IllustrationFUEL PUMP HAD MALFUNCTIONED, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK
1996 Chevrolet Silverado
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Silverado years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet Silverado are substantially higher than the model-year median of 76.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 26 of 186 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
186 reportsINTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODEL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY. *AK
THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN THEY ARE NOT WORKING YOU HEAR A BUZZ COMMING FROM UNDER THE DASH. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CERTAIN VIN'S NOT MINE. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL TURN ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. VEHICLE VIN# IS NOT INCLUDED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SAME DEFECT. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 25-30MPH IN FREEZING RAIN AND SKIDDED INTO A TREE. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES. OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT GOING 9-16MPH IMPACT AT ANY ANGLE, AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT AT A MINIMUM IMPCT OF 30MPH AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY. CONSUMER WILL CALL MANUFACTURER TO…
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CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 25-30MPH IN FREEZING RAIN AND SKIDDED INTO A TREE. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES. OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT GOING 9-16MPH IMPACT AT ANY ANGLE, AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT AT A MINIMUM IMPCT OF 30MPH AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY. CONSUMER WILL CALL MANUFACTURER TO INVESTIGATE REASON. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH VEHICLE JUST DIED. PROBLEM WAS DUE THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT WHICH SHORTED OUT. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRUCK COULD HAVE EXPLODED DUE TO THE BURNT CONNECTOR TOUCHING THE FUEL. DEALER WAS CALLED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. T RUCK WAS REPAIRED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK *ML
FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED A FEW TIMES. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND THE PROBLEM WAS THE FORNT BRAKES. TOOK EFFECT BEFORE THE BACK BRAKES WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO DROP IN THE FRONT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. RUST WAS INSIDE THE HUB WHERE THE BRAKE WAS SUPPOSE TO BE. *AK
THE POSTIVE SIDE CONNECTION LEAKED ACID FROM THE BATTERY CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL TIMES THIS OCCURRED WHILE TRYING TO TURN AND GAIN ACCESS TO THE HIGHWAY LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER AND SITTING IN THE TRAVEL LANES. MY MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO TRACK DOWN THE PROBLEM AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED CURING THE…
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THE POSTIVE SIDE CONNECTION LEAKED ACID FROM THE BATTERY CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL TIMES THIS OCCURRED WHILE TRYING TO TURN AND GAIN ACCESS TO THE HIGHWAY LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER AND SITTING IN THE TRAVEL LANES. MY MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO TRACK DOWN THE PROBLEM AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED CURING THE DEFECT.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.