Total Complaints
2 filings
CHEVROLET C/K SERIES · model year
1996 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES
2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996CHEVROLETC/K SERIES carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 C/K SERIES is engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1996 C/K SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20070524CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
96 SILVERADO 4X4 REAR BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, REPAIRED. 6 MONTHS LATER FRONT CROSSOVER BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, REPAIRED. PUT NEW BRAKES/ROTORS ON FRONT, NEW SHOES ON REAR W/NEW WHEEL CYLINDERS AND NEW REAR BRAKE HOSE, OLD HOSE BURST. BLED SYSTEM, BUT PEDAL STILL SPONGY. BRAKES NOT WORKING. TAKES FOREVER TO STOP THIS TRUCK, DANGEROUS. I AM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER, AND THIS TRUCK IS THE WORST. THE OTHER BAD ONES WERE CHEVY LUMINAS, WHICH WERE SIMILAR WITH SPONGY PEDAL AND EXTENDED STOP DISTANCES. THE TRUCK HAS A DELAY BETWEEN PEDAL PUSH AND BRAKING STARTING. EXCESSIVE PEDAL PRESSURE REQUIRED, DOESN'T DO MUCH GOOD. I TOWED A TRAILER WITH IT ONCE, AND WAS SCARED TO DEATH. ENGINE HAS LOTS OF POWER, BRAKES ARE USELESS. ANTILOCK SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS, CAUSES THE TRUCK TO SWERVE. GM KNOWS THIS SYSTEM IS "UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED" JUST LIKE THE OLD CORVAIRS WERE. RALPH NADER WHERE ARE YOU WHEN WE NEED YOU? NO ONE ELSE IN THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE ANYTHING. THEY DON'T CARE OR ARE ON THE TAKE. OTH
Mileage: 110,000
20040212ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR TWO YEARS NOW AND LOVE THE POWER AND SMOOTH RIDE I GET FROM IT. THE TRUCK IS A 1996 CHEVY K2500 WITH A 6.5L DIESEL ENGINE. I HAVE PUT OVER $3,600 IN THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST 18 MOS. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND YOU CANNOT STOP OR STEER THE VEHICLE THEN. THE MECHANICS SAY THAT THIS HAPPENS IN A LOT OF VEHICLES WITHMOST OWNERS END UP SELLING IT. IF THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THEN WHY DOESN'T CHEVROLET DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.THIS COULD BE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THIS TRUCK IS SO HARD TO HANDLE WHEN IT STALLS.
Mileage: 136,090
Compare 1996CHEVROLETC/K SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES have?▼
The 1996 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES has 2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1996 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.