GMC TOPKICK · model year

1996 GMC TOPKICK

2 NHTSA complaints. 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 1996GMCTOPKICK carries 2 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.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1996 TOPKICK is steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm with 1 filings, followed by tires (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 TOPKICK. 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

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

ComponentCount
STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM1
TIRES1

Recent Complaints

20140610TIRES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1996 GMC TOPKICK N/A EQUIPPED WITH GEO TIRE LINE G300, SIZE 11R22.5, SERIAL NUMBER 10408B02016, DOT QUBETCI1411. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE SIDEWALL WORE PREMATURELY THE SIDE WALL WAS FOUND SPLIT. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

Mileage: 10,000

19990310STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM

THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENNED TO ANOTHER VEHICLE IN MY FLEET THAT WAS COVERED UNDER THE 2 YR/200,000 MILE WARRANTY. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS TRUCK ISNT DRIVEN AS HARD AND HAS EXCEEDED THE TIME LIMIT ON THE WARRANTY, HOWEVER, THE MILEAGE IS COMPARABLE WITH THE OTHER FAILURE. I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE OTHER OCCURRENCES SIMILAR TO MINE.

Compare 1996GMCTOPKICK to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 GMC TOPKICK have?
The 1996 GMC TOPKICK has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GMC TOPKICK?
The most-complained component for the 1996 GMC TOPKICK is STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES.
Is the 1996 GMC TOPKICK 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 TOPKICK; 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.