AI Damage1989 GMC Pick UP: common problems
Owners of the 1989 GMC Pick UP filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 25% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Tires: 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 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 fuel line rusted, resulting in a fluid leak. This problem caused consumer to refill the fuel tank more than often. The consumer believes that the fuel lines should not leak after only 14 years of service. The consumer knew of four other people with the same failure.
Ihave four firestone firehawk r4s tires size 30x9.50r15. Amount of miles on tires equals 32,748;tread depth equals 8/32. The right front tire has failed. It has a large bulge in the tread. The tire did not blow out because I caught it in time.
Front differential frame bracket broke, causing cases to break due to snow plow being used.
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 Pick UP has 11 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
- Pick UP 19853 sources
- Pick UP 19863 sources
- Pick UP 19874 sources
- Pick UP 19885 sources
- Pick UP 19908 sources
- Pick UP 19916 sources
- Pick UP 199210 sources
- Pick UP 199313 sources
- Pick UP 199423 sources
- Pick UP 199532 sources
- Pick UP 199619 sources
- Pick UP 199722 sources
- Pick UP 199814 sources
- Pick UP 199923 sources
- Pick UP 200012 sources
- Pick UP 20015 sources
- Pick UP 20025 sources
- Pick UP 999926 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1989 GMC Pick UP?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, fuel system, powertrain. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (25%), smoke, burning smell, fire (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 GMC Pick UP?
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 1989 GMC Pick UP 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 1989 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.