GMC K1500 · model year

1996 GMC K1500

14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996GMCK1500 carries 14 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.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 K1500 is visibility:windshield wiper/washer with 4 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor (2). 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 K1500. 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.

14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

14 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
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR2
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR1
POWER TRAIN1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY1
AIR BAGS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recent Complaints

20131228SERVICE BRAKES

MY GIRLFRIEND WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK ON THE ABOVE DATE, WHEN ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND NEARLY RESULTING IN A REAR-END COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT OF HER. ALSO, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I HAD ANOTHER BRAKE LINE FAIL WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I REPLACED IT, THINKING IT WAS NORMAL, HOWEVER I HAVE NOW DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER GM OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR, I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS IN THE TANK. WHEN I REMOVED THE TANK, THE FUEL LINES WHERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND BROKE, NECESSITATING MY HAVING TO HAVE CUSTOM LINES MADE. I BELIEVE THESE ISSUES ARE SERIOUS HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS, AND GENERAL MOTORS IS DOING NOTHING TO ALLEVIATE THESE POTENTIALLY FATAL FLAWS IN THEIR PRODUCT. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE GM TO ISSUE A RECALL AND HAVE THESE ISSUED CORRECTED. HOW PEOPLE NEED TO BE INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE THEY FIX THESE PROBLEMS? *TR

Mileage: 151,160

20100409SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

DATE IS APPROXIMATE. WHILE BACKING UP THE TRUCK AT THE STORAGE FACILITY THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING WAS POOR. I WAS ONLY GOING VERY SLOW, SO STOPPING WAS NOT A PROBLEM. AFTER PARKING, I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND BELOW THE TRUCK BED A COUPLE OF FEET AHEAD OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. A FEW PRESSES OF THE BRAKE PEDAL REVEALED A STREAM OF FLUID COMING OUT OF THE STEEL LINE THAT LEADS FROM THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK TO THE REAR WHEELS. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE LINE WAS CORRODED THROUGH AND THEY RAN A NEW LINE. THIS LINE WAS SPLICED INTO THE ORIGINAL NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND ROUTED TO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE RUN OF THE ORIGINAL LINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER FAILURES TO DATE. *TR

Mileage: 85,000

20080603VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GMC K1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TEND TO WORK PERIODICALLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 06/25/08. *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE HE EXPERIENCED WAS IDENTICAL TO RECALL 03V159000. UPDATED 06/25/08

Mileage: 75,000

20020718VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN, AND DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATES WIPER MOTOR TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. IF SWITCH IS LEFT ON THE WIPERS WILL COME BACK ON AND THEN GO OFF AGAIN.*SCC

20011205VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL INTERMITTENTLY WORK. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

20010828VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WIPER FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN RECAL 98043 DATED SEP 1998. MY VIN DOES NOT MATCH THE RECAL LIST. THE VIN LIST SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. *AK

20000922VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WIPERS STOP AND WON'T RESTART IN ANY SETTING

20000623AIR BAGS

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM CAUSED BY PROBLEM WITHIN THE AIR BAG COIL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

19990730ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY HOUSING CRACKING CAUSING FLUID/ACID LEAKAGE WHICH DAMAGED AIR BAG SENSOR AND BRAKE LINES. LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY DUE TO DAMAGE ALMOST RESULTED IN VEHICLE COLLISION. MJS

19990428VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS TO PULL OVER IN ORDER TO SEE THE ROAD. *AK

19981222CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

THE ROAD WAS WET. THE ABS WAS ACTIVATED (I COULD FEEL THE PULSING) AND I DID KEEP MY FOOT FULLY PRESSED ON THE PEDAL. I HAD STEERING CONTROL (I DROVE INTO A DITCH RATHER THAN REAR-ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE). I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANY VEHICLES FOR 33 YEARS IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HAD NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED SUCH A LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY.

19981020POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION SLOWS DOWN WITHOUT ENGAGING BRAKES DUE TO DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION.

19970127SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WOULD BE STARTING OUT, WEATHER IS WET OR DAMP & BRAKE ROTOR IS COLD, WOULD TRY TO BRAKE & ABS WOULD LOCK UP QUICKLY, HAD VEHICLE AT DELAERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, CANNOT LOCATE OR FIX PROBLEM. *AK

19960207STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHILE DRIVING HAD COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING, COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. TT

Compare 1996GMCK1500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 GMC K1500 have?
The 1996 GMC K1500 has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GMC K1500?
The most-complained component for the 1996 GMC K1500 is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR.
Is the 1996 GMC K1500 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.