Total Complaints
12 filings
CHEVROLET C3500 · model year
1989 CHEVROLET C3500
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989CHEVROLETC3500 carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 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 1989 C3500 is structure:body:door with 3 filings, followed by visibility:power window devices and controls (3) and tires:tread/belt (2). 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 1989 C3500, 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.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 3 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110510TIRES
TIRES CHUNKING AND WEAK SIDEWALLS. *TR
Mileage: 35,200
20020701POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
SEPARATION OF WHEEL, HUB AND AXLE ASSEMBLY FROM VEHICLE WHILE UNDERWAY. INSPECTION OF THE COMPONENTS REVEALED A CRACKED BEARING RETAINING NUT, WHICH ALLOWED THE NUT'S INSIDE DIAMETER TO EXPAND AND SLIDE OFF THE THREADED HUB. RECOVERED PARTS INCLUDE THE NUT, KEY, AND RETAINER RING, ALL OF WHICH APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED. ALSO DAMAGED AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS THE AXLE SHAFT, WHICH FRACTURED AT THE OUTBOARD EDGE OF THE SPLINE AREA, ABOUT 3 INCHES FROM THE TIP. I COULD NOT DETERMINE IF THE AXLE FRACTURE OCCURRED WHILE THE AXLE WAS IN THE HOUSING OR IF THE DAMAGE WAS THE RESULT OF THE AXLE EXTENDING OUT OF THE HOUSING OR THE SUBSEQUENT TUMBLING OF THE WHEEL/AXLE ASSEMBLY AFTER SEPARATION. THIS IS A NON-POSITRACK REAREND SO THE AXLE FAILURE COULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED VERY LONG BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY SEPERATION. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN A RURAL AREA AND RESULTED IN NO DAMAGE OTHER THAN TO THE REAR AXLE HOUSING AND BRAKE BACKING PLATE. ALL AXLE BEARINGS TURN FREELY. THERE IS
20010629TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND SHAKE . HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. TREAD CAME COMPLETLY OFF. BRIDGESTONE, DULLER, 9.50X16.5 #DOT VD. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20010413TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD SEPARATION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 7BA3PUA208 TIRESIZE: 245/75R16)
20000315STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
PAINT HAS CONTINUED TO PEEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITENTLY, POWER WINDOWS ALSO WORK SPORADICALLY. THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
20000315VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
PAINT HAS CONTINUED TO PEEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITENTLY, POWER WINDOWS ALSO WORK SPORADICALLY. THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
20000315STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
PAINT HAS CONTINUED TO PEEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITENTLY, POWER WINDOWS ALSO WORK SPORADICALLY. THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
20000315VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
PAINT HAS CONTINUED TO PEEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITENTLY, POWER WINDOWS ALSO WORK SPORADICALLY. THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
20000315STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
PAINT HAS CONTINUED TO PEEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITENTLY, POWER WINDOWS ALSO WORK SPORADICALLY. THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
20000315VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
PAINT HAS CONTINUED TO PEEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITENTLY, POWER WINDOWS ALSO WORK SPORADICALLY. THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
19990811SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE FAILING TO STOP PROPERLY WHILE DRIVING. NO MTTER WHAT THE SPEED MAY BE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
19981020FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE HAS TWO SIDE SADDLE FUEL TANKS, WHICH IS A POOR DESIGN.
Compare 1989CHEVROLETC3500 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 C3500 have?▼
The 1989 CHEVROLET C3500 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 CHEVROLET C3500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 CHEVROLET C3500 is STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS and TIRES:TREAD/BELT.
Is the 1989 CHEVROLET C3500 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.