS THAN 88000 MILES. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING WHILE GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD AND NOW HAS NO 3RD OR 4TH. THIS ALL OCCURRED IN ONE DAY. IN READING FOR RECALLS AND TSB'S IT APPEARS THIS HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME AND GM CHOOSES NOT TO ADDRES…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 1996 CHEVY 1/2 TON 2 WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK WITH LESS THAN 88000 MILES. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING WHILE GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD AND NOW HAS NO 3RD OR 4TH. THIS ALL OCCURRED IN ONE DAY. IN READING FOR RECALLS AND TSB'S IT APPEARS THIS HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME AND GM CHOOSES NOT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I CALLED TODAY AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE BY GM. I BARELY MADE IT BACK HOME WITH MY WIFE DUE TO THE PROBLEM. THIS KNOWN PROBLEM COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I WISH TO LODGE A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST GM AND ASK THAT YOUR AGENCY CHECK INTO THE SEVERITY AND EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM AND HOW LONG GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *JB
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.