Total Complaints
6 filings
CHEVROLET C3500 · model year
1990 CHEVROLET C3500
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990CHEVROLETC3500 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, 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 1990 C3500 is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (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 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.
6
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120715TIRES
ON, JUNE16/17, 2012, DRIVING, OUR 1990 K3500, DUALLY TRUCK, WE HAD TWO TIRES BLOWOUT, INSIDE DUALS, ONE ON DRIVERS, ONE ON PASSENGERS, REARS. THE WHOLE TREAD, SEPARATED,FROM THE CAP. THE TIRES DID $5,000, DAMAGE, TO OUR TRUCK; WE WERE LUCKY, WE WERE NOT HURT. WE FILED A CLAIM, WITH BFGOODWRICH, TIRE MANUFACTURER, AS TIRES, WERE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND ONLY HAD 17,000 MILES, ON THEM, AND WERE WELL TAKEN CARE OF, AND PROPERLY, INFLATED. *TR
Mileage: 84,000
20120715FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
ON, JUNE16/17, 2012, DRIVING, OUR 1990 K3500, DUALLY TRUCK, WE HAD TWO TIRES BLOWOUT, INSIDE DUALS, ONE ON DRIVERS, ONE ON PASSENGERS, REARS. THE WHOLE TREAD, SEPARATED,FROM THE CAP. THE TIRES DID $5,000, DAMAGE, TO OUR TRUCK; WE WERE LUCKY, WE WERE NOT HURT. WE FILED A CLAIM, WITH BFGOODWRICH, TIRE MANUFACTURER, AS TIRES, WERE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND ONLY HAD 17,000 MILES, ON THEM, AND WERE WELL TAKEN CARE OF, AND PROPERLY, INFLATED. *TR
Mileage: 84,000
19980407SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED DUE TO CORROSION OF THE ABS MASTER CYLINDER.
19971218SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.
19971027POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
STARTED VEHICLE, BUT UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR (AUTOMATIC). AFTER RESTARTING, ENGINE RUNNING, TRANSMISSION MAKES A WHISTLING NOISE. WOULD GO ABOUT 30MPH, ONCE IN GEAR BE FOR SHIFTING AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. *AK
19970929SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHEN TRYING TO PLACE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT INTO BELT BUCKLE, THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY INTO BUCKLE. *AK
Compare 1990CHEVROLETC3500 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 C3500 have?▼
The 1990 CHEVROLET C3500 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 CHEVROLET C3500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 CHEVROLET C3500 is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS.
Is the 1990 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.