1986 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck: common problems

Owners of the 1986 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 4

What fails most often

1 Fuel system 50% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
3 Tires 25% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Fuel system: 2 complaints (50% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Tires: 1 complaints (25% of all).

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Fuel system	2	0	0
Electrical system	1	0	0
Tires	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.

The vehicle was equipped with two highly dangerous explosive side saddle fuel tanks that have taken the life of many. Gm offered 1000k dollars towards the purchase of a new gm vehicle or $100 dollars, and since the consumers vehicle was in good condition, he decided to take the $100 dollars which he hasn't received…
Fuel system · 2003-06-04 · NHTSA complaint #10021683
The firestone steeltex radial r4s lt235/85r16 m/s on the rear of the vehicle bounces and appears to be out of round, one front tire is not flat across but rounded (bubble), the tires have approximately 15-20,000 miles on them and have tread left.
Tires · 2000-12-19 · NHTSA complaint #557853

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19961
20002
20031

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Chevrolet Truck has 16 complaints (32 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.

What to check before buying

Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1986 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, electrical system, tires. Total complaints: 4.

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

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 1986 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck 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 1986 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.