AI Damage1991 Chevrolet K15: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Chevrolet K15 filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 33% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 22% of all complaints
- 3 Parking brake 11% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 11% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (33% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Parking brake: 1 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 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 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
Parking brake releases after driver leaves truck, no warning.
Restraint retractor locks in position and will not extend or retract without considerable manipulation.
7/9/93 reprted clanking noise in rear differtanal @ 11462 mi. Told it was a normal noise.@ 54257 mi.rear differtanal had axle leaks repaired.@at 70876.0 miles 11/5/97 complete overhaul of rear differtal @ a cost of $1354.00 0n 1/7/99 @89000.0 miles rear dirrerantl complete self destructed shooting metal object though…
Driving down highway about 65mph saw smoke coming from behind the vehicle, stopped and noticed the vehicle was on fire.the insurance investigator said main seal on transmission burst, causing a fire.
Was driving and applied the brake pedal, went to the floor ,took to dealer on one occassion and he replaced the h2500 module electrical brake control, since then has taken back a couple of times.
While driving, bolts backed out of tilt steering column, steering wheel jammed/locked up, no warning, near causing accident.
Abs braking system works in 4 wheel drive and it is not designed for that use.causing dangerous driving conditions on steep and bumpy roads. Tt
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 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the K15 has 12 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 9, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Parking brake. Electric parking brake, codes, calipers.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Chevrolet K15?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, powertrain, parking brake. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rollaway, parking brake (11%), smoke, burning smell, fire (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Chevrolet K15?
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 K15 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.