Total Complaints
3 filings
GMC C/K SUBURBAN (GMC) · model year
1996 GMC C/K SUBURBAN (GMC)
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996GMCC/K SUBURBAN (GMC) carries 3 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 SUBURBAN (GMC) is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (1) and service brakes (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 SUBURBAN (GMC). 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.
3
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120722SERVICE BRAKES
APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP FOR RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. FRONT SECTION OF METAL BRAKE LINE HAD FAILED DUE TO RUST. HAD LEAKING BRAKE LINE REPLACED. GARAGE NOTED THAT REAR SECTION OF METAL BRAKE LINES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IN FUTURE BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTED AND WOULD PROBABLY START TO LEAK. ON JULY 20, 2012 THE REAR SECTION OF LINE FAILED. MILEAGE 87,697. *TR
Mileage: 82,359
20120508SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
COMING TO A STOP BEHIND A LINE OF CARS (NOT TOO LONG AFTER SUBURBAN PURCHASED) & BRAKE PEDAL STARTED GIVING RESISTANCE & MAKING NOISE (GROWLING-LIKE/PUSHING BACK) & DID NOT WANT TO STOP. HAD ALMOST CONSTANT TROUBLE W/ IT AFTER THAT, ESPECIALLY IN COLD & WET CONDITIONS & WE LIVE IN THE NORTHWEST, SO THIS IS HAPPENS A LOT! COUPLE OF TIMES, ALMOST SLID OFF OF ROADWAY OR INTO BACK OF PEOPLE, EVEN W/ MORE THAN ENOUGH STOPPING DISTANCE. BEFORE WE BOUGHT VEHICLE (WE HAVE GONE LESS THEN 5K MI) SEVERAL BRAKE COMPONENTS WERE CHANGED (PADS/DRUMS/ROTORS/CALIPERS, ALL PARTS MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE) & BRAKES WERE CONSTANTLY BEING CHECKED OUT, SO THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE, NOT JUST W/ OUR 96 SUBURBAN, OTHER SURBURBANS HAVE HAD ISSUES AS WELL, OF ALL YEARS. TOOK OUT ABS FUSE AND BRAKE SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE WORKING BETTER, BUT THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX. MECHANICS CAN NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THERE OBVIOUSLY IS (ABS LIGHT ALWAYS ON & BRAKE LIGHT ONCE FUSE IS PULLED). SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE
Mileage: 245,000
20071024ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING,THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND VAN OVER HEATS AND I CANNOT MOVE THE VAN. I CAN BARLEY GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BECAUSE OF THE STEERING.IT HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS . AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME AT LEAST 12 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. I GAVE THE DATE OF THE LAST TIME . IT IS IN MY DRIVE NOW BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO SEND IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. I HAVE HAD DIFFERENT GARAGES WORK ON IT BUT IT STILL CAME OFF. SO I TOOK IT TO SCORE A DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE HAD IT 4 TIMES I THE PAST 3 MONTHS. I HAVE ALSO HAD MY SON AND MY HUSBAND COME AND PUT IT ON WHEN I WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO MANY TIMES I CANNOT COUNT THEM. MY VAN IS A 1996 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. SOMEONE HAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Compare 1996GMCC/K SUBURBAN (GMC) to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 GMC C/K SUBURBAN (GMC) have?▼
The 1996 GMC C/K SUBURBAN (GMC) has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GMC C/K SUBURBAN (GMC)?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 GMC C/K SUBURBAN (GMC) is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 1996 GMC C/K SUBURBAN (GMC) 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.