Total Complaints
2 filings
CHEVROLET PICKUP · model year
1973 CHEVROLET PICKUP
2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1973CHEVROLETPICKUP carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, 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 1973 PICKUP is unknown or other with 1 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (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 1973 PICKUP, 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.
2
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140330CrashFireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY GM PICK UP TRUCK WAS IMPACTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND UPON IMPACT THE FUEL TANK EXPLODED, BURNING MY BODY WITH 2ND AND 3RD DEGREE BURNS REQUIRING SKIN GRAFTS AND RELATED OPERATIONS TO SAVE MY LIFE. GM'S COVER UP OF THIS DESIGN FLAW HAS CAUSED ME PAIN AND AGONY AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIP THAT WILL LAST MY LIFETIME. HOW IS IT THAT GM WILL RECALL TRUCKS THAT HAVE NO FATALITIES AND YET REFUSE TO RECALL THE C/K PICK UP TRUCKS THAT CONTINUE TO EXPLODE AND INCINERATE ITS OCCUPANTS? THERE ARE ESTIMATED TO BE 4, 000, 000 OF THESE TERRORIST DESIGNED PICK UP TRUCKS STILL ON OUR TAXPAYER HIGHWAYS. I DEMAND A FULL RECALL OF THESE DEFECTIVE TRUCKS BUILT BY GM BETWEEN 1973 THRU THE EARLY 1990'S. GM'S CONTINUING COVER UP KNOWLEDGE AND REFUSAL TO RECALL THESE TRUCKS IS A TERRORIST STYLE PREMEDITATED ATTEMPTED MURDER AIMED AT THE DRIVING PUBLIC. *TR
Mileage: 50,000
20040625UNKNOWN OR OTHER
FOIA REQUEST FULL-FIELD DUMPS OF FATAL CRASH DATA WITH FIRE/EXPLOSION AS MOST HARMFUL EVENT FOR GM C.K. PICKUPS MY 1973-87 DATA YR 2002 FORD CROWN VICTORIA, MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS, LINCOLN TOWN CAR MY 1992-2003, DATA YEAR 2002, DODGE RAM DATA YEAR 2002.*MR *CB
Compare 1973CHEVROLETPICKUP 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 1973 CHEVROLET PICKUP have?▼
The 1973 CHEVROLET PICKUP has 2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1973 CHEVROLET PICKUP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1973 CHEVROLET PICKUP is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
Is the 1973 CHEVROLET PICKUP 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.