AI Damage1991 GMC S15: common problems
Owners of the 1991 GMC S15 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 75% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 25% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (75% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 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 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 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.
1) oxygen sensor failed at 37k miles & wouldn't pass state emission inspection, whole system rewired. Oxygen sensor failed again at 73k miles, new sensor installed. Oxygen sensor failing at 117k miles. Have not had it replaced yet.
Anti-lock braking system has become inoperative, no longer functions , abs lights came on and remained on, dealer will change electro hydraulic control unit.
Rear passenger center seat belt buckle, male won't go into female portion. Tt
While driving experience intermittent failure of anti-lock brake control module, rendering abs inoperative, without warning. Tt electronics inside abs control module failed and the unit was not servicable.
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 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S15 has 3 complaints (17 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 GMC S15?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, seat belts, electrical system. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (25%), brake failure (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 GMC S15?
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 GMC S15 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.