Total Complaints
25 filings
GMC Pickup · model year
1996 GMC Pickup
25 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports. 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
- Complaints
- 25
- Recalls
- 0
The verdict
The 1996 GMC Pickup posts above-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.
- 19th pctile
- complaint volume, own model years
- 0
- recall campaigns
The 1996GMCPickup carries 25 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 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 Pickup is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor (2) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer (2). 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 Pickup. 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.
25
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1996 GMC Pickup
PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.
NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.
Crashes Reported
2 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 | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 2 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040907SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE MASTER BAKE CYLINDER RUSTED. THE PROBLEM CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE I NFORMATION. *JB
Mileage: 65,016
20040826VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND WENT OFF ON THEIR OWN. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD TO HONOR THE RECALL. *AK *JB
20040312VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
CONSUMER SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS ON RECALL ON VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. *LA *JB
20020308POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THIS IS MY SECOND ATTEMPT AT GETTING HELP OR GETTING THIS PROBLEM INVESTIGATED. PLEASE SEE WWW.THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM FOR NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS. NO SAFETY DEFECTS LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK
20010827VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
TALKED WITH GM CUSTOMER CARE ABOUT RCALL #98043 EXACT PROBLEM I AM HAVING. SAID MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH SAME PROBLEM APPEARS IN MY VEHICLE. SAFETY ISSUE AS WIPERS ARE INTERMITTENT DURING USE. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE ISSUE OR PROVIDE GM DISTRICT MANAGER NAMES OR PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ESCALATION ON THIS ISSUE.*AK
20010823VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO ON AND OFF AT WILL.*AK
20010126SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DEFECTIVE BRAKE HOSE COLLAPSED, CAUSING RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER TO LOCK UP AND WEAR OUT. GMC HAS A REDISIGNED BRAKE HOSE WHICH DEALER REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES. *AK BRAKES WERE GRINDING, SCREECHING AND CHATTERING. R/FRONT CALLPER LOCED UP. *YH
20010126SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
DEFECTIVE BRAKE HOSE COLLAPSED, CAUSING RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER TO LOCK UP AND WEAR OUT. GMC HAS A REDISIGNED BRAKE HOSE WHICH DEALER REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES. *AK BRAKES WERE GRINDING, SCREECHING AND CHATTERING. R/FRONT CALLPER LOCED UP. *YH
20010126SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
DEFECTIVE BRAKE HOSE COLLAPSED, CAUSING RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER TO LOCK UP AND WEAR OUT. GMC HAS A REDISIGNED BRAKE HOSE WHICH DEALER REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES. *AK BRAKES WERE GRINDING, SCREECHING AND CHATTERING. R/FRONT CALLPER LOCED UP. *YH
20000306STEERING:COLUMN
WIRE FOR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BROKEN AT TERMINAL BLOCK IN STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING LIGHTS NOT TO WORK. OTHER WIRES DAMAGED, NOT YET BROKEN. TILTING OF STEERING WHEEL CAUSES WIRE BUNDLE TO FLEX, AND WEAR OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML
20000306ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WIRE FOR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BROKEN AT TERMINAL BLOCK IN STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING LIGHTS NOT TO WORK. OTHER WIRES DAMAGED, NOT YET BROKEN. TILTING OF STEERING WHEEL CAUSES WIRE BUNDLE TO FLEX, AND WEAR OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML
19990217CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE BRAKES ACTIVATE. THE BRAKE PADS BURNED OUT AND THE ROTORS/CALIPERS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED THREE TIMES, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
19990217CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE BRAKES ACTIVATE. THE BRAKE PADS BURNED OUT AND THE ROTORS/CALIPERS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED THREE TIMES, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
19980923FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING. FLAMES CAME FROM UNDERNEATH DASHBOARD, WIRING ON DRIVER SIDE FENDER WALL COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
19980713ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE IDLES AT HIGH RMP AFTER THROTTLE IS RELEASED.
19980420TIRES
ALIGNMENT IS OFF DUE TO BAD FRONT TIRE.
19970627SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT END MISALIGNED.
19970627POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE INOPERATIVE.
19970605ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING, NO WARNING, VARIOUS SPEEDS, DEALER REPLACED IGNITION, IGNITION COIL, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
19970605ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING, NO WARNING, VARIOUS SPEEDS, DEALER REPLACED IGNITION, IGNITION COIL, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Compare 1996GMCPickup to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 GMC Pickup have?▼
The 1996 GMC Pickup has 25 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GMC Pickup?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 GMC Pickup is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER.
Is the 1996 GMC Pickup 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.
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 Pickup; 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.