Total Complaints
14 filings
CHEVROLET C SERIES (LIGHT) · model year
1989 CHEVROLET C SERIES (LIGHT)
14 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989CHEVROLETC SERIES (LIGHT) carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1989 C SERIES (LIGHT) is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 2 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission:torque converter (2) and suspension:front:control arm (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1989 C SERIES (LIGHT), and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
14
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19960425STRUCTURE
INSUFFICIENT ROOM IN CAB OF TRUCK FOR CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS/BOOSTER SEATS. *DSH
19960425SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
FRONT RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATED. *DSH
19960222STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
REPLACED IDLER ARM.
19960222CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP 3 TIMES, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURY. *AK
19960222POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
ADJUSTED SHIFT INDICATOR.
19960222ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
REPLACED BATTERY PARTS.
19960222EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
REPAIRED BRAKE LIGHTS.
19960222POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED TWICE. *AK
19960222CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP 3 TIMES, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURY. *AK
19960222POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED TWICE. *AK
19950802AIR BAGS
THE SRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. DUP OF 969100. *AK
19950601ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE OIL SENSOR FAILED, RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE.
19950601ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR REPLACED DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING. *AW
19950223CrashSUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
BALL JOINT SEPARATED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, ALSO PREMATURE WEAR OF TIRES (OTHER VEHICLE FROM 478116). *AK
Compare 1989CHEVROLETC SERIES (LIGHT) to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 CHEVROLET C SERIES (LIGHT) have?▼
The 1989 CHEVROLET C SERIES (LIGHT) has 14 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 CHEVROLET C SERIES (LIGHT)?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 CHEVROLET C SERIES (LIGHT) is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER and SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM.
Is the 1989 CHEVROLET C SERIES (LIGHT) safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1989 CHEVROLET C SERIES (LIGHT); no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.