Total Complaints
5 filings
CHEVROLET EXPLORER · model year
1999 CHEVROLET EXPLORER
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999CHEVROLETEXPLORER carries 5 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 1999 EXPLORER is exterior lighting:headlights with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers (1) and air bags:on-off switch assembly (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 1999 EXPLORER, 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.
5
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 |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030808STEERING
WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AREA. *JB
20030402SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
THE CALIPER BOLTS WERE MISSING, WHICH CAUSED A VIBRATION. *JB
20020924AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATES; WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASH ON AND OFF. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND FIXED COUPLE TIME AN THE PROBLEM STILL REOCCCURING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
20020711ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
AT 5MPH PUT ON TURN SIGNAL AND STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSE A FIRE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
20010117EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
IN GENERAL, HEADLIGHTS ARE AIMED TOO HIGH. I AIM MINE LOWER TO ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY BUT NOT THE TREES. THE STANDARD FOR HEADLIGHT AIM NEEDS TO BE REVISED TO LOWER SUBSTANTIALLY. IN ADDITION, THE ADVENT OF FOG LAMPS IS A DISSAPPOINTMENT. FIRST, THEY ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL. THEY BROADCAST LIGHT, RATHER THAN AIM IT IN A NARROW BEAM ALONG THE ROADWAY JUST OFF PAVEMENT HEIGHT. THEY DIRECT LIGHT UP INTO THE LINE OF SIGHT JUST IN FRONT OF THE GRILL, PLACING ADDITIONAL GLARE IN THE DRIVERS VIEW. SOME OF THESE "FOG LAMPS" ARE ALSO FAR TOO BRIGHT, PRODUCING MORE GLARE FOR ON-COMING DRIVERS THAN THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS. THE WORST OFFENDERS ARE DAIMLER-CHRYSLER MINIVANS AND MID-SIZED SEDANS, PLUS PONTIAC MINIVANS. THE AIM AND POWER OF THESE LAMPS-FOR-STYLE MUST BE CONTROLLED TO MINIMIZE THEIR EFFECT ON DRIVER VISION. SO, LOWER HEADLIGHT AIM, AND DIM THE GLARE FROM "FOG LIGHTS". THANK YOU.
Compare 1999CHEVROLETEXPLORER 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 1999 CHEVROLET EXPLORER have?▼
The 1999 CHEVROLET EXPLORER has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 CHEVROLET EXPLORER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 CHEVROLET EXPLORER is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS and AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1999 CHEVROLET EXPLORER 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.