Total Complaints
5 filings
GMC Z-71 · model year
1996 GMC Z-71
5 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
The 1996GMCZ-71 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 Z-71 is power train:automatic transmission with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and power train:driveline:driveshaft (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 Z-71. 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
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20031230POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 1996 GMC 1/2 TON PICK UP Z71. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION FOR THE 2ND TIME. I MADE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE FIRST TRANNY, WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT ELHART GMC IN HOLLAND, MI. THEY KEPT TELLING ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. AT 60K TRANNY WAS TOAST. I PAID $2000 FOR A NEW TRANNY WITH A 3 YEAR/50K WARRANTY. JUST SHORT OF 3 YEARS, BUT ONLY 29K MILES LATER 2ND TRANNY FAILED. AT ELHART (FOR THE LAST TIME) THEY PUT FLUID IN IT, AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH TRANNY. NOW AT GOOD GMC IN GRAND RAPIDS, MI THEY ARE REPLACING TRANNY. MY MAIN ISSUE IS THEY TELL ME THAT THIS NEW TRANNY WILL ONLY HAVE A 12 MONTH/ 12K MILE WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!! PLEASE HELP!!
20000112SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS SYSTEM KEEPS GOING OUT. DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE. *AK *ML
19991214CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE DRIVESHAFT FELL OFF DURING A VEHICLE COLLISION. NLM
19991214CrashPOWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE DRIVESHAFT FELL OFF DURING A VEHICLE COLLISION. NLM
19990803POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2 NEW TRANS AND 2 TRANS REPAIRS-PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED!! WHATS UP?? OFF ROAD VEHICLE
Compare 1996GMCZ-71 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 GMC Z-71 have?▼
The 1996 GMC Z-71 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 GMC Z-71?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 GMC Z-71 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT.
Is the 1996 GMC Z-71 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 Z-71; 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.