IllustrationWHILE DRIVING BUCKET SEAT FRAME BROKE, AND CONSUMER WOULD FIND HIMSELF LOOKING AT DOME LIGHT OF CAB. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE, ONCE IN DEC OF1998, AND JUST RECENTLY. *AK MANUFACTURER REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE ON FIRST OCCASION, THE SECOND TIME PART FAILED, THE PART WAS PAID FOR BY CONSUMER. *SLC
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 VIEW OF DRIVER. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK
THE ENTRY TO THE REAR SEAT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WAS STICKING, DEALER ADDED LUBRICANT BUT IT STILL DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, CONSUMERS CHILD WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, ONCE OUT THE TRUCK HE PLACED HIS HAND ON THE SEAT AND AT THAT MOMENT A PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT TRIPPED THE LEVER AN…
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THE ENTRY TO THE REAR SEAT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WAS STICKING, DEALER ADDED LUBRICANT BUT IT STILL DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, CONSUMERS CHILD WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, ONCE OUT THE TRUCK HE PLACED HIS HAND ON THE SEAT AND AT THAT MOMENT A PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT TRIPPED THE LEVER AND THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT CAME FORWARD, THE HINGE OF THE SEAT CUT THE END OF THE CHILDS FINGER OFF, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES A GUARD SHOULD BE PLACED ON THE PASSENGER SEAT HINGE LIKE THE ONE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT. NLM
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING TRAILER HITCH METAL TORE OFF VEHICLE, CAUSING TRAILER TO COME OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK
2 FRONT AXLES FAILED WITHIN 90 DAYS WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, AND IN TRAFFIC WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED CRASH. *AK
DRIVESHAFT YOKE SEAL FAILED RESULTING IN ALL REAR AXLE BEARINGS HAVING TO BE REPLACED. NLM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL FAIL INTERMITTENTLY DURING OPERATION. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP IN MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD, CAUSING POOR TO ZERO VISIBILITY. DEFECT IS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF SOLDIER JOINTS IN THE COMPUTER OF WINDSHIELD WIPER.*AK *SLC
NHTSA RECALL 98V150000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98043;VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. WHEN DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NEEDED, AND THEY STOP WORKING, CAUSING POOR DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. *AK
AT 30,000 MILES WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. AT 50,000 MILES MODULE COMPLETELY FAILED, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY DURING RAIN STORM.*AK *SLC
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.