1996 Chevrolet Caprice

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/28/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN FUEL TANK AND PUMP FAILED, BURNING INSULATION AND MELTING CAUSING FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP.

• 12/22/1997· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  UNSPECIFIED.

• 12/19/1996· STEERING

  DRIVING, HEARD CLICKING NOISE, WAS REPAIRED, VERY HARD STEERING; STEERING LOCKED, WILL NOT TURN LEFT/RIGHT; DEALER SAID PARTS NEED OILING; VEHICLE BACK IN SHOP. WILL PROVIDE INVOICES. *AK

• 12/14/1995· WHEELS

  WHILE DRIVING LEFT REAR WHEEL CAME OFF. TT

• 12/14/1995· POWER TRAIN

  AUTO-TRANSMISSION; VEHICLE WILL NOT RESPOND ONCE ENGAGED IN REVERSE, WILL LOCK DOWN W/SOME WARNING FROM CONSOLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

• 12/13/1999· STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CAR LOSES POWER STEERING WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY USUALLY AT LOW SPEED WHILE TURNING INTO OR OUT OF DRIVEWAY OR PARKING SPACES. HAVE BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AT LEAST 7 TIMES AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. VEHICLE HAS GONE THROUGH 4 SERPENTINE BELTS IN LESS THAN 60,000 MILES AND HAVE SPENT OVER $3400 IN MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SINCE PURCHASED. *AK

• 12/04/2002· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING FUEL PUMP BURNED OUT, AND LUCKILY IT DID NOT EXPLODE. FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENDING MODULE WERE REPLACED. *TS *TT *NLM.*AK

• 12/04/1996· POWER TRAIN

  THE 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH THE OPTION CALLED SKIP SHIFT, DISTRACTS FROM THE DRIVER.

• 11/05/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHEN DRIVING BELOW 20 MPH VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE DISTRIBUTOR/SPARK PLUGS AND SOMETHING ON THE DRIVESHAFT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP WAS REPLACED DUE TO A BROKEN SCREW ON THE CAP AND ROTOR. *SCC *JB

• 11/03/1998· SUSPENSION

  VEHICLE HAS BEEN ALIGNED. BUT WHEN IT WAS TAKEN FOR INSPECTION THE VEHICLE WAS DENIED APPROVAL BECAUSE THE ALIGNEMENT WAS BAD, AND CAUSED UNUSUAL WEAR AND TEAR ON TIRES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

• 10/31/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THE REVERSE POSITION, IN WET CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

• 10/29/1999· POWER TRAIN

  CONSUMERS CHILD WAS ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS INTO NEUTRAL. CHILD JUMPED OUT AND WAS RUN OVER BY THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH ALL CARS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OFF.

• 10/28/1999· SUSPENSION

  UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS SNAPPED WHEN VEHICLE WAS BACKING UP AND ONCE WHEN MOVING FORWARD AND MAKING A LEFT TURN CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY. NLM

• 10/27/1997· SEATS

  REAR SEAT LATCH LOCKED IN CLOSED POSITION.

• 10/27/1997· SEATS

  ARM REST FAILED CAUSING IT TO INTERMITTANTLY FALL OFF.

• 10/20/2004· TIRES

  DEFECTIVE TIRES, RESULTING IN TIRES EXPLODING WHILE CAR WAS PARKED, DAMAGING ENTIRE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. *BF THE TIRE STATED THEY SOLD THE CONSUMER THE WRONG TIRES FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE TIRES STORE'S FAULT, THE CONSUMER STILL HAD TO PAY FOR THE UPGRADE. *JB

• 10/15/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ANTILOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP.

• 10/14/1997· SUSPENSION

  FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE CAUSING NOISE.

• 10/02/2001· SUSPENSION

  DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT STUD AND NUT WERE SEPARATED, R/R BALL JOINT

• 09/30/1999· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WON'T GO OFF VEHICLE IS IDLING HIGH AND SHUT CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE AT REPAIR SHOP FOR TWO WEEKS, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

• 09/28/1999· POWER TRAIN

  WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE THE ENGINE STALLS AND DIES. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PORBLEM. *AK

• 09/23/1999· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  THE ENGINE HAD DIED OUT WITH WARNING. HAD HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE. WHENEVER VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A LONG TIME. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEABLE UNTIL IT STALLED OUT. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM FIRST TIME. THE NEXT IT HAPPENED & WAS AT DEALER , CONSUMER WAS INFORMED DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP WAS CAUSING STALLING. HAD REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. *AK

• 09/20/1998· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  NOT SPECIFIED.

• 09/14/2011· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CAPRICE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN HE HEARD A DRAGGING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STRAPS WHICH HELD THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE WERE FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS SAFELY DRIVEN HOME AND PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 145,000.

• 09/11/1996· VISIBILITY

  WINDSHIELD WIPER SQUEAKS.

• 09/05/2002· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  CONSUMER STATES THE FUEL PUMP ON THE VEHICLE WENT OUT WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF AND NOT MOVE ANY WHERE. ALSO THE CONSUMER DOES NOT THINK THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS IN A PROPER PLACE, BECAUSE IF THERE WAS A SPARK THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER.*JB

• 09/02/2000· TIRES

  AQUA GRIP RADIAL UNIROYAL TUBELESS, E4,0210175,M+S,PZ15175R15100S, STEEL WIRES STICKING OUT OF TIRE 2 INCHES AND LONGER WHEN WE GOT THE CAR TO A FULL STOP ON A MOUNTAIN SIDE. WE MOVED HERE 1 YR. AGO, WE WERE TOLD THE TIRE HAD A "PLUG" THAT WAS ALL THE WAY INSIDE THE TIRE AND HAD PULLED THE WIRES OUT TO THE FRONT/ HOWEVER I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WOULD CAUSE THE WIRES TO COME THROUGH THE TIRE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE EXPOSING ALL THE WIRES/ WE HAD ONE HAIRY TIRE, THE WIRES STUCK OUT 2 INCHES AND LONGER. THE STEEL BELTING HAD COME APART FROM THE TIRE ON THE INSIDE AND WAS FLOPPING AROUND, YOU COULD HEAR IT AS YOU ROLLED THE TIRE AROUND UPRIGHT ON THE GROUND/WE PURCHASED TWO NEW BACK TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: PZ15175R15 )

• 08/28/2001· SUSPENSION

  I CHECKED NHTSA'S WEB SIDT, MY CAR WAS ON RECALL LIST FOR THAT LOWER BALL JOINT. I CALLED GM, THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT ON RECALL LIST FOR THAT PART. *AK

• 08/28/2001· SUSPENSION

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

• 08/28/1997· TIRES

  TWO GENERAL TIRES FAILED, OWNER REPLACED ALL TIRE ON VEHICLE.

• 08/27/2008· STEERING

  MY CHEVY MALIBU IS HAVING POWERSTEERING ISSUES. IT FREEZES UP WHILE TRYING TO TURN CORNERS. THIS CAR HAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE POWERSTEERING FLUID IS AT A GOOD LEVEL AND THERE ARE NO LEAKS IN THE SYSTEM. *TR

• 08/25/1998· POWER TRAIN

  AXLE SEAL FAILED.

• 08/17/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  SERPENTENE BELT CHIRPING WHEN UNDER WARRANTY BELT REPLACED 4+ TIMES PROBLEM NEVER SOLVED , CALLED GMC HOTLINE (I QUOTE) LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT (UNQUOTE) WHAT DO I DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 08/11/2003· SUSPENSION

  VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH ITS LOWER CONTROL ARM AS STATED IN RECALL 96 V 018 001; BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

• 08/02/1999· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  VEHICLE JERKED/BACKFIRED IN MOTION LIKE FUEL NOT GETTING INTO ENGINE. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED CONSUMER THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACING. *AK

• 07/23/1999· POWER TRAIN,EQUIPMENT

  INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT CAUSED VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL AND LOSS OF CONTROL(LOCKUP). OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT STATE THAT VEHICLE LOCK UP CAN OCCUR IF THE FLUID IS NOT CHANGED WITHIN THE FIRST 6,000 MILES. MJS

• 07/21/1997· VISIBILITY

  BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER RIGH SIDE WINDOWS ARE SCRATCHED SO BADLY THEY OBSCURE VISION DAY AND NIGHT. SCRATCHED APPEAR TO BE CAUSED WHEN WINDOWS ARE LET UP AND DOWN.

• 07/20/1997· POWER TRAIN

  THERE IS A DELAY BETWEEN GEAR SHIFTS AND THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DIFFERENTIAL SLAM INTO GEAR CREATING A "CLUNKING NOISE". PROBLEM BEGAN WITH 1,000 MILES ON VEHICLE.

• 07/15/2002· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHILE DRIVING, BRAKE HOSE RUBS ITS MOUNTING BOLT. IT WAS INSTALLED WITH A LOOP IN THE HOSE. REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE ON VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE HOSE WAS WORN IN THE REENFORCING LAYER OF THE HOSE, CONSUMER NOTICED THIS WHEN THE WHEEL WAS OFF.*JB

• 07/14/1998· AIR BAGS

  WHEN DRIVING THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. DEALER SAYS THE AIRBAG IS NOT WORKING. *AK

• 07/09/2008· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CAPRICE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER LIGHTS BEGAN BLINKING ON AND OFF. THE FAILURE CONTINUED FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS UNTIL IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PANEL CLUSTER WAS A RECURRING FAILURE WITH THAT MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PANEL CLUSTER WITH THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER, WHICH CORRECTED THE FAILURE FOR TWO YEARS. RECENTLY, WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEGAN TO FLICKER ON AND OFF AGAIN. WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY TURN BACK ON. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE CONTACT TO BE UNSURE OF THE SPEED THAT SHE IS TRAVELING OR HOW MANY MILES ARE ON HER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

• 07/08/2004· SUSPENSION

  WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

• 06/28/2000· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  THE PROBLEM IS GAS FUMES, THE FUMES ENTER THRU THE VENTS A) WHEN IDLING B)AT STOP AND DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO MOVE FORWARD OR REDUCING THE SPEED. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM.*ET

• 06/13/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE AIR PUMP BROKE CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, GM HAD A BULLETIN THAT ADVISED THE TECHNICIAN TO DISCONNECT THE PUMP BUT RATHER THAN REPLACE IT, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE PUMP SHOULD BE REPLACED. NLM *SLC *JB

• 05/30/2001· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  WIRES FOR FUEL SENDING UNIT HAVE BURNED AND MELTED, INCLUDING ELECTRICAL FUEL CONNECTOR PLUG INSIDE GAS TANK, CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED UNIT, AND NOTICED THAT NEW PART WAS REDESIGNED AND BEEN MODIFIED, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH OLD DESIGN. CONSUMER STILL HAS ORIGINAL UNIT. *AK *SLC

• 05/25/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  HORN DOESN'T WORK WHEN IT SHOULD. BRAKES STOP SO QUICKLY THAT IT CAN CAUSE A CAR TO OVERTURN. THEY SEEM TO LOCK UP.

• 05/19/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE

  The vats system is the problem on my 96 Impala it just shut my car off for the past 3 mos

• 04/27/1999· INTERIOR LIGHTING

  SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER DIGITAL NUMBERS/FIGURES FADED AND ARE NOT VISIBLE. MJS

• 04/23/2001· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR GAS TANK, BUT WAS ADVISED BY DEALERSHIP THAT PARTS WERE NOT IN STOCK. *JB

• 04/21/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND PUT INTO REVERSE THE ENGINE DIES. DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK