IllustrationHEADLAMP LIGHT SWITCH WORKS ON AND OFF, MAKING IT HARD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. *AK THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE UNIT REQUIRED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *SCC *JB
1996 GMC Sierra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Sierra years
Owner complaints for the 1996 GMC Sierra are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra 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 246 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 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports3 fire reports13 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
12 reportsTHE BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAD TO PHYSICALLY MOVE THE WIPERS TO MAKE THEM MOVE AGAIN. GM RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE ONLY BECAUSE OF VIN #. I'M EXPERIENCING ALL THE PROBLEMS THE RECALLED VEHICLES HAVE./ ON THE SECOND PROBLEM. I WAS HAVING SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY COLUMN DUE TO THE MULTI-FUNCT…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAD TO PHYSICALLY MOVE THE WIPERS TO MAKE THEM MOVE AGAIN. GM RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE ONLY BECAUSE OF VIN #. I'M EXPERIENCING ALL THE PROBLEMS THE RECALLED VEHICLES HAVE./ ON THE SECOND PROBLEM. I WAS HAVING SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY COLUMN DUE TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH GOING BAD. THIS SWITCH CONTROLS THE CRUISE CONTROL, TURN SIGNAL, WIPERS, HAZARD LIGHTS ETC. THE TURN SIGNAL RELAY KEPT GOING OFF , SOUNDING LIKE THE HAZARDS WERE ON ALL THE TIME. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED OTHER PEOPLE WERE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE.*AK
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. CONSUMER HAS EXAMINED ELEMENTS FOR HEADLIGHTS AND FOUND NO DEFECT WHILE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE. *AK *JB
WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK ON THE ROAD HEADLIGHTS WILL CUT OFF, LEAVING CONSUMER WITHOUT LIGHTS. ALSO, WHEN ON HIGH BEAM THEY WILL TURN OFF. *AK
THE SIGNAL LIGHT HAD GENERATED A LOT OF HEAT & MELTED THE SOCKET THAT THE BULB WAS IN. THE BULB HAD BLOWN OUT AT THE TIME. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK & REPLACE.*AK
BOTH HI AND LOW BEAMS OF HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. WENT TO DEALER NEXT DAY. DEALER CHARGED $502.65 TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH. WIRING WAS MELTED AND BURNED ON SWITCH. THIS COULD HAVE STARTED A VEHICLE FIRE, OR CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS DID NOT PROTECT VEHICLE WIRING. SWITCH …
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BOTH HI AND LOW BEAMS OF HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. WENT TO DEALER NEXT DAY. DEALER CHARGED $502.65 TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH. WIRING WAS MELTED AND BURNED ON SWITCH. THIS COULD HAVE STARTED A VEHICLE FIRE, OR CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS DID NOT PROTECT VEHICLE WIRING. SWITCH IS AVAILABLE IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT FOR EXAMINATION.
BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO WORK WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. DEALER FOUND WIRING BURNED UP ON DIMMER SWITCH IN STEERING COLUMN. NO FIRE OCCURRED. DEALER CHARGE TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE SWITCH WAS $502.65. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN HEADLIGHTS FAIL WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN A…
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BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO WORK WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. DEALER FOUND WIRING BURNED UP ON DIMMER SWITCH IN STEERING COLUMN. NO FIRE OCCURRED. DEALER CHARGE TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE SWITCH WAS $502.65. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN HEADLIGHTS FAIL WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE. WHY DIDN'T FUSE OR CIRCUIT BREAKER PROTECT WIRING? PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXAMINE THE FAILED DIMMER SWITCH ASSEMBLY. WE HAVE THE FAILED SWITCH WHICH THE DEALER HERE IN FRANKENMUTH, MICHIGAN REPLACED.
DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED.
Official recalls
298V150001 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Jul 1, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER.
96V057000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Apr 4, 1996
THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTACTING THE DASH MAT WHICH COULD BIND THE THROTTLE. THIS DOES NOT MEET WITH THE MAXIMUM RETURN TIMES REQUIRED BY FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, "ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: THE ENGINE SPEED MAY NOT RETURN TO IDLE INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR ADEQUATE THROTTLE CABLE TO DASH MAT CLEARANCE, AND IF THERE IS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE, CUT OUT A PORTION OF THE DASH MAT TO PROVIDE PROPER CLEARANCE.
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
3EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
EA00024 · Headlight
Opened Sep 26, 2000 · Closed Dec 21, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
No summary supplied.
PE00017 · Headlight
Opened Apr 11, 2000 · Closed Sep 26, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
BASED ON THE REPORTS RECEIVED BY ODI FROM CONSUMERS, FAILURE OF THE HEADLIGHT ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT MAY OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, AND MAY RESULT FROM REPEATED ADJUSTMENT OFTHE TILT STEERING WHEEL IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.REPEATED ADJUSTMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION MAY STRAIN THE WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT TO THE POINT OF FAILURE WHERE THEY ARE ATTACHED TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, RESULTING IN THE UNANTICIPATED LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.ODI HAS CONCERNS REGARDING THE HIGH RATE OF WARRANTY REPAIRS FOR PROBLEMS POTENTIALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, WITH THE RECOGNITION THE EACH INCIDENT OF HEADLIGHT FAILURE REPRESENTS A CONDITION OF VEHICLE DISABLEMENT.IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER'S EVALUATION OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, AND THIS OFFICE HAS INTEREST IN THE DETAILS OF THE METHODOLOGIES AND RESULTS OF THAT ASSESSMENT.