1996 GMC C15

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. It has been recalled 6 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seats2
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip1
000
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner1
000

6 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly98V187000
Filed Aug 10, 199855,272 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS. THE FRONT, INNER CORNER OF THE FUEL TANK CAN CONTACT THE BODY SILL EITHER INTERMITTENTLY OR CONSTANTLY. THIS MOVEMENT CAN CAUSE A DISCERNIBLE NOISE AND, OVER TIME, CAN WEAR A HOLE IN OR CRACK THE FUEL TANK AT POINT OF CONTACT.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE AND A DISTINCT FUEL ODOR IF THE TANK WERE FILLED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE HOLE OR CRACK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD RESULT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK FOR WEAR AND, EITHER INSTALL A SPACER BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER, OR IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK.

Seats97V037000
Filed Mar 7, 1997624,433 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH RECLINING SEATS AND THE EASY-ENTRY FEATURE. THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH A PINCH POINT EXISTS IN THE RECLINER MECHANISM THAT CAN TRAP AND PINCH A PERSON'S HAND OR FINGER(S) WHEN THE EASY-ENTRY FEATURE IS ACTIVATED.

Risk. THIS PINCHING CAN CUT THE HAND OR POSSIBLY SEVER THE FINGER(S) WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTOR COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.

Suspension › Rear › Springs › Leaf Spring Assembly › U-bolt, Leaf Spring to Axle96V082000
Filed May 7, 199616,918 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE FOUR U-BOLTS NUTS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE REAR AXLE WERE UNDER-TORQUED.

Risk. VEHICLE USAGE COULD CAUSE THE NUTS TO LOOSEN AND EVENTUALLY FALL OFF THE U-BOLT. THIS COULD RESULT IN SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL CHECK THE U-BOLT NUT TORQUE AND RE-TORQUE ANY LOOSE U-BOLTS TO SPECIFICATION.

Vehicle Speed Control96V057000
Filed Apr 4, 1996379,004 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. 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.

Remedy. 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.

Seats96E010000
Filed Mar 25, 19962,400 vehiclesVehicle Safety Systems

Defect. THE SEAT RECLINER TO SEAT FRAME ATTACHING BOLTS ON THESE VEHICLES COULD LOOSEN, FATIGUE AND FRACTURE, ALLOWING THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE.

Risk. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THIS COULD RESULT IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE ALL FOAM AND/OR FABRIC SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE RECLINER ASSEMBLY AND THE SEAT FRAME, INSTALL WASHERS BETWEEN THE SEAT RECLINER AND THE SEAT FRAME AT EACH ATTACHMENT POINT, AND INSTALL NEW ATTACHING BOLTS TORQUED TO A HIGHER SPECIFICATION. THESE CORRECTIONS WILL BE MADE TO BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATS.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings95V243000
Filed Dec 28, 1995623 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. CERTAIN TRUCKS HAVE FUEL RAIL ASSEMBLIES WITH AN IMPROPERLY CRIMPED END RETAINER CLIP THAT RESULTS IN A FUEL LEAK.

Risk. IF FUEL LEAKAGE OCCURS AND AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT, AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL RAIL ASSEMBLY AND REPLACE ANY FUEL RAIL ASSEMBLY WITH A JULIAN DATE CODE OF 95318 THROUGH 95338.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seats
Filed Apr 24, 1997TX

RECALL #97V037000, WHEN CONTACTING DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR RECALL WORK, DEALER STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS RESCINDED. DEALER WAITING TO HEAR FROM MANUFACTURER, SON'S FINGER WAS CUT BY MECHANISM. VEHICLE WAS FINALLY FIXED ON 04/30/97. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Apr 22, 1997CA

OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK WILL FALL. OWNER NOTES THAT DEALRES KEEP REPAIRING PROBLEM WITH THE SAME PARTS, BUT PROBLEM RETURNS. *AK

Seats
Filed Apr 21, 1997NM

THE DEALER CANNOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE RECALL NEEDS A NEW REMEDY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed May 2, 1996MI

WHEN BRAKING, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHICH CAUSES A LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1995
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
1996 — this page4600Routine
199510700Routine
199471000Routine
19937200Routine
19926220Routine
19911010Routine
19902210Routine

Compare every C15 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 10, 1998. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.