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1996 GMC K1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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 →
14Owner complaints

Model-year median: 0

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 GMC K1500

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 14 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: 6 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 3 reports
  • Air Bags: 1 reports
  • Electrical System: 1 reports
  • Power Train: 1 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
    12
    1993    20
    1994    27
    1995    14
    1996
    Compare all K1500 years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Visibility
    6    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    3    Air Bags
    1    Electrical System
    1    Power Train
    1
    All reported categories
    Service Brakes
    1    Steering
    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: 3 of 14 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 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Air Bags. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

    3 reports
    Clear category filter
    85,000 miles · Apr 9, 2010
    Service Brakes, Hydraulic

    DATE IS APPROXIMATE. WHILE BACKING UP THE TRUCK AT THE STORAGE FACILITY THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING WAS POOR. I WAS ONLY GOING VERY SLOW, SO STOPPING WAS NOT A PROBLEM. AFTER PARKING, I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND BELOW THE TRUCK BED A COUPLE…

    Read full complaint

    DATE IS APPROXIMATE. WHILE BACKING UP THE TRUCK AT THE STORAGE FACILITY THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING WAS POOR. I WAS ONLY GOING VERY SLOW, SO STOPPING WAS NOT A PROBLEM. AFTER PARKING, I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND BELOW THE TRUCK BED A COUPLE OF FEET AHEAD OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. A FEW PRESSES OF THE BRAKE PEDAL REVEALED A STREAM OF FLUID COMING OUT OF THE STEEL LINE THAT LEADS FROM THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK TO THE REAR WHEELS. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE LINE WAS CORRODED THROUGH AND THEY RAN A NEW LINE. THIS LINE WAS SPLICED INTO THE ORIGINAL NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND ROUTED TO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE RUN OF THE ORIGINAL LINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER FAILURES TO DATE. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10324761

    Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 1998
    Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

    THE ROAD WAS WET. THE ABS WAS ACTIVATED (I COULD FEEL THE PULSING) AND I DID KEEP MY FOOT FULLY PRESSED ON THE PEDAL. I HAD STEERING CONTROL (I DROVE INTO A DITCH RATHER THAN REAR-ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE). I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANY VEHICLES FOR 33 YEARS IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HAD NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED SUCH A LOS…

    Read full complaint

    THE ROAD WAS WET. THE ABS WAS ACTIVATED (I COULD FEEL THE PULSING) AND I DID KEEP MY FOOT FULLY PRESSED ON THE PEDAL. I HAD STEERING CONTROL (I DROVE INTO A DITCH RATHER THAN REAR-ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE). I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANY VEHICLES FOR 33 YEARS IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HAD NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED SUCH A LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY.

    NHTSA ODI #701536

    Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 1997
    Service Brakes, Hydraulic

    WOULD BE STARTING OUT, WEATHER IS WET OR DAMP & BRAKE ROTOR IS COLD, WOULD TRY TO BRAKE & ABS WOULD LOCK UP QUICKLY, HAD VEHICLE AT DELAERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, CANNOT LOCATE OR FIX PROBLEM. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #808173

    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.