Total Complaints
5 filings
GMC C/K 3500 · model year
1996 GMC C/K 3500
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996GMCC/K 3500 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 3500 is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 1 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor (1) and power train:transfer case (4-wheel drive) (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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1996 C/K 3500. 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061126STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
TAILGATE CABLES CORRODE AND BREAK, JUST AS IN RECALLS OF NEWER TRUCKS! THESE CABLES HAVE BEEN BREAKING FOR YEARS, WHY WAS THE RECALL ONLY APPLICABLE TO 2000 AND NEWER TRUCKS? *JB
20061126EQUIPMENT
TAILGATE CABLES CORRODE AND BREAK, JUST AS IN RECALLS OF NEWER TRUCKS! THESE CABLES HAVE BEEN BREAKING FOR YEARS, WHY WAS THE RECALL ONLY APPLICABLE TO 2000 AND NEWER TRUCKS? *JB
20030405SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
1996 GMC 1 TON TRUCK 4X4: ABS FAILURE WITH MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS. BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. IT GETS STIFF AND GROANS AND THEN KICKS IN AFTER I GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. WIPER MOTOR-WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. CUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF RAIN STORMS AND I HAD SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS. FOUR WHEEL ACTUATOR FAILS WITHOUT NOTICE ON SNOWY STREETS WHEN I WANT TO ACCELERATE. *JB
Mileage: 25,000
20030405VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
1996 GMC 1 TON TRUCK 4X4: ABS FAILURE WITH MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS. BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. IT GETS STIFF AND GROANS AND THEN KICKS IN AFTER I GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. WIPER MOTOR-WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. CUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF RAIN STORMS AND I HAD SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS. FOUR WHEEL ACTUATOR FAILS WITHOUT NOTICE ON SNOWY STREETS WHEN I WANT TO ACCELERATE. *JB
Mileage: 25,000
20030405POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
1996 GMC 1 TON TRUCK 4X4: ABS FAILURE WITH MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS. BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. IT GETS STIFF AND GROANS AND THEN KICKS IN AFTER I GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. WIPER MOTOR-WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. CUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF RAIN STORMS AND I HAD SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS. FOUR WHEEL ACTUATOR FAILS WITHOUT NOTICE ON SNOWY STREETS WHEN I WANT TO ACCELERATE. *JB
Mileage: 25,000
Compare 1996GMCC/K 3500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 GMC C/K 3500 have?▼
The 1996 GMC C/K 3500 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GMC C/K 3500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 GMC C/K 3500 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR and POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE).
Is the 1996 GMC C/K 3500 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.