GMC C SERIES · model year

1996 GMC C SERIES

5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996GMCC SERIES carries 5 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, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1996 C SERIES is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (1) and fuel system, gasoline (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1996 C SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

5
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

5 filings

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

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
POWER TRAIN1
SUSPENSION1

Recent Complaints

20150716SUSPENSION

DRIVING SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 101, THROUGH PETALUMA, SOUTH OF THE NORTH PETALUMA BLVD EXIT, IN LANE 3 IN THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE AT APPROX 8:45 PM AT 65MPH THERE IS A HARD BUMP IN TWO DIFFERENT SPOTS WERE THEY ARE GRINDING ASPHALT. I HIT THOSE SPOTS IN THE ROAD WITH NOT MUCH TIME TO SLOW DOWN AND NOT ENOUGH WARNING THAT THERE WERE BUMPS COMING UP. HITTING THESE SPOTS HAD BROKEN MY SHOCK CAUSING IT TO BREAK AND HIT THE GROUND. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED AND REPAIRED. I HAVE PICS, RECEIPTS, AND TOW BILL.

Mileage: 278,162

20040422SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

ABS KEEPS FLUTTERING

Mileage: 80,249

20040422FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

I CANT KEEP A FUELPUMP OR TRANSMISSION IN THIS TRUCK.I DID SOME TOWING BUT WITH IN LIMITS. I HATE THIS TRUCK!!!

20040422POWER TRAIN

I CANT KEEP A FUELPUMP OR TRANSMISSION IN THIS TRUCK.I DID SOME TOWING BUT WITH IN LIMITS. I HATE THIS TRUCK!!!

19961120CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN HITTING THE ABS BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, THIS WAS ON DRY PAVEMENT. VEHICLE HIT (2) CARS AND A MOTORCYCLE. *AK

Compare 1996GMCC SERIES to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 GMC C SERIES have?
The 1996 GMC C SERIES has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GMC C SERIES?
The most-complained component for the 1996 GMC C SERIES is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1996 GMC C 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1996 GMC C SERIES; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.