TRANSMISSION FAILED.
1996 GMC Sierra complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
THROTTLE LINKAGE AND CONTROL FAILED, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND TURNING STEERING WHEEL THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. CONSUMER LOST TOTAL STEERING POWER WHEN THE VEHICLE WON'T TURN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN HELPING WITH VEHICLE, BUT MANUFACTURER SAID THIS WAS A NORMAL PROBLEM. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS IN EMERGENCY STOPS.
WHILE APPLYING GAS OR BRAKE PEDAL OR EVEN MAKING A TURN, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MOVES FORWARD. DEALER STATED VEHICLE IS OPERATING PROPERLY. *AK
DEFROSTER NOT WORKING PROPERLY, SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES. BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY MUSHY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. ALSO, PROBLEM OCCURS ON ALL TYPES OF PAVEMENST. DEALER REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER WHICH TEMPORAY CORRECTED PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO LOW BRAKE PEDAL. *AK
OWNER CLAIMS THAT WHEN HE SOMETIMES APPLIES THE BRAKES THEY DON'T RESPOND AT ALL. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES, PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR. IT'S AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AT ANY SPEED BRAKES WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY, HAVE TO PULL TO SIDE, PRESS HARD, STILL DO NOT FUNCTION. DEALERSHIP HAD VEHICLE 4-5 TIMES PUT NEW DRUM/PADS, STILL CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. *AK
LEFT REAR AXLE SEAL FAILED TO HOLD GREASE IN AXLE, GREASE DRIPPED ALL OVER LEFT REAR WHEEL & BRAKE PADS, POTENTIAL FOR FIRE/BRAKE FAILURE, DEALER REPLACED SEAL & BRAKE PADS, REFILLED AXLE WITH GREASE. *AK
DRIVER SEAT FRAME RUNNERS FAILED.
MAIN SEAL IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED.
PASSENGER SEAT FAILED.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
ALARM SYSTEM FAILED.
BRAKE ROTOR CASTING FAILURE, CAUSING POOR STEERING.
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.
COOLER LINE CONNECTION FAILED.
FUEL INJECTORS FAILED.
THE DEFECTIVE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT TIGHTENS TOO MUCH; AND WHEN THE SEAT IS UP THE PASSENGER SEATBELT IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO LATCH ON. *AK
ENGINE SURGES WHEN COLD.
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOM MANUFACTURER FOR SEAT RECLINER HINGE PINCH POINT. CAN'T GET DEALER TO REPAIR BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE PARTS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN TWICE, AND SEVERAL CALLS HAVE BEEN MADE , EACH TIME THEY SAY TO CALL BACK. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS YET. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 15 TO 20MPH, OR 30 TO 40MPH, THE TRANSMISSION IS MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND AND VEHICLE IS JERKING. CAUSE UNKNOWN.
THE POWER WINDOW DOOR SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING FIRE.
DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED.
STARTER FAILED.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ENGAGE WHEN PUTTING ON PARKING BRAKE, STARTING ENGINE, OR WHEN TURNING ON LEFT TURN SIGNAL.
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 20-30 MPH WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
MASTER CYLINDER STOPPED WORKING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
VEHICLE SUSTAIN HIGH ENGINE RPM FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER THROTTLE RELEASE, CAUSING QUICK ACCELERATION.
VEHICLE WILL SUSTAIN HIGH ENGINE RPM FOR FOUR SECONDS OR MORE AFTER THROTTLE IS RELEASED.
4-WHEEL DRIVE PUSH BUTTON ENGAGES THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM WITHOUT ANYONE TOUCHING THE BUTTON. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON ROAD WHEN 76 FORD F100 PICKUP RAN A STOP SIGN, RAN INTO CONSUMER'S FRONT END BROADSIDING F100 PICKUP TRUCK, DURING NOR AFTER IMPACT DID CONSUMER AIRBAG DEPLOY. *AK
TRANSMISSION BURNED UP.
HEAD LIGHTS FAILED.
SEAT TRACK SPRING DEFECTIVE.
GAS PEDAL STICKS. *AK
FRONT SEATS MAKE NOISE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED,; ALSO MOVE WHEN STOPPING. *AK
RIGHT FRONT BUCKET SEAT MOUNTS LOOSE, CONSTANTLY MAKES NOISE WHEN IT IS SAT IN, REPLACE SEAT RISER TWICE.
BENCH SEATS NOT DESIGNED WITH SEAT BACK LATCHES..
THE AIR CONDITIONING INPUT VALVE FAILED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SLOW VEHICLE DOWN THE WAY IT SHOULD WHEN DECELERATING WHILE IN GEAR; ALSO, SPEEDS TO 30 MPH IN 3RD GEAR WITH GAS PEDAL RELEASED. *AK
BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT, ALSO AIRBAG FAILED IN ACCIDENT.
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO FAILED SENSOR, ALSO BRAKING DISTANCE IS LONGER WHEN ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FAIL. *DH
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 GMC Sierra → · Every Sierra year → · How the figures are calculated →