Total Complaints
6 filings
CHEVROLET C20 · model year
1990 CHEVROLET C20
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990CHEVROLETC20 carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 4 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 1990 C20 is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by suspension:rear (1) and vehicle speed control (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 1990 C20, 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.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030213FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
*OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT* THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE IN MOTION.*JG *JB
20001219FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE AND PULLED OVER, HE OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE UNDERCARRIAGE COMPARTMENT AREA WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE, THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING AND BURNING, THE FIRE WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY THE ENGINE OR FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *SLC
20001219FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE AND PULLED OVER, HE OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE UNDERCARRIAGE COMPARTMENT AREA WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE, THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING AND BURNING, THE FIRE WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY THE ENGINE OR FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *SLC
19981202FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE (OHIO CRASH REPORT).
19970408VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED IT WILL SHUT ITSELF OFF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK
19950622SUSPENSION:REAR
THE REAR END WAS MAKING NOISE THE END CASE SNAP CONSUMER TOOK HOME AND IT HAS AIR BUBBLE IN THE WELD. TT
Compare 1990CHEVROLETC20 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 1990 CHEVROLET C20 have?▼
The 1990 CHEVROLET C20 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 CHEVROLET C20?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 CHEVROLET C20 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:REAR and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1990 CHEVROLET C20 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.