PlainCars

CHEVROLET C10 · model year

1994 CHEVROLET C10

25 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1994CHEVROLETC10 carries 25 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 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 1994 C10 is visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor with 6 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (5) and seats:front assembly:recliner (4). 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 1994 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.

25
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

25 filings

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

ComponentCount
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE5
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER4
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION1
SEATS1
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING1

Recent Complaints

20031121VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD/WIPER FAILURE ON 1994 CHEVROLET C10. NOTICED ON NHTSA'S WEBSITE THAT THERE IS A RECALL # 98V150001 AND ALSO A RECALL NOTICE FROM CONSUMER REPORT INVOLVING THIS PROBLEM. CHEVY ADVISED THAT THERE IS NOT CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. WIPERS WILL INTERMITTENTLY WORK. *LA

20030616VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH ITS WINDSHIELD WIPER WIRING AS STATED IN RECALL 98 V 150 001; BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

Mileage: 80,000

20021016VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER INTERMITTENLY WORKS. MR

20020128VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WHEN DRIVING AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NEEDED, THEY WERE INOPERABLE, CAUSING POOR DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. RECALL 98V150000 DEALS WITH SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SPORADICALLY. CONSUMER REPAIRED PROBLEM HIMSELF. *JG

20010815VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

98 V 150 001/ 98 V 150 000/WINDSHIELD WIPER WIRING: WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THIS CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, REDUCING DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND INCREASING RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALLS DUE TO VIN. *AK CONSUMER STATES WIPERS WILL WORK IF YOU TAP ON THE WIPER MOTOR, CONSUMER ALSO STATES HIS WIPER SYMPTOMS ARE THE EXACT SAME AS WHAT IT STATES IN THE RECALL. *SLC

20010531VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEMS AS STATED IN RECALL 98V150001/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, SOLDIER JOINTS NEAR WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CRACKED. MANUFACTURER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SLC

20010531VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEMS AS STATED IN RECALL 98V150001/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, SOLDIER JOINTS NEAR WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CRACKED. MANUFACTURER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SLC

20000322VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

VEHICLE NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE DUE TO VIN. NLM

19991011VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS EXHIBIT THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN CAMPAIGN NUMBER 98V150001. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER AND CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE TO OBTAIN REPAIRS AND BOTH TELL ME THAT THE CAMPAIGN DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. PERHAPS THE SCOPE OF THE CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE EXPANDED.

19991008VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL ACTIVATE ON THEIR OWN WHILE THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

19990824VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. SOMETIMES THEY STOP DURING PERFORMANCE, AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T COME ON AT ALL. DEALER SAYS THE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

19990722SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKS UP, RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. OWNER SAYS THAT THE WHEELS LOCK UP WHEN A LOAD IS IN THE TRUCK OR A TRAILER IS ATTACHED TO IT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

19981218SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL FOR BROKEN BOLTS OF SEAT BACK. RECALL WAS REPAIRED IN APRIL 1996, THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AGAIN ON DEC. 11, 9. DEALER SAID BECAUSE OF TIME BETWEEN RECALL REPAIRS AND DEFECT REOCURRENCE THEY WILL REPAIR FOR FEES ONLY. THE SEAT RECLINER MACHENISM BOLTS BROKE AND THE SEAT BACK FALLS BACK. *AK

19981005FireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED SURGING, PULLED OVER CHECKED AND FOUND NOTHING. STARTED VEHICLE UP AGAIN, BEFORE MOVING THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE DEFECT. *AK POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC

19981005FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED SURGING, PULLED OVER CHECKED AND FOUND NOTHING. STARTED VEHICLE UP AGAIN, BEFORE MOVING THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE DEFECT. *AK POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC

19980112ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WILL CUT OFF AND THE DRIVER LOSES ALL STEERING AND BRAKES AND THE DRIVER DOES NOT HAVE ANY CONTROL ON THE TRUCK. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER 4-5 TIMES, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE PROBLEM STILL IS HAPPENING. THE TRUCK WILL CUT OFF FOR NO REASON AND NO WARNING. *AK

19970721STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE

WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 20 TO 40 MPH THE REAR TAILGATE OPENED DUE TO BAD ADJUSTERS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

19960923ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, MISFIRES WHEN ACCELERATING.

19960408SEATS

RECALL RELATED, VEHICLE IS IN FOR REPAIR, 93V2160000, PARTS ARE ON ORDER WITH NO REQUIRED DELVIERY DATE. *AK

19960312SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING OR MOTIONLESS, HIGH BUCKET SEATBACK ROCKS BACK AND FORTH ON SEAT TRACK AND ANCHOR, ALSO NOTICED POPPING SOUND, DEALER CAN'T CORRECT. *AK

Compare 1994CHEVROLETC10 to Similar Vehicles

C10 vs FORDF-150 → C10 vs FORDEXPLORER → C10 vs JEEPGRAND CHEROKEE → C10 vs FORDESCAPE →

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

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1994 CHEVROLET C10 have?▼
The 1994 CHEVROLET C10 has 25 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 CHEVROLET C10?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 CHEVROLET C10 is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER.
Is the 1994 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

Understanding NHTSA Complaints → Vehicle Recalls Explained → Safest Car Brands 2026 → Most Reliable Used Cars → Lemon Law Guide →

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.