IllustrationSTEERING COLUMN STARTS GETTING LOOSE IN THE AREA WHERE IT NORMALLY TILTS. *AK
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
What owners actually said
33 reportsBRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WITH EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. MASTER CYLINDER REPAIRED, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
BS BRAKES FAILED. DEALER ALSO REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER/CALIPERS AND ROTORS/BRAKELINES AND DRUMS. *AK
LEFT REAR WHEEL BROKE LOOSE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.
TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTOR, CAUSING FIRE.
FRONT BRAKES WORK, BUT REAR BRAKES HAVE PROBLEMS. OWNER HAD MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. OWNER HAS HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM AND IS CONCERNED FOR HIS SFETY. *AK
KELSEY/HAYES ABS FAILURE, ON ANY ROAD CONDITIONS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION, PREVENTING THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN TIME.. TAKEN TO GM DEALER TWICE, DEALER STATED THAT IT IS A NORMAL FUNCTION. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED, UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, WILL PROVIDE THE FIRE REPORT. *AK
THERE IS A NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION, THE BEARINGS ARE WEARING OUT, NEED TO BE REPLACED, CAN'T ORDER THE BEARINGS. DEALER SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO ORDER A NEW TRANSMISSION . *AK
ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THERE IS A LOUD BANG AT THE SAME TIME. THE SYSTEM HAS ABS. *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.