Check a VIN

1996 GMC K2500 problems

The most common problem on the 1996 GMC K2500 is brakes. It has 3.5 times the complaints of a typical K2500 model year.

Typical year3.5x the typical complaints
Owner complaints
14
Recalls
0
Service bulletins
3
Worst area
Brakes

The worst 1996 GMC K2500 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Brakes
    8
  • Visibility
    4
  • Body
    3
  • Electrical
    2
  • Engine
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Brakes
    8
  • Visibility
    4
  • Body
    3
  • Electrical
    2
  • Engine
    1
  • Fuel system
    1
  • Seats
    1
  • Suspension
    1
  • Transmission
    1

Recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Technical service bulletins for the 1996 GMC K2500 3

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

What 1996 GMC K2500 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Jun 24, 2011 · Fuel system · 198,200 miles · NJ · crash

I own a 1996 g m c suburban k2500 w the 6.5 diesel engine . I have changed (3) three injection pumps in its life time and according to several highly qualified mechanics it's time to do it again.the problem is that without any warning the truck would accelerate on its own,you would literally have to stand up on the brake pedal in order to stop this possessed killing machine. My family and I have had many good times with this truck, with are vacations all over this country to our day trips not to mention our daily use. I have three children and all have their drivers license, it is a crying shame that I had to put our truck up on cinder blocks,and I sure can't sell it the way it is.needlessly to say g m c refuses to help us in any way,they claim the pump is not the problem and there is no apparent recall for my problem, further more the truck is to old and they would be happy to sell me a new truck,ha. In closing I would like to say that when I purchased this truck (new) my intentions were to keep it for a very long time,considering it is a diesel and everybody knows that diesels last along time opposed to gas engines. We religiously kept up the routine maintenance by the book. I'm very discouraged and disappointed in the general motors corporations integrity. I forgot to mention that my wife had a minor accident,where the truck just took off on it's own while she was waiting at a traffic light. Thank god nobody was hurt, except my wallet where I had to pay out of pocket to avoid any increase in our insurance fees.

Filed Aug 9, 2007 · Brakes · 199,960 miles · IN

Abs brakes on my 1996 k2500 suburban activate at slow speeds.

Filed Jul 11, 2002 · Visibility · MI

Windshield wipers function working intermittently or not at all. Problem originally occurred only in intermittant and "low" setting, but now also affects operation in "high" speed.

Filed Feb 15, 2002 · Electrical · AK · fire

Smoke rolled out of the cab of the pickup, wire under driver seat for the electric seats became bare shorted out and the fuse did not close shut, burned up harness and melted part of dash by fuses and burned up all wires under dash.

Filed Mar 5, 2001 · Visibility · ME

Windshield wipers work erratically. They shut on/off on their own at any time. When needed they shut off, and it takes a while before cutting back on. Dealer has been contacted.*ak VIN is not included in recall 96043, consumer repaired on his own.

Filed Mar 29, 2000 · Visibility · DC

The windshield wiper motor only works intermittently, the consumer has reconnected the switch, but the problem with the motor still occurs.

Filed Mar 19, 1999 · Brakes · MN

The vehicle was brought in for brake problems three different times. The problems included warped rotors, brakes that lock up when brakes are first applied upon start up and leaky master cylinder. When I brought in the vehicle, each time I was told that these problems were not covered under warranty and were not an issue for the vehicle. "tough luck for the vehicle owner -- that's just the way they are" is what one mechanic told me. Upon viewing the federal safety agency technical service bulletin web page, it appears that the breaks are an issue for my truck and the rotors should have been replaced or fixed. At this time, I still have the problem of warped rotors and brakes that lock up for the first few stops after the vehicle is started. At this point in time my warranty has run out, but when I first began seeking help for the brake problems in my truck, the warranty was still good. What recourse do I have?

Filed Oct 7, 1998 · Brakes · IA

When the brakes are wet they have a tendency to become aggressive, which causes the rear wheels to lock up.

Filed Jan 9, 1998 · Brakes · MA

Vehicle pulls to left/right upon braking. Direction is not predictable prior to braking. In addition, replaced front brake calipers/pads/rotors and hoses.

Filed Dec 23, 1997 · Brakes · NJ

Spabs brakes fail to respond to peal application, allowing truck to roll through intersection. In addition, when applyingbrakes in a panic situation, resulting in extended stopping distance.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 1996 GMC K2500 before you buy

Compare the 1996 GMC K2500

Other model years

1990199119921993199419951996

Questions about the 1996 GMC K2500

Is the 1996 GMC K2500 reliable?

Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 1996 GMC K2500, 3.5 times a typical K2500 model year.

What is the most common problem with the 1996 GMC K2500?

Brakes, with 8 complaints. Next is visibility (4).

How many recalls does the 1996 GMC K2500 have?

No recalls on record.

Share your experience with the 1996 GMC K2500

Tell other buyers what went wrong and what it cost. We review every report before it appears, and we never publish names, emails or VINs.

No names, contact details or links. Reports about a dealer or a person are not published.

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 1996 GMC K2500?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history
Is this car on a recall?Check VIN