1986 Chevrolet K30

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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0Owner complaints

Model-year median: 0

0Recall campaigns

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6Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 0 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.

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

0 reports

No matching complaints in this snapshot.

Official recalls

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

EA92041 · Fuel System Integrity

Opened Dec 8, 1992 · Closed Mar 9, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

There is no summary currently available

EA88016 · High Temp & Fuel Exp

Opened Jan 19, 1988 · Closed Jun 30, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE88016 · Exhaust Manifold Leaks

Opened Jan 14, 1988 · Closed Mar 31, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

SUMMARY:SOME 1981-86 TRUCKS WITH 7.4L ENGINES AND CAST IRON EXHAUSTMANIFOLDS MAY EXPERIENCE A CONDITION WHERE AN EXHAUST LEAK DEVELOPSBETWEEN THE MANIFOLD AND THE CYLINDER HEAD MATING SURFACE CAUSING A NOISECONDITION. MOST OF THE REPORTS (AND ALL OF THE INJURIES AND THEMANIFOLD FIRE) ARE FROM THE P30 MOTORHOME CHASSIS.GM STATES THAT A WARPEDOR CRACKED MANIFOLD WOULD PERMIT SMALL AMOUNTS OF EXHAUST GAS LEAKAGEGENERALLY RESULTING IN NOTICEABLE NOISE AND FUMES.THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDSARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO EXTREME HEAT CONDITIONS (SUCH AS OPERATING UNDER SEVEREENGINE/VEHICULAR LOAD CONDITIONS AND HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES).THEMOTORHOME APPLICATION IS PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS ALLEGED DEFECTSINCE THE VEHICLE IS NEARLY ALWAYS AT OR NEAR THE GVWR OF THE VEHICLE.THEFEW NUMBER OF REPORTS RECEIVED BY ODI FOR A PROBLEM WHICH BEGAN 8 YEARS AGOSUGGESTS THAT THE DEFECT EITHER OCCURS INFREQUENTLY OR IS NOT PERCEIVED ASA SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD.THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED TO IDENTIFYTHE HIGH TEMPERATURE PROBLEM AND PROVIDE A REMEDY AGAINST REOCCURRENCE.===

EA88007 · Lower Control Arm

Opened Nov 6, 1987 · Closed Oct 24, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:MANUFACTURER IS IN RECEIPT OFONE COMPLAINT AND FIVE FIELD REPORTS.PRODUCT REPORT ANALYSIS STATES THELOWER CONTROL ARM FROM WAGGONER CORPORATION APPEARS TO HAVE A SMALL RADIUSAT THE TRANSITION OF THE SIDE WALL TO THE BALL STUD NOSE.CURRENT STAMPINGSOURCE, S.K.D., ALSO HAS A SMALL RADIUS IN THE SAME AREA.S.K.D. HASCHANGED THE TRIM TO INCREASE THE RADIUS TO 1 INCH AND PROVIDE ADDITIONALSTRENGTH IN THE BALL STUD AREA.ANALYSIS:FAILURE DATA INDICATES THE LEFT CONTROL ARM AND DIESEL ENGINEAPPLICATION ARE OVER REPRESENTED.ALL KNOWN FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AT LOWSPEEDS, OR HAVE BEEN LOCATED AS A RESULT OF AN INCREASE IN THE FREQUENCY OFMAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS.BALL JOINT SEPARATION COULD RESULT IN COLLAPSE OFFRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.ACTION: IR TO GM SENT 11/19/87 CONTACT FLEET OWNERS.===

Additional source detail variants (2)

Suspension

PE87056 · Lower Control Arm Failure

Opened Sep 8, 1987 · Closed Nov 6, 1987

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:MANUFACTURER IS IN RECEIPT OFONE COMPLAINT AND FIVE FIELD REPORTS.PRODUCT REPORT ANALYSIS STATES THELOWER CONTROL ARM FROM WAGGONER CORPORATION APPEARS TO HAVE A SMALL RADIUSAT THE TRANSITION OF THE SIDE WALL TO THE BALL STUD NOSE.CURRENT STAMPINGSOURCE, S.K.D., ALSO HAS A SMALL RADIUS IN THE SAME AREA.S.K.D. HASCHANGED THE TRIM TO INCREASE THE RADIUS TO 1 INCH AND PROVIDE ADDITIONALSTRENGTH IN THE BALL STUD AREA.ANALYSIS:DATA INDICATES 38 OF 40 FAILURES INVOLVE THE LEFT CONTROL ARM,39 OF THE VEHICLES ARE POWERED BY THE DIESEL ENGINE.ALL FAILURES HAVEOCCURRED AT LOW SPEEDS, OR HAVE BEEN LOCATED DURING INCREASED FREQUENCYMAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS.SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT FROM THE CONTROLARM COULD CAUSE ONE SIDE OF THE FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE,POSSIBLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.PROPOSED ACTION:UPGRADE THIS PE TO AN EA.===

PE87043 · Exhaust System Heat

Opened Aug 7, 1987 · Closed Jan 14, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:ANALYSIS OF THE 65 COMPLAINTSFORWARDED BY GM ON THIS ISSUE REVEALS THAT 15 OF THE COMPLAINTS MAY BESAFETY RELATED.COMPLAINTS IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM AS A RED HOT EXHAUSTSYSTEM OR MUFFLER FAILURE WERE NOT COUNTED.GM ALSO INCLUDED NUMEROUSCOMPLAINTS PERTAINING TO FUEL EXPULSION IN THE MOTOR HOME CHASSIS.THEYWERE NOT COUNTED SINCE THAT PROBLEM IS ALREADY UNDER INVESTIGATION.CONCERNING BRUSH FIRES RESULTING FROM THE HIGH EXHAUST TEMPERATURES, GMSTATESOUR FIELD EXPERIENCE, AS EVIDENCED BY THE LOW NUMBER OF REPORTSPERTAINING TO THE EXHAUST TEMPERATURE, INDICATES TO US THAT OUR CUSTOMERSARE OBSERVING THE PRECAUTIONS CONTAINED IN OUR OWNER'S MANUAL AND AREEXERCISING THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.ANALYSIS:THE ALLEGED DEFECT ORIGINATES WITH THE GENERATION OF HEAT IN THEEXHAUST SYSTEM.HIGHER EXHAUST TEMPERATURES ARE OCCURRING AS A RESULT OFSTRINGENT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) REQUIREMENTS WHICH WENTINTO EFFECT IN 1985 FOR VEHICLES WITH A GVW IN EXCESS OF 8,500 LBS.THEHIGHER EXHAUST TEMPERATURES CAN LEAD TO EXCESSIVE UNDERBODY TEMPERATURESWHICH MAY RESULT IN FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURIZATION AND A HIGHER POTENTIAL FORTHE EXPULSION OF LIQUID FUEL UPON REMOVAL OF THE FUEL TANK FILLER CAP.INADDITION, OTHER SIDE EFFECTS SUCH AS SMOLDERING ITEMS IN PICK UP BEDS,BURNT TIRES AND MUDFLAPS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.PROPOSED ACTION:UPGRADE THIS PE TO AN EA.SINCE SOME MODELS ARE ALREADYBEING INVESTIGATED, AND COMPLAINT DATA IS SPARSE ON OTHER MODELS, THE NEWEA SHOULD BE DIRECTED ONLY TO VEHICLE MODELS C AND K WHICH UTILIZE THEHEAVY DUTY (VEHICLES WITH A GVW IN EXCESS OF 8,500 LBS) EMISSION SYSTEM.===