AI Damage1986 Chevrolet G20: common problems
Owners of the 1986 Chevrolet G20 filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 25% of all complaints
- 3 Seats 25% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 25% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 4 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 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 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.
I had zanesville joint and clutch make me a new driveshaft for my 1986 chevy g-20 van, because my old driveshaft was creating a vibration. This new one piece driveshaft was aprox. 65.5" in length from center to center of u-joint, using 2.75" o.d. By .065" wall thickness seamed tubing.
While driving the driver's and all passengers' seats unexpectedly release to the reclning position. Cause unknown. Plesase give any further details.
Seat belts on conversion van are too short, seat belt will not hold child seat, seat belts were put in by u.s. Conversion, dealer said seat belt are wrong size
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 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the G20 has 14 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1986 Chevrolet G20?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, seat belts, seats. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (25%), vibration (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Chevrolet G20?
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 G20 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.