FaultScore

1996 GMC Sierra headlight problems

15 of the 310 complaints about the 1996 GMC Sierra are about the lighting — 5% of everything reported for this model year.

A

15

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Headlights 6 40.0%
Switch 2 13.3%
Switch 2 13.3%
Turn Signal 2 13.3%
Exterior Lighting 1 6.7%
Interior Lighting 1 6.7%
Switch 1 6.7%

Lights across every GMC Sierra year

1996 15 12.2%
2000 13 10.6%
2014 64 52.0%
2015 31 25.2%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Saint Charles, MI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

HEADLAMP LIGHT SWITCH WORKS ON AND OFF, MAKING IT HARD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. *AK THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE UNIT REQUIRED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *SCC

NHTSA complaint #10039775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Meriden, CT

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH

THE BACK UP LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. NLM

NHTSA complaint #567316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waskom, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #761866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mustang, OK

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAD TO PHYSICALLY MOVE THE WIPERS TO MAKE THEM MOVE AGAIN. GM RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE ONLY BECAUSE OF VIN #. I'M EXPERIENCING ALL THE PROBLEMS THE RECALLED VEHICLES HAVE./ ON THE SECOND PROBLEM. I WAS HAVING SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY COLUMN DUE TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH GOING BAD. THIS SWITCH CONTROLS THE CRUISE CONTROL, TURN SIGNAL, WIPERS, HAZARD LIGHTS ETC. THE TURN SIGNAL RELAY KEPT GOING OFF , SOUNDING LIKE THE HAZARDS WERE ON ALL THE TIME. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED OTHER PEOPLE WERE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #752935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Madison, WI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. CONSUMER HAS EXAMINED ELEMENTS FOR HEADLIGHTS AND FOUND NO DEFECT WHILE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA complaint #896961 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Flagstaff, AZ

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK ON THE ROAD HEADLIGHTS WILL CUT OFF, LEAVING CONSUMER WITHOUT LIGHTS. ALSO, WHEN ON HIGH BEAM THEY WILL TURN OFF.

NHTSA complaint #853831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

THE SIGNAL LIGHT HAD GENERATED A LOT OF HEAT & MELTED THE SOCKET THAT THE BULB WAS IN. THE BULB HAD BLOWN OUT AT THE TIME. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK & REPLACE.

NHTSA complaint #845946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Frankenmuth, MI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

BOTH HI AND LOW BEAMS OF HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. WENT TO DEALER NEXT DAY. DEALER CHARGED $502.65 TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH. WIRING WAS MELTED AND BURNED ON SWITCH. THIS COULD HAVE STARTED A VEHICLE FIRE, OR CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS DID NOT PROTECT VEHICLE WIRING. SWITCH IS AVAILABLE IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT FOR EXAMINATION.

NHTSA complaint #702781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cottage Grove, WI

INTERIOR LIGHTING

INTERIOR LIGHT COMES ON SPORADICALLY WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT OFF IS TO TAKE THE FUSE OUT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.

NHTSA complaint #833024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Frankenmuth, MI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO WORK WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. DEALER FOUND WIRING BURNED UP ON DIMMER SWITCH IN STEERING COLUMN. NO FIRE OCCURRED. DEALER CHARGE TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE SWITCH WAS $502.65. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN HEADLIGHTS FAIL WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE. WHY DIDN'T FUSE OR CIRCUIT BREAKER PROTECT WIRING? PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXAMINE THE FAILED DIMMER SWITCH ASSEMBLY. WE HAVE THE FAILED SWITCH WHICH THE DEALER HERE IN FRANKENMUTH, MICHIGAN REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #701449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Francisco, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ENGAGE WHEN PUTTING ON PARKING BRAKE, STARTING ENGINE, OR WHEN TURNING ON LEFT TURN SIGNAL.

NHTSA complaint #516589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Francisco, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA complaint #516589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Francisco, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

LEFT HEAD LAMP IS INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA complaint #516589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chula Vista, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #603272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lakewood, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEAD LIGHTS FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #602605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 GMC Sierra problems

← Full 1996 GMC Sierra report