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1996 Chevrolet Silverado

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Silverado years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet Silverado are substantially higher than the model-year median of 76.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Compare all Silverado 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: 26 of 186 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 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

11 reports
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192,000 miles · Sep 29, 2005
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

DT: WHILE THE CALLER WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE BRAKE FAILED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE CALLER'S VEHICLE, AND WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES THEY DID NOT WORK. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID THE MAIN BRAKE LINE TO THE BACK BRAKES WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND CALLER SAID IT WAS LEAKING FLUID. TH…

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DT: WHILE THE CALLER WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE BRAKE FAILED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE CALLER'S VEHICLE, AND WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES THEY DID NOT WORK. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID THE MAIN BRAKE LINE TO THE BACK BRAKES WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND CALLER SAID IT WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS A CRASH. ONE PASSENGER W IN CALLERS VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE POLICE CAME AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, BUT THEY HAVE NOT CALLED HIM BACK. THE OTHER VEHICLE HAD SOME DAMAGE TO THE REAR, BUT CALLER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10138127

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2003
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVERS AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10040165

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2002
Air BagsCrash

I HIT 2 HORSES ON HIWAY 51 SOUTH-KILLED BOTH HORSES-AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED -SPEED AT IMPACT APPROX. 50 MPH. *AK

NHTSA ODI #766846

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2001
Air BagsCrashInjury

LADY RAN STOPLIGHT - I T-BONED HER IN THE DRIVER DOOR AT 45 MPH. MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #754435

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2001
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING 45 TO 50 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #898465

Mileage unknown · Aug 22, 2001
Air BagsCrash

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A TREE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #894925

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

I WAS IN A WRECK GOING 65 MILES PER HR.I CRASHED HEAD ON INTO THE SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #731291

Mileage unknown · May 25, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

CHEVROLET WAS CONTACTED APPROX. FEB. 20TH REGARDING THE AIRBAG FAILURE. THEY FILED A REPORT AND SAID SOMEONE WOULD CHECK THE TRUCK OUT. I CALLED AGAIN IN APRIL BECAUSE I HAD HEARD NOTHING AND THE VEHICLE WAS CLOSE TO BEING REPAIRED, AND WAS TOLD SOMEONE HAD DROPPED THE BALL AND THE COMPLAINT NEVER GOT TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPT. …

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CHEVROLET WAS CONTACTED APPROX. FEB. 20TH REGARDING THE AIRBAG FAILURE. THEY FILED A REPORT AND SAID SOMEONE WOULD CHECK THE TRUCK OUT. I CALLED AGAIN IN APRIL BECAUSE I HAD HEARD NOTHING AND THE VEHICLE WAS CLOSE TO BEING REPAIRED, AND WAS TOLD SOMEONE HAD DROPPED THE BALL AND THE COMPLAINT NEVER GOT TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPT. THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE ONLY WAY I CAN HAVE IT CHECKED IS TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF. I THINK THIS IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS!!! WHAT HAPPENS IF GOD FORBID THERE BE ANOTHER ACCIDENT AND NEXT TIME SOMEONE IS KILLED???!!!*AK

NHTSA ODI #723162

Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2000
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 25-30MPH IN FREEZING RAIN AND SKIDDED INTO A TREE. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES. OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT GOING 9-16MPH IMPACT AT ANY ANGLE, AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT AT A MINIMUM IMPCT OF 30MPH AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY. CONSUMER WILL CALL MANUFACTURER TO…

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CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 25-30MPH IN FREEZING RAIN AND SKIDDED INTO A TREE. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES. OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT GOING 9-16MPH IMPACT AT ANY ANGLE, AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT AT A MINIMUM IMPCT OF 30MPH AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY. CONSUMER WILL CALL MANUFACTURER TO INVESTIGATE REASON. *AK

NHTSA ODI #856425

Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 1999
Air BagsCrashInjury

MY SON AND HIS FRIEND HIT A BANK HEAD ON AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY DIFFERENT BODY SHOPS AND THEY TOLD ME THIS IS REALLY A PROBLEM WITH THE 1996 AND 1997 CHEVY TRUCKS. I REALLY THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #709974

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.

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