1996 Gmc SIERRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
137 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
83,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 26 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor is the most frequently named component, appearing in 46 of 137 complaints (33.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 15 | 10.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 8.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 6.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 4.4% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 4.4% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 3.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | 46 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer | 18 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 8 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 7 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 4 |
| Seats | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 3 |
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor: 46; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer: 18; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 8; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 4; Seats: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 7 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 3
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 111 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 3 |
| 2000 | 35 |
| 2001 | 34 |
| 2002 | 30 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
1996: 3; 2000: 35; 2001: 34; 2002: 30; 2003: 14; 2004: 15; 2005: 4; 2006: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10036715 · 2003-08-27 (August 27, 2003)
SEVERE SURFACE CORROSION ON REAR BRAKE LINE LED TO LINE BURSTING DURING AN EMERGENCY STOP TO AVOID A COLLISION. BURST OCCURED AT NINETY DEGREE BEND IN LINE BY BRACKET LEADING TO THE FLEXIBLE LINE TO REAR AXLE. SURFACE CORROSION APPEARS ALONG BRAKE LINES AT OTHER PLACES. I THINK IT IS UNUSUAL THAT THE BRAKE LINES ON A SEVEN YEAR OLD VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT SUCH SEVERE CORROSION. UNLESS YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THIS YOU WOULD NOT NORMALLY SEE IT SINCE THE LINE RUNS INSIDE THE FRAME RAIL.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 177,712 miles reported. Look up ODI 10036715 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038040 · 2003-09-02 (September 2, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED THAT SINCE HE PURCHASED VEHICLE HE HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS. ONCE HE COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE AND RAN INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT NO DAMAGE WAS DONE. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO MIDAS AND HAD BRAKE REPAIRS DONE, BUT RIGHT WHEEL KEPT LOCKING UP. HE HAD A NEW DISC PUT ON THAT PARTICULAR WHEEL. BUT WHEN HE DROVE THE VEHICLE IT STILL LOCKED UP, AND BEGAN TO SMOKE. HE WAS AFRAID OF A VEHICLE FIRE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10038040 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030267 · 2003-07-28 (July 28, 2003)
AS FUEL PUMP BEGAN TO FAIL (INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEMS), IT CAUSED WIRES GOING TO FUEL PUMP (WIRES ARE INSIDE THE GAS TANK) TO OVERHEAT. THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR WAS COMPLETELY MELTED, AND THREE INCHES OF INSULATION ON EACH WIRE WAS BURNED OFF. BARE WIRES COULD SPARK AND IGNITE FUEL VAPORS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 84,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030267 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041351 · 2003-10-07 (October 7, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE DIED. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WE WERE TOLD THE FUEL PUMP HAD BURNT UP AND THE WIRING BOOT HAD ALSO BURNT UP. THE TECHNICIAN IMPLIED THAT WE WERE LUCKY THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN A FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT A FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED IN THREE YEARS. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041351 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 721169 · 2000-04-08 (April 8, 2000)
I CONTACTED NHTSA SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND I WAS INFORMED THAT GM HAD A LARGE PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT RAILS IN THEIR VARIOUS VEHICLES. I UNDERSTAND THAT NHTSA HAS MANY-MANY VEHICLES TO INSPECT. I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING MY GM DEALER FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS WITH VARIOUS PROBLEMS-BROKEN INTERIOR DOR HANDLE-FAILURE(S) WITH THE FUEL INJECTORS-FUEL PUMP FAILURES-BURNED WIRING HARNASS(WHERE I HAD TO SHOW THEM WHERE THE WIRING HARNESS WAS LOCATED-TRAINED TECHS??-ALTERNATOR FAILURE-AC COMPRESSOR FAILURE-ATC... THE BIGGEST PROBLEM OF COURSE IS THE SEAT RAILS. THEY C…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 721169 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10127894 · 2005-07-08 (July 8, 2005)
WHILE TOWING TRAILER WITH 2 QUADS (4 WHEELERS) ON EXPRESSWAY WITH A GROUP OF CO-WORKERS, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN MY TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PASSING GEAR. IT MADE A LOUD "REVING" NOISE AND BEGAN RAPIDLY DECREASING IN SPEED. I PULLED OFF THE EXPRESSWAY BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. I THEN GRADUALLY ACCELERATED AND SHIFTED MANUALLY, BUT WAS ONLY ABLE TO ACHEIVE 1ST GEAR. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED 150 MILES TO MY HOUSE WHERE IT STILL SITS THREE MONTHS LATER WITH ONLY REVERSE AND 1ST GEAR OPERABLE AT THI…
Owner-reported narrative. 108,748 miles reported. Look up ODI 10127894 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 507806 · 1996-08-22 (August 22, 1996)
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SLOW VEHICLE DOWN THE WAY IT SHOULD WHEN DECELERATING WHILE IN GEAR; ALSO, SPEEDS TO 30 MPH IN 3RD GEAR WITH GAS PEDAL RELEASED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 507806 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10073133 · 2004-05-25 (May 25, 2004)
TRAVELING ON DRY PAVEMENT AT ~ 30 MPH, SUDDEN STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC. BRAKE PEDAL INITIALLY HAD GOOD BRAKE THEN WENT TO THE FLOOR. ALL BRAKE LOST, COLLIDED INTO VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME AND PUSHED THEM INTO VEHICLE AHEAD OF THEM. VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO COLLISION, RESTARTED TRUCK AND ALL BRAKE OPERATION APPEARED TO BE GOOD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SUPPORT FILED COMPLAINT, DEALER INSPECTION SHOWED NO FAILURE OF ABS OR OTHER COMPONENTS. GM FIELD TECH WENT TO DEALER INSPECTION REPORT FOUND NO REASON FOR FAILURE COULD…
Owner-reported narrative. 114,359 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073133 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 506844 · 1996-07-30 (July 30, 1996)
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO FAILED SENSOR, ALSO BRAKING DISTANCE IS LONGER WHEN ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FAIL. *DH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 506844 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054047 · 2004-01-14 (January 14, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT LOST STEERING CONTROL. DEALER INDICATED CALL NHTSA.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054047 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10072613 · 2004-05-14 (May 14, 2004)
DRIVING ALONG HWY 71 EAST, FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IN MY STEERING WHEEL DID NOT DEPLOY. ONLY BECAUSE I WAS ASLEEP DID I AVOID SERIOUS INJURY AND ALSO I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED AT THIS TIME.*K
Owner-reported narrative. 138,104 miles reported. Look up ODI 10072613 at NHTSA ↗