Total Complaints
136 filings
CHEVROLET K1500 · model year
136 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994CHEVROLETK1500 carries 136 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 0 fires, 3 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 K1500 is visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor with 23 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer (12) and seats (11). 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 K1500, 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.
Total Complaints
136 filings
Crashes Reported
7 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 23 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 12 |
| SEATS | 11 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 8 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 5 |
| TIRES | 4 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 3 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 3 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
REAR BRAKE LINE CORRODED THRU AND FAILED CAUSING LOW SPEED ACCIDENT. NO INJURIES THANK GOD. BUT IT WAS A BAD EXPERIENCE NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP A 5000LB TRUCK AT ANY SPEED, I WILL ATTEST TO THAT!
Mileage: 168,000
REAR BRAKE LINE CORRODED THRU AND FAILED CAUSING LOW SPEED ACCIDENT. NO INJURIES THANK GOD. BUT IT WAS A BAD EXPERIENCE NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP A 5000LB TRUCK AT ANY SPEED, I WILL ATTEST TO THAT!
Mileage: 168,000
REAR BRAKE LINE CORRODED THRU AND FAILED CAUSING LOW SPEED ACCIDENT. NO INJURIES THANK GOD. BUT IT WAS A BAD EXPERIENCE NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP A 5000LB TRUCK AT ANY SPEED, I WILL ATTEST TO THAT!
Mileage: 168,000
COOPER DISCOVERER M+S TREADWEAR FAILURE. *TR
Mileage: 243,150
SPARE TIRE FELL OFF BOTTOM OF TRUCK ONTO THE ROADWAY BECAUSE OF RUSTED BRACKET COMPONENTS. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS FOLLOWING BEHIND AT THE TIME. HAVE NOT DECIDED ABOUT REPAIR. *TR
Mileage: 208,000
SPARE TIRE FELL OFF BOTTOM OF TRUCK ONTO THE ROADWAY BECAUSE OF RUSTED BRACKET COMPONENTS. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS FOLLOWING BEHIND AT THE TIME. HAVE NOT DECIDED ABOUT REPAIR. *TR
Mileage: 208,000
WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. THEN WHEN THEY DO WORK THEY COME ON AND GO OFF HALF WAY IN PROCESSION AND GET STUCK. *TR
Mileage: 140,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVROLET K1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES AS NOTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,800.
Mileage: 134,800
1994 CHEVROLET K1500. LETTER FROM CONSTITUENT CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF THE CABLE HOLDER DESIGN THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE UNDER PICKUP TRUCKS, FEELS THIS IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. *NJ THE TIRE CABLE HAD RUSTED AND BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO DROP ON THE GROUND. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVROLET K1500. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION AND THE INSPECTOR SMELLED GASOLINE. THE INSPECTOR NOTICED THAT THE FRAME HAD EXCESSIVE RUST AND THE FUEL AND TRANSMISSION LINES FAILED DUE TO THE RUSTED FRAME. AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2008, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 99,000. UPDATED 12/22/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/22/08. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED HE FILED A COMPLAINT OVER A YEAR AGO AND HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING. HE WAS TOLD HE WOULD RECEIVE PAPERWORK. UPDATED 03/12/10 UPDATED 03/22/10 UPDATED 07/15/10.*JB UPDATED 07/21/10.*JB UPDATED 06/08/11.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME ON THE TRUCK WAS RUSTED AND BOTH THE MAIN STEEL JOINTS UNDER THE TRUCK ENGINE COMPARTMENT, PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WERE BAD. THE JOINTS WERE MADE OF SQUARED TUBULAR STEEL AS OPPOSED TO SOLID STEEL. UPDATED 04/29/14*JB UPDATED 07/02/14. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE MULTI PART CONSTRUCTION
Mileage: 99,000
I HAVE A 1994 CHEVY 1500 TRUCK THAT I HAVE FOUND TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS ARE INVOLVED IN A CHEVY RECALL BUT MY TRUCK IS NOT INCLUDED. IT HAS EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE ONES INVOLVED IN YOUR RECALL. HOW EVER I AM REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THIS FIX. I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU VEHICLES HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT CLOSELY ENOUGH FOR ALL WITH THIS PROBLEM TO HAVE BEEN INCLUDED. OUR WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD IS NOT WORKING JUST AS ALL THE ONES THAT ARE COVERED. WE ARE VERY DISSATISFIED WITH SERVICE AT CHEVROLET. *NM
Mileage: 125,000
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A LEAK IN THE BRAKE LINE WAS NOTICED WHEN FLUID WAS FOUND ON THE GROUND UNDER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT ALERTED.
Mileage: 102,000
1994 CHEVY PICKUP RIVETS SHEERED OFF. *TS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT RIVETS SHEERED OFF. THESE WERE FACTORY RIVETS. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT A YEAR. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INFORMED HIM THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL 03V159000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. THERE HAD BEEN NO CORRECTIONS PRIOR TO THIS, BUT THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP BEING REPAIRED NOW.*AK
Mileage: 160,000
DT: CONSUMER OWNED A 1994 CHEVROLET K1500 AND FOUND A RECALL 03V159000. CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY STATED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED THE RECALL. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE;. THEY REQUIRED THE CONSUMER TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THIS HAPPENED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS.*AK
DT: 1994 CHEVROLET K1500 PICKUP. CONSUMER WAS UNDER TRUCK AND NOTICED THE SPARE TIRE ASSEMBLY WAS GONE DUE TO RUSTING OF THE WINCH CABLE. THE TIRE FELL OUT AND DISAPPEARED. CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW WHERE SPARE MAY HAVE BEEN LOST AT. CONSUMER SAYS THAT HE HAS REMOVED SPARE A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE AND EVEN LUBRICATED CABLE. CONSUMER HAS GREAT CONCERN FOR THE DANGER OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN WHEN SPARE IS LOST AT SPEED.*AK
Mileage: 93,000
WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD FAILURE. WIPERS FAIL TO WORK SOMETIMES. WHEN THEY DO WORK THEY DON'T WORK PROPERLY. TOOK VEHICAL TO DEALER TO HAVE RECALL WORK DONE AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CURRENT RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND MODEL YEAR VEHICAL THAT I FOUND ON THIS WEB SITE.
FAILURE WITH LEHMANS A/T TIRES EXPLODING AND TREAD SEPARATION.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE TIRE EXPLODED AND THE TREAD SEPARATED. THE TIRE DEALER REFUSED TO ACCEPT FINANCIAL RESPONSIBLY FOR THE TIRE STATING THAT THE FAILURE WAS AN IMPACT RELATED FAILURE. *NM
Mileage: 72,880
03 V 159 000/WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR: VEHICLE WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB
Mileage: 100,000
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING WHILE IN USE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO JIGGLE THE PLUG THAT WENT INTO THE WIPERS TO RESTART THE WIPERS. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A CRACK IN THE SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THERE WAS A RECALL 03V15900 FOR THIS ISSUE BUT THE TRUCK VIN # IS OUTSIDE THE REMEDY SCOPE. *NM THE PROBLEM EXISTED SINCE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS HAD POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH OCCURRED IN 1998. *SC *JB
Mileage: 50,000
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Fuel Line Leak
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.