IllustrationWHEN TURNING HEADLIGHTS DOWN FROM HIGH TO LOW BEAM, HEADLIGHTS CUT COMPLETELY OFF. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *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 reportsNO SUMMARY
ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING DURING OPERATION OR JUST STOP WORKING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMERTHAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
DRIVER'S SEAT HAS BECOME UNANCHORED AT THE FRONT END OF THE SEAT, AND WHEN THE DRIVER PULLS IT WILL ROCK BACKWARDS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR OFF, CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE RPM BETWEEN 1500-2000 RPM(REGARDLESS OF WHICH GEAR IS SELECTED)AND YOU LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE ENGINE REMAINS AT THE RPM IT WAS AT WHEN YOU LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE ACCELERATOR PED…
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ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR OFF, CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE RPM BETWEEN 1500-2000 RPM(REGARDLESS OF WHICH GEAR IS SELECTED)AND YOU LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE ENGINE REMAINS AT THE RPM IT WAS AT WHEN YOU LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RETURNING COMPLETELY UP AND I INSPECTED THE TRUCK PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 96V057000 AND THE PEDAL IS NOT STICKING. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO THE DEALER ONCE AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A FAULT CODES ON THE COMPUTER BUT THEY RESET THE COMPUTER ANYWAY AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AGAIN. A FELLOEW COWORKER HAS A 1997 VERSION OF THE SAME TRUCK AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN YOU LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR EXPECTING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN, BUT IT DOES NOT! *AK
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE DUE VACUM BOOSTER LEAKAGE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH TRANSMISSION/ EGR VALVE AND HEADLIGHT'S WENT OUT. WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP, AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TO GET THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. *AK
AFTER STARTING VEHICLE WHEN IT HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A LONG TIME & THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED LIGHTLY, THEY WOULD LOCK UP. VEHICLE WOULD COME TO SCREECHING HALT. IT'S MORE SEVERE WHEN WEATER IS COOL & DAMP. HAVS NOT BEEN TO DEALER, BUT WILL BE GOING TO MECHANIC. *AK
PASSENGER'S ADJUSTING SEAT LATCH BROKE,CAUSING SEAT TO MOVE FREELY BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS CONSUMER PAYS THE COST. *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.