IllustrationBRAKE LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. *TR
1989 Chevrolet C1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Chevrolet C1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 41.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all C1500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 33 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports3 fire reports1 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
4 reportsTHE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE REPLACED TWICE, CONSUMER FOUND ON THE NHTSA WEB PAGE, MANY CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON WHEN PEDAL WAS RELEASED. CAUSED MULTIPLE BULB REPLACEMENTS ALONG WITH 4 BATTERIES. THE PAINT ON THE BODY HAS STARTED TO PEEL TWO YEARS AGO. IT WAS SMALL IN NATURE BUT LAST YEAR REALLY STARTED TO EXPAND. IN TALKING WITH A DEALER ABOUT REPAINTING THE PICK-UP, HE INDICATED THAT THE TIME TO BE REPAINTE…
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BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON WHEN PEDAL WAS RELEASED. CAUSED MULTIPLE BULB REPLACEMENTS ALONG WITH 4 BATTERIES. THE PAINT ON THE BODY HAS STARTED TO PEEL TWO YEARS AGO. IT WAS SMALL IN NATURE BUT LAST YEAR REALLY STARTED TO EXPAND. IN TALKING WITH A DEALER ABOUT REPAINTING THE PICK-UP, HE INDICATED THAT THE TIME TO BE REPAINTED WAS OVER BY THE MANUFACTURE. WHY DID GM/CHEVROLET NOT SEND ANY INFORMATION OUT ON EITHER OF THESE PROBLEMS TO OWNERS? I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY 89 WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM UNTIL TALKING WITH SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS. THE PAINT PROBLEM I HAD SEEN ON OTHER CARS BUT AGAIN DID NOT KNOW OF ANY COMPANY PROGRAM OR THAT IT HAD EXPIRED. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE LIGHTS SHORTING OUT DUE TO DEFECTIVE SOCKETS. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK
Official recalls
190V170000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Sep 17, 1990
TRUCKS CAN CONTAIN INCORRECT INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PROPERLY ADJUST REAR SEAT LAP-SHOULDER BELTS AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 209.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED SEAT BELT WOULD NOT PROPERLYRESTRAIN OCCUPANT IN AN ACCIDENT OF SUDDEN STOP; TRUCKS WOULD NOT COMPLY WITHFMVSS 209.
Remedy: PROVIDE OWNER'S MANUAL INSERT CONTAINING THE CORRECT REAR LAP-SHOULDER BELT INSTRUCTIONS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.