Total Complaints
13 filings
CHEVROLET PICKUP · model year
1990 CHEVROLET PICKUP
13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990CHEVROLETPICKUP carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 PICKUP is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by tires (2) 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 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.
13
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040122SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WAS INOPERABLE. DEALER CLAIMED THAT SEAT BELT. # 10-590-D MANUFACTURED BY BENDIX, WAS NO LONGER MADE. *AK CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL TO CHECK WITH HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS FOR SEAT BELT PARTS INQUIRIES. *LA
Mileage: 42,253
20020822TIRES
THREE OUT OF FOUR TIRES SEPARATED IN ONE YEARS TIME, TOTAL OF 16000 MILES. *AK
20020503STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN SUDDENLY BECAME LOOSE. THE STEERING WHEEL SHIFTS FROM SIDE TO SIDE AS IF IT IS ABOUT TO SEPERATE AT THE JOINT AREA. IS THIS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE 1995 TRUCKS HAD WITH THE SHAFT NUT NOT BEING TORQUED TO PROPER SPECS?*AK
20010709STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
WHILE STOPPING TO BACK VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. LEFT FRONT WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN, AND THE RIGHT FRONT WAS AT AN ANGLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED IT WAS THE LEFT FRONT STEERING WHEEL SPINDLE. *AK
20010118CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FAILED. *AK
20000918ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE POOR DESIGN OF THE OIL COOLING LINES HAVE CAUSED A DISCHARGE OF OIL ONTO THE HIGHWAY *AK.
20000913SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
GAS LINES HAVE RUSTED OUT, CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. ALSO, BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
20000913FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
GAS LINES HAVE RUSTED OUT, CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. ALSO, BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
20000901TIRES
WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE SUDDENLY THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPLODED . NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. *AK
20000220SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOFT. *AK
19990908SEATS
DEFECTIVE HIGH BACK SEAT DESIGN--LEFT BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE DRIVER'S HIGH BACK SEAT TO THE BOTTOM SEAT SHEARED OFF 3 TIMES.
19971024SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE TRUCK KEPT ON GOING. THE TRUCK DID NOT HAVE ANY BRAKES. DRIVER HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES VERY HARD BEFORE THE TRUCK WOULD STOP. *AK CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM OCCURS INFREQUENTLY, NOTICES PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER SITTING OVER NIGHT, DEALER CAN NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. *SLC
19971024SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE TRUCK KEPT ON GOING. THE TRUCK DID NOT HAVE ANY BRAKES. DRIVER HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES VERY HARD BEFORE THE TRUCK WOULD STOP. *AK CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM OCCURS INFREQUENTLY, NOTICES PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER SITTING OVER NIGHT, DEALER CAN NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. *SLC
Compare 1990CHEVROLETPICKUP 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 PICKUP have?▼
The 1990 CHEVROLET PICKUP has 13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 CHEVROLET PICKUP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 CHEVROLET PICKUP is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS.
Is the 1990 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.