Total Complaints
8 filings
CHEVROLET C10 · model year
1986 CHEVROLET C10
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986CHEVROLETC10 carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 C10 is fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly with 4 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1) and power train (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1986 C10, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000906FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
PLASTIC COVER ON FUEL TANK ALLOWED SAND TO COLECT CAUSING RUST THRU OF FUEL TANK AND FUEL LEAKAGE
20000906FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
STEEL FUEL FILTER ADAPTER THREADS STRIPED CARB BODY CAUSING FUEL LEAK ONTO ENGINE
19990711FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 1986 CHEVY 1/2 TON PU TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE WHILE TRAVELLING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH WITH ME AND MY 71 YEAR OLD FATHER IN IT. I AM CONVINCED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING AND PRESSURE BLOWING THE FLUID OUT THE DIPSTICK TUBE. AT THE TIME WE WERE PULLING A BOAT (18' PONTOON BOAT) DOWN ALABAMA INTERSTATE 65 SOUTH WHEN WE HEARD SEVERAL EXPLOSIONS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IT WAS APPROX. 4:45 AM ON 6/18/99. I LOOKED OUT MY SIDE WINDOW AND SAW LARGE BRIGHT ORANGE AND YELLOW REFLECTIONS ON THE PAVEMENT INDICATING A SEVERE FIRE UNDERNEATH OUR VEHICLE (THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF A PROBLEM BEFORE THE EXPLOSIONS OCCURRED). WE WERE APPROACHING AN OVERPASS WITH AN 18 WHEELER DIRECTLY BEHIND US AND ANOTHER VEHICLE OVERTAKING US IN THE LEFT PASSING LANE. THERE WAS NO SAFE PLACE (SHOULDER) TO STOP. I PROCEEDED ACROSS THE OVERPASS AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE NOT INJURED AND THAT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE AND BOAT DID NOT BURN TOTALLY. ONCE I G
19970807POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER FAILED, A MUCH LOWER MILEAGE WAS INDICATED THAN VEHICLE ACTUALLY TRAVELED. *AK
19960911FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
STARTED TO SMELL GAS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE GAS TANK SUPPORTS HAD RUSTED THROUGHAND CAUSED THE GAS TANK TO COME LOOSE/VIBRATE WHICH RUBBED A HOLE IN THE TANK. *AK
19960125FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
THE GAS TANK COLLECTS WATER AND HOLDS IT AND THE GAS TANK RUSTS OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19960125FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
THE GAS TANK COLLECTS WATER AND HOLDS IT AND THE GAS TANK RUSTS OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950525SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SHOULDER/LAP BELT BUCKLE WON'T RELEASE, ALSO PASSENGER BUCKLE POPS OPEN. TT
Compare 1986CHEVROLETC10 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 1986 CHEVROLET C10 have?▼
The 1986 CHEVROLET C10 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 CHEVROLET C10?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 CHEVROLET C10 is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 1986 CHEVROLET C10 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.