Total Complaints
4 filings
CHEVROLET K3500 · model year
1993 CHEVROLET K3500
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993CHEVROLETK3500 carries 4 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 1993 K3500 is visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel (1) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer (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 1993 K3500, 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.
4
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 |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100525STRUCTURE
1993 CHEVROLET K3500. RUST ISSUES. THE VEHICLE IS SUCH A RUST BUCKET THAT THE METAL THAT THE PLASTIC REAR BLINKER SCREWS INTO RUSTED AWAY AND THE BLINKER FELL OUT. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I DROVE BEFORE I NOTICED IT HANGING BEHIND ME. FURTHERMORE, THE FRAME HAS THROUGH RUST HOES AND THE BODY HAS TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF RUST AS WELL. *TR
Mileage: 225,000
20031218VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
MALFUCTIONING WINDSHIELD WIPERS:993 CHEVROLET K3500 WIPER PROBLEM. WAS INFORMED BY A RELATIVE ABOUT A RECALL EFFECTING THEIR TWO TRUCKS CONCERNING A WIPER FAILURE. THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO DETERIORATION OF A SOLDERED CONNECTION ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE FAILURE MODE IS THAT THE WIPERS JUST QUIT WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE RECALL (J#97CZT02054 I BELIEVE) WAS FIRST INITIATED TO COVER 98 AND UP. IT WAS LATER EXTENDED TO COVER THE 94-97 MODELS. THE 98 RECALL NUMBER IS 98043 I BELIEVE. I ASSUME THAT I HAVE THE SAME PART IN MY 93,: 12463090 MODULE 16.067, AND SEALANT 12345739, AS MY WIPERS FIRST FAILED JUST THIS LAST SUMMER AND THEY NOW WORK INTERMITTENTLY. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS ONLY A PROBLEM WHEN ITS RAINING/SNOWING!! I HAUL A 10,000 LB HORSETRAILER WITH HORSES IN IT SO THIS IS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. THE FIRST TIME IT FAILED I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I LIFTED THE HOOD AND PECKED ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD HOUSING AND THE WIPERS STARTING UP AGAIN. THE PROB
Mileage: 63,750
20030911ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT ENGINE PROBLEMS. ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT HAD NO ANSWERS TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER STATED THAT HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE UNLESS THEY TOOK THE ENGINE APART.*AK
20010830VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILS AT DIFFERENT TIMES. I HAVE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT LATER TRUCKS HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THE SAME WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. I HAVE DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION WHEN THE WIPER FAILED WHILE DRIVING. YOU CAN GET THE WIPER MOTOR TO START AGAIN BY REACHING UNDER THE HOOD AND JIGGLE THE WIRING HARNESS THAT CONNECTS TO THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR. THAT SOMETIMES WILL START THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKING BUT WHEN IT DOES IT TYPICALLY WILL ONLY OPERATE IN THE HIGH SPEED MODE.*AK
Compare 1993CHEVROLETK3500 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 1993 CHEVROLET K3500 have?▼
The 1993 CHEVROLET K3500 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 CHEVROLET K3500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1993 CHEVROLET K3500 is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER.
Is the 1993 CHEVROLET K3500 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.