GMC Truck›Jimmy 4WD›1996›Overview/gmc-truck/jimmy-4wd/1996/base/

1996 GMC Truck Jimmy 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Jimmy 4WD.

The 1996 GMC Truck Jimmy 4WD is a four-wheel-drive model maintained by 5 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil, representing a vehicle entrenched in notable reliability concerns during this era. With 508 total owner complaints heavily centered on hydraulic service brakes and 8 official recalls, the truck reflects the persistent mechanical challenges facing the lineup. Examined within the model's broader 1990-2004 history, the 1996 Jimmy sits just beneath the troubled 1995 peak of 620 complaints, meaning it remains a high-complaint year but also marks the beginning of a gradual trajectory away from the worst reliability issues toward the model's 2003 low of a single complaint.

Model year1996 1994 1993 1988

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque95 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 19210286. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 525 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPSOEM · verified

Tire sizeP205-75R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	19210286
Engine air filter	19259086
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	12681665
Front wiper blades	15757007 alt 15757008
Serpentine belt	12550110 alt 12564763
Thermostat	12632948 alt 12551507

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 95 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	2.6 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	74 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head Steps	Apply sealant GM P/N 12346004
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	8.85 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)	89.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket	89.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle	89.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket	89.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts	95 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	181 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-6-5-4-3-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-6-5-4-3-2
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11-14 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.75-2.00 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	525 cca
Optional BCI Group Number	75

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	195 °F
Engine Compression	100
Engine Compression	100 Minimum psi
Engine Compression	215 Nominal psi
Engine Compression	100 Minimum psi

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle	38 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.03 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.03 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	0.98 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.965 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

1	all bolts	22 ft. lbs
2	long bolts	75 degrees
3	medium bolts	65 degrees
4	55

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

22.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 100,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 100,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (lubricate return spring) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Bushing (lubricate) · Clutch Pedal Clevis Pin (lubricate)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1996 GMC Truck Jimmy 4WD dominate in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic, 164 of 508 reports (32%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 8 recall campaigns target the service brakes, hydraulic, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 54 of the reports describe a crash and 9 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes, hydraulic pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

508

Owner complaints

54 involved a crash · 9 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95’96’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’03 ’04

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 508 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic164

Visibility68

Engine & Engine Cooling53

Suspension44

Power Train23

Electrical System19

Fuel System, Gasoline17

Air Bags12

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

01V200000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball JointReported 28/06/2001

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 4, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND…

03V159000Visibility:Windshield Wiper/WasherReported 28/04/2003

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Jimmy 4WD. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 75 battery Vehicles taking 5 qt Engine oil filter 19210286 Engine air filter 19259086 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 12681665

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Jimmy 4WD take?

5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Jimmy 4WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.