IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVERS AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *NLM
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 campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView 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
Compare all Silverado years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
What owners actually said
186 reportsWHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK
ABOUT A WEEK AGO WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE TRAVELING, TRANSMISSION GOES OUT DURING PASSING GEAR. CONSUMER IS NOW ON 3RD TRANSMISSION. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. TURNED TO HIGH THEY STARTED WORKING, IF PUT IN LIMIT TIME IT DID NOT WORK. SHUT OFF TRUCK AND RESTARTED TRUCK THEY WORKED O.K. FOR 5 MIN. THEN STOPPED AGAIN. *JB
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING.*JB
THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING WATER IN THE FRONT AND REAR INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *JB
FUEL IS LEAKING FROM FUEL LINE ONTO EXHAUST PIPE. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE OF A POSSIBILITY VEHICLE FIRE. THE LEAKAGE IS AS A RESULT OF THE WAY THE FUEL LINE IS DESIGNED,THE LINES RUB AGAINST THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSES A HOLE AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. TS
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED ONLY INTERMITTANTLY. THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED. TS *TT
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No 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.