AI Damage1999 Chevrolet Chevy VAN: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Chevrolet Chevy VAN filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 17% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 17% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 8% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (25% of all).
- Air bags: 2 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
Airbags did not deploy & steering knuckle defective updated 10/21/14 the consumer stated there are multiple failures with the steering. Updated 7/8/2015
Complaint with passlockii security system.have experienced 10000+ damage to car because of towing.car will not start at times.security light flashes.dealer has not been able to fix.car damged twice by roadside.dealer replaced security modular,.I have at least 15 repair attempts by dealer.damage to car at only 9000…
Pushed the brakes and there was no brakes. Rear brake lines leaking. All rusted berak lines on this 1999 chevy silverado
One is 2003 on 06/12 and 1999 on 10/13 the 2003 vehicle I was driving me and my 7 kids in the middle of the free way and out of no where the van start slowing the speed from 60 mph to 30 mph suddenly out of no where the engine start smoking and the hole transmission fall in the middle of the fwy my kids start…
My power locks stopped working, my power windows move very slow & I have to help pull and push them down and now my passenger side window don't even move. My fuel was leaking by intake. My check engine, air bags, brakes, battery lights come on & off. Headlights are very dim and foggy, forget turning signals.
Vehicle skips time or misfires first told was due to spark plugs wires , then distributor gears broke and embedded in cam shaft 4000 miles later same problem now saying cam shaft bent 2800.00 to replace already spent close to 2000.00 also transmission shifts hard between 1 & 2nd was told to have rebuilt.
Since I have owned the van I have had problems with rear axle and I haven't had any abs with my brakes since I have owned the van. The chevrolet dealership I purchased my van from wouldn't fix the warranty work leaving my van dangerous to drive.
The failure apparently was due to corrosion of the air bag driver, which is located under the driver's seat, under a rubber mat with a fabric insulation. Driver and air bag were both replaced.
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 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Chevy VAN has 6 complaints (17 years in the data). This year has 12, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Chevrolet Chevy VAN?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (17%), rust, corrosion (17%), warning lights, check engine (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Chevrolet Chevy VAN?
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 1999 Chevrolet Chevy VAN 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 1999 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.