DEFECTFILE
Vehicles / Chevrolet / K1500 / 1996

1996 Chevrolet K1500

94 federal complaints (108 component records) · 0 recall campaigns on file · 3 service bulletins
See all 9 model years of the Chevrolet K1500 →
Engine
4.3L 6-cyl
Fuel
Diesel, Regular
Drive
4WD/AWD
EPA economy
15 city / 19 hwy
Federal complaints
94
Recall campaigns
0
Specifications show one example EPA configuration for this model year; other engines, drivetrains, and trims exist and the records below cover all of them.
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.

Fault profile

Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.

Glass & wipers
26
Brakes
14
Tires
10
Power train
9
Seats
8
Fuel system
8
Electrical system
7
Engine & cooling
6
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.

When it fails

The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.

Vehicle age when the failure occurred

0 years old: 4 complaints01 years old: 7 complaints2 years old: 7 complaints3 years old: 10 complaints4 years old: 14 complaints5 years old: 8 complaints56 years old: 6 complaints7 years old: 6 complaints8 years old: 1 complaints9 years old: 1 complaints10 years old: 0 complaints1011 years old: 4 complaints12 years old: 0 complaints13 years old: 0 complaints14 years old: 0 complaints15 years old: 2 complaints1516 years old: 0 complaints17 years old: 1 complaints18 years old: 2 complaints19 years old: 0 complaints20+ years old: 1 complaints20+
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 74 of 94 complaints with a usable failure date.

Known issues

The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.

Glass & wipers

26 complaint records
"WIBDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON AND OFF INTERMIITTENTLY, CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILITY. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse glass & wipers parts in the directory →

Brakes

14 complaint records3 crash reports
"BRAKES: BRAKES PULSATING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP AND THE VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING AND WOULD NOT STOP. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →

Tires

10 complaint records1 crash report
"UNIROYAL LAREDO P245-R16 TIRES HAVE DRY-ROT CRACKS NEXT TO TREAD BLOCKS AFTER LESS THAN FIVE YEARS AND 24,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *TR..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse tires parts in the directory →

Service bulletins and warranty extensions

Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.

BulletinTypeComponentSummary
17-NA-073
Feb 2023
EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
130089009
Sep 2013
Engine And Engine CoolingExpanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
020864016
Jul 2002
StructureSOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON FRONT DOOR HINGE PIN BUSHING WEAR, FRONT DOOR SAG, OR DOOR CHUCKING MOVEMENT IN EXTREME OPERATING CONDITIONS. *TT

Before you buy this vehicle

A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.

  1. Run the wipers and washers, and test every window.Slow or stuck regulators, streaking wipers, and windshield cracks are this vehicle's visibility complaints.
  2. Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
  3. Read the tire date codes and look for uneven wear.Uneven wear on this vehicle often points back to the suspension. Four different date codes tell their own story.
  4. Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.

Parts search directory

The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.

Open the parts directory for this Chevrolet K1500 →