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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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
186Owner complaints

Model-year median: 76

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1996 Chevrolet Silverado

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 186 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Visibility: 73 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 31 reports
  • Power Train: 22 reports
  • Seats: 15 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 13 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    69
    1993    210
    1994    263
    1995    186
    1996    272
    1997    279
    1998    1,660
    1999
    Compare all Silverado years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Visibility
    73    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    31    Power Train
    22    Seats
    15    Engine And Engine Cooling
    13
    All reported categories
    Fuel System, Gasoline
    12    Air Bags
    11    Structure
    8    Exterior Lighting
    5    Unknown Or Other
    5    Vehicle Speed Control
    5    Electrical System
    4    Steering
    4    Equipment
    2    Fuel System, Other
    2    Suspension
    2    Seat Belts
    1    Tires
    1    Trailer Hitches
    1    Visibility/wiper
    1

    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

    What owners actually said

    186 reports
    73,262 miles · Jun 30, 2004
    Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

    VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF BRAKES WHILE TOWING A TRAILER. CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND REPLACED TWO FRONT BRAKE HOSES THAT ERUPTED. ALSO, VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN MOTION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #10080225

    78,000 miles · Apr 27, 2004
    Service Brakes, Hydraulic

    WHENEVER A PANIC STOP IS REQUIRED THE BRAKES TAKE ALMOST A SECOND AFTER APPLICATION BEFORE THEY RESPOND. IT IS LIKE PUSHING ON AN AIR CYLINDER WITH A SMALL ORIFICE - A SECOND IS TOO LONG TO WAIT FOR THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL TRAVEL IS CORRECT AND THE DEALER SAYS IT MUST BE NORMAL. I SAY IT IS UNSAFE AFTER NARROWLY AVOIDING A CRAS…

    Read full complaint

    WHENEVER A PANIC STOP IS REQUIRED THE BRAKES TAKE ALMOST A SECOND AFTER APPLICATION BEFORE THEY RESPOND. IT IS LIKE PUSHING ON AN AIR CYLINDER WITH A SMALL ORIFICE - A SECOND IS TOO LONG TO WAIT FOR THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL TRAVEL IS CORRECT AND THE DEALER SAYS IT MUST BE NORMAL. I SAY IT IS UNSAFE AFTER NARROWLY AVOIDING A CRASH THAT SHOULD HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN CLOSE IF THE BRAKE WOULD GRAB AS SOON AS I STEP ON THEM. NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSH THERE IS A TIME DELAY WHILE I PUSH "AIR THROUGH THE ORIFICE".*AK

    NHTSA ODI #10067924

    50,400 miles · Mar 3, 2004
    Power Train

    TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND STOPPED SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR AT 50,000 MILES. WAS REBUILT AT TRANS SERVICE SHOP. CAUSE WAS LACK OF GROUND WIRE BETWEEN CONTROL MODULE AND TRANSMISSION CAUSING ERRATIC FLUID PRESSURES. I PAID THE $1470.00 REPAIR BILL. TSB DESCRIBED THE DEFECT, I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THIS WAS PREVENTABLE FROM CHEVY…

    Read full complaint

    TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND STOPPED SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR AT 50,000 MILES. WAS REBUILT AT TRANS SERVICE SHOP. CAUSE WAS LACK OF GROUND WIRE BETWEEN CONTROL MODULE AND TRANSMISSION CAUSING ERRATIC FLUID PRESSURES. I PAID THE $1470.00 REPAIR BILL. TSB DESCRIBED THE DEFECT, I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THIS WAS PREVENTABLE FROM CHEVY'S PERSPECTIVE.*AK

    NHTSA ODI #10060308

    Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2004
    Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

    VEHICLE SHUT DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY. *AK *JB

    NHTSA ODI #10056044

    Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
    Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

    I WAS INVOLVED IN AN INJURY ACCIDENT. I HAD TO MAKE A PANIC STOP IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE OFFICERS ASKED, IF I HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES, BEACAUSE THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS. I FEEL THE BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE NO SKID MARK AND THE SEAT BELTS DIDN'T LOCK. I WORK FOR THE STATEHIGHWAY PATROL. WE H…

    Read full complaint

    I WAS INVOLVED IN AN INJURY ACCIDENT. I HAD TO MAKE A PANIC STOP IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE OFFICERS ASKED, IF I HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES, BEACAUSE THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS. I FEEL THE BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE NO SKID MARK AND THE SEAT BELTS DIDN'T LOCK. I WORK FOR THE STATEHIGHWAY PATROL. WE HAVE SEVERAL 1998 AND 1999 FULL SIZE CHEVROLET SILVERDO TRUCKS. SEVERAL OFFICERS OPERATING THESE VEHICLE HAVE EXPERIENCE BRAKE FAILURE IN A "PANIC STOP SITUATION. I'M ASKING TO SEE,IF YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THE BRAKES AND TO SEND THE COMPLAINT

    NHTSA ODI #10069889

    Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
    Unknown Or Other

    WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING WITHOUT WARNING

    NHTSA ODI #10069244

    126,000 miles · Jan 13, 2004
    Steering

    POWER STEERING LOOSES ASSIST AND BECOMES STIFF. POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKS

    NHTSA ODI #10053042

    100,000 miles · Jan 5, 2004
    SeatsInjury

    WHILE CLEANING THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED FORWARD AND CUT THE CONSUMER'S PINKY FINGER OFF. CONSUMER WAS TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #10053385

    100,000 miles · Nov 25, 2003
    Fuel System, Gasoline

    THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING ANT ANY SPEED. THIS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE TWELVE TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *NLM

    NHTSA ODI #10048656

    60,000 miles · Sep 25, 2003
    Seats

    THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT SLIDES BACK AND FORTH ALTHOUGH IT'S IN THE LOCKED POSITION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

    NHTSA ODI #10040670

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

    Go deeper into Chevrolet Silverado problems

    Chevrolet Silverado transmission problems →Chevrolet Silverado electrical problems →