The 1996 GMC Sierra has 2 safety recalls and 246 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is visibility (86 complaints).
Recalls2safety recalls
Complaints246filed by owners
Crashes · fires19 · 3reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths14 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
NHTSA recall 98V150001 · Jul 1, 1998 · 1,557,585 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
Risk: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER.
Problem: THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE CONTACTING THE DASH MAT WHICH COULD BIND THE THROTTLE. THIS DOES NOT MEET WITH THE MAXIMUM RETURN TIMES REQUIRED BY FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, "ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS."
Risk: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: THE ENGINE SPEED MAY NOT RETURN TO IDLE INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR ADEQUATE THROTTLE CABLE TO DASH MAT CLEARANCE, AND IF THERE IS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE, CUT OUT A PORTION OF THE DASH MAT TO PROVIDE PROPER CLEARANCE.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
1996 GMC Sierra
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Sierra 2500 2WD Diesel
16mpg combined
City / highway
15 / 18 mpg
Fuel
Diesel
6.5 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $6,000/year to fuel
Sierra 2500 2WD
15mpg combined
City / highway
14 / 17 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
5 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,450/year to fuel
Sierra 2500 2WD
15mpg combined
City / highway
14 / 18 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
5 L · 8 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,450/year to fuel
Sierra 2500 2WD
14mpg combined
City / highway
12 / 17 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
5.7 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,800/year to fuel
Sierra 2500 2WD
13mpg combined
City / highway
11 / 16 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
5.7 L · 8 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $5,150/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
May 31, 2020 · 150,100 milesVehicle speed control I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS STUCK WIDE OPEN AND I REACHED SPEEDS OF ALMOST 100 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC
Feb 3, 2006 · 79,800 milesService brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS ACTIVATED AT VARIOUS LOW SPEEDS AND THERE WERE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. ALTHOUGH THESE PROBLEMS PERSISTED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER.
Apr 23, 2005 · 108,748 milesPower train › Automatic transmission 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 THIS TIME.
Jun 2, 2005Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer DT: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY THEY HAVE A STRANGE PATTERN TO THEM. THEY QUIT, AND HAD A HUMMING NOISE FROM THE WIPER MOTOR.*AK HAD WINDSHIELD WIPER RECALL PERFORMED. MOTOR AND CIRCUIT BOARD WERE REPLACED. REPAIRS AT GMC DEALERSHIP ON 6/13/05. *TT *NM
Apr 26, 2005Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and attachments 1996 GMC SIERRA LOST ITS CABLES AS WELL AS THE REMAINING PARTS HOLDING THE TAILGATE IS RUSTING AND THE CATCH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOES NOT POP OPEN AUTOMATICALLY.*MR....REMAINING PARTS HOLDING TAILGATE ARE RUSTING. ALSO, CATCH ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOESN'T POP OPEN AUTOMATICALLY. WARRANTY EXPIRED WITHIN TRHEE YERAS OF PURCHASE. *AK
Jan 21, 2002 · 45,000 milesEngine and engine cooling › Cooling system VEHICLE LEAKS ANTI-FREEZE FROM VICINITY OF UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. CHRONIC PROBLEM. OCCURS AFTER VEHICLE HAS SET FOR 3-5 HOURS AFTER RUNNING. DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE LEAKING INTO CRANKCASE. HAD SYSTEM PRESSURE TESTED. TOLD TO MONITOR TO SEE IF IT IS GETTING INTO OIL. LEAKS ABOUT 1-2 TABLESPOONS PER SHUT DOWN. ENOUGH TO BE NOTICEABLE
Nov 20, 2002 · 80,000 milesVisibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Switch/wiring MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORK INTERMITEDLY AND I FOUND THE RECAL FOR IT ON THIS SITE. 996 GMC SIERRA PICKUP..THE DEALORSHIP IS SAYING EVEN THOUGH MY WIPERS ARE BROKEN THEY CANNOT REPAIR FOR FREE BECAUSE MY PARTICULAR VIN # ISN'T ON THE LIST. *AK
Oct 20, 2004 · 149,586 milesService brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings THE BRAKE LINE ABOVE THE GAS TANK RUSTED AND FAILED WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING OF THIS AND AS IT WAS ABOVE THE GAS TANK, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN NOTICED. THE GAS TANK HAD TO BE DROPPED AND THE BRAKE LINE REPLACED. THANK GOODNESS THE VEHICLE STOPPED BEFORE REARENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AND THANK GOODNESS MY ONE YEAR OLD WASN'T IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME. OLD PART HAS BEEN RETAINED. REPAIR COST WAS $458.21.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
EA02006 · opened May 31, 2002 · closed Jul 23, 2003 · led to recall 03V159000WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
EA00024 · opened Sep 26, 2000 · closed Dec 21, 2001HEADLIGHT
PE00017 · opened Apr 11, 2000 · closed Sep 26, 2000HEADLIGHT BASED ON THE REPORTS RECEIVED BY ODI FROM CONSUMERS, FAILURE OF THE HEADLIGHT ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT MAY OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, AND MAY RESULT FROM REPEATED ADJUSTMENT OFTHE TILT STEERING WHEEL IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.REPEATED ADJUSTMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION MAY STRAIN THE WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT TO THE POINT OF FAILURE WHERE THEY ARE ATTACHED TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, RESULTING IN THE UNANTICIPATED LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.ODI HAS CONCERNS REGARDING THE HIGH RATE OF WARRANTY REPAIRS FOR PROBLEMS POTENTIALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, WITH THE RECOGNITION THE EACH INCIDENT OF HEADLIGHT FAILURE REPRESENTS A CONDITION OF VEHICLE DISABLEMENT.IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER'S EVALUATION OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, AND THIS OFFICE HAS INTEREST IN THE DETAILS OF THE METHODOLOGIES AND RESULTS OF…