Total Complaints
4 filings
GMC C/K SERIES · model year
1996 GMC C/K SERIES
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996GMCC/K SERIES carries 4 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 SERIES is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor (1) and 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 2 investigation files 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.
4
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060310STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
RE: INVESTIGATION ACTION #EA05-007, "TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES". PLEASE INCREASE VEHICLE RANGE BACK TO AT LEAST 1996. MY TAILGATE CABLES HAVE BROKEN AS WELL. *JB
20060208SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES KICK IN. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE WHEEL BEARING. THE CONNECTION GETS CORRODED. I HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ON NEWER VERSION. *JB
Mileage: 90,000
20040818VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
THE NHTSA DOCUMENTED AND ISSUED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 98V150001. THIS CAMPAIGN IDENTIFED SEVERAL GM LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS & SUV'S THAT HAD SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR THAT COULD CRACK AND CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. I OWN A 1996 GMC SIERRA 3/4 TON 4X4 TRUCK VIN # [XXX]. THE VEHICLE HAS 65,324 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON THIS VEHICLE QUIT IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEVERE RAIN STORM. WHILE SITTING ALONG SIDE THE ROAD FOR AN HOUR THE WIPERS BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. I THOUGHT I HAD A DEFECT WIPER MOTOR AND STOP AT THE FIRST PARTS STORE TO REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR. AFTER INSTALLING THE "REBUILT" WIPER MOTOR, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. WHEN I CONTACTED THE LOCAL CHEV. DEALER -CENTURY CHEV., BROOMFIELD, CO....THEY STATED THERE WERE NO "RECALLS" ON MY VEHICLE IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE.......WHICH IS TRUE BECAUSE THE NHTSA RECALL # 98V15001 COVERED ONLY GMC VEHICLES WITH VIN #[XXX] THRU [XXX]. SINCE MY VIN #[XXX] FALLS OUTSIDE THIS RANGE,
Mileage: 65,200
20030309POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 3 TRANSMISSIONS IN 3 YEARS ON MY GMC K1500 SIERRA. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT GMC KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS NEVER TAKEN THE REQUIRED STEPS TO FIX IT OR INFORM THE OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM. GMC DEALERS SAY TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. THAT DONE, IT WILL BREAK AGAIN. THE ONLY CORRECT FIX IS A SHIFT PACKAGE THAT IS NOW BEING MADE. ALL PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO THE TC LOCK UP BETWEEN 1-2 OR 3-4 GEAR THAT STICK AND DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION. GMC SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE FIXES ON MINE AND ALL OTHER OWNERS VEHICLES. IF EVERY OWNER WAS TO WRITE TO YOU, IT WOULD BE ALARMING THE NUMBER OF TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED TO THIS VEHICLE AND THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION. GMC MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *NLM
Mileage: 87,090
Compare 1996GMCC/K SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 GMC C/K SERIES have?▼
The 1996 GMC C/K SERIES has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GMC C/K SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 GMC C/K SERIES is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1996 GMC 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.