Most common 1996 GMC K1500 problems
Share of the 14 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC K1500 complaints by model year
What 1996 GMC K1500 owners say
Windows, wipers & sunroof
Tl contact owns a 1996 GMC K1500. The contact stated that the windshield wipers tend to work periodically. There were no warning indicators prior to the failure. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current mileage was 80,000 and failure mileage was 75,000. Updated 06/25/08. The consumer stated the failure he experienced was identical to recall 03V159000. Updated 06/25/08
Windshield wiper motor goes out while driving. This could have caused an accident. Cause unknown, and dealer was notified. Consumer states wiper motor turns off while driving in the rain. If switch is left on the wipers will come back on and then go off again.
Brakes
My girlfriend was driving my truck on the above date, when one of the rear brake lines failed, causing loss of brake fluid and nearly resulting in a rear-end collision with a vehicle stopped in front of her. Also, about three years ago, I had another brake line fail while I was driving. I replaced it, thinking it was normal, however I have now discovered that there are many other GM owners having the same problem. Additionally, earlier this year, I had to replace the fuel pump, which is in the tank. When I removed the tank, the fuel lines where severely corroded and broke, necessitating my having to have custom lines made. I believe these issues are serious health and safety concerns, and general motors is doing nothing to alleviate these potentially fatal flaws in their product. I believe the NHTSA should force GM to issue a recall and have these issued corrected. …
Date is approximate. While backing up the truck at the storage facility the brake pedal began to go all the way to the floor and braking was poor. I was only going very slow, so stopping was not a problem. After parking, I got out of the vehicle and noticed that there was brake fluid on the ground below the truck bed a couple of feet ahead of the left rear wheel. A few presses of the brake pedal revealed a stream of fluid coming out of the steel line that leads from the front of the truck to the rear wheels. The repair shop said that the line was corroded through and they ran a new line. This line was spliced into the original near the front of the vehicle and routed to the back of the truck closely following the run of the original line. There have been no other failures to date.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 GMC K1500 a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the K1500 to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 GMC K1500?
The windows, wipers & sunroof — 6 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year, most often about windshield wiper/washer. Next are the brakes (4) and steering (1).
How many recalls does the 1996 GMC K1500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1996 GMC K1500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
At what mileage do 1996 GMC K1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.