1996 Gmc C35

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires › bead. It has been recalled 6 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Bead1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip1
000
Seats1
000

6 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
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.

Tires › Bead96V117000
Filed Jul 1, 19965,773 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THESE TIRES HAVE BEAD DAMAGE WHICH OCCURED DURING TIRE MOUNTING.

Risk. THIS DAMAGE TO THE TIRE REINFORCING STRUCTURE IN THE BEAD "TOE" AREA CAUSES A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL AFTER THE TIRE IS INFLATED. THIS CONDITION WILL RESULT IN A SLOW AIR LOSS CAUSING THE TIRE TO GO FLAT. HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE TO RESULT IN A RAPID AIR LOSS CAUSING INJURIES TO ANYONE IF THEY WERE HANDLING THE TIRE WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL DEMOUNT EACH TIRE AND INSPECT FOR BEAD DAMAGE. IF BEAD DAMAGE IS FOUND, THE TIRE WILL BE REPLACED.

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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jan 15, 1998FL

DURING ANY SPEED ON WET ROADS WITH HEAVY LOADS THE BRAKES WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED THEY WILL INSTANTLY ENGAGE AND THEN DISENGAGE. THE BRAKES HAVE TO BE REAPPLIED SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. *AK

Seats
Filed Jul 29, 1996TX

THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HONOR HIS RECALL LETTER REGARDING INTERIOR SEATS. *AK

Tires › Bead
Filed Jul 18, 1996LA

RECALL 96V117000, TWO WEEKS IS TOO LONG TO WAIT FOR TIRE TO COME IN. *AK

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1996
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
1996 — this page3600Routine
19950800Routine
19942900Routine
19930200Routine
19920100Routine
19910100Routine
19900200Routine

Compare every C35 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: Mar 7, 1997. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.