AI Damage1991 Chevrolet C1500: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Chevrolet C1500 filed 39 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and tires. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 39
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 38% of all complaints
- 2 Tires 13% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 4 Visibility 10% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 8% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 5% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 15 complaints (38% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Tires: 5 complaints (13% of all).
- Structure: 4 complaints (10% of all).
- Visibility: 4 complaints (10% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (8% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 5 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- 5.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- 7.4 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- 6.2 L · diesel · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 39 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Driving at 50mph front left tire separated luckily I was able to control vehicle. A spare was put on-some minor damage to truck undercarriage.
The contact stated that upon inspection, it was found that the frame was perforated due to rust. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
I was driving on freeway 65 miles an hour. This is the first time it happened in 2011. My truck felt like someone lassoed my bumper. I was out of control but no one got hurt . Thank god! When I was able to get out and check my tire, it still had air in it but the tread had separated and wrapped around my rear axle.
When the truck gets hot, the emergency light comes on ,and the whole instrument panel control does not operate properly. When this happens, and when trying to turn the panel on and off nothing comes off. Consumer cannot read the amount of fuel in tank or how fast vehicle is traveling.
While pulling into highway driveshaft has broken in half. Dealer and manufacturer were not notified at this time. Feel free to provide any further information.
Multiple failures. Any impact on the module restarts windshield wipers.
Vehicle didn't come equipped with head rests and consumer would like them to be added to the vehicle, consumer is concerned because the seats would not prevent whiplash or decapitation.
Pe00 020 ; consumer was traveling about 35mph on side street and felt steering wheel vibrating back and forth. When he got home he noticed that left front tire tread separated from the rim. Firestone wilderness#at, p23575r15, #dot vdh1. There were no injuries.he also contacted firestone.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,011 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C1500 has 91 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 39, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Chevrolet C1500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, tires, structure. Total complaints: 39. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (8%), brake failure (5%), smoke, burning smell, fire (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Chevrolet C1500?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1991 Chevrolet C1500 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1991 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.