Total Complaints
12 filings
CHEVROLET VAN · model year
1992 CHEVROLET VAN
12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992CHEVROLETVAN carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 3 fires, 3 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 1992 VAN is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by equipment (2) and electrical system:wiring:front underhood (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 1992 VAN, 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.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
3
Fires
3
Injuries
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| STEERING:COLUMN | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080506STEERING:COLUMN
I HAVE A 1992 CHEVROLET SUV VAN. AS I WAS DRIVING WEST ON I-10 APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION OF I-49, DRIVING AT THE POSTED SPEED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE THE STEERING WHEEL CAME OFF THE STEERING COLUMN. LUCKILY, I DID NOTHING TO BRAKE; I LET IT SLOW DOWN ON ITS ON. UPON EXAMINATION, I DISCOVERED THE STEELING WHEEL WAS MOUNTED USING A THINK PLASTIC WASHER. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE DESIGN, THE CPSC SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE PHOTOS TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR DEFECT IF YOU NEED THEM. I WILL HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER STEERING WHEEL. YOUR RESPONSE WILL BE APPRECIATED. *TR
20080506EQUIPMENT
I HAVE A 1992 CHEVROLET SUV VAN. AS I WAS DRIVING WEST ON I-10 APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION OF I-49, DRIVING AT THE POSTED SPEED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE THE STEERING WHEEL CAME OFF THE STEERING COLUMN. LUCKILY, I DID NOTHING TO BRAKE; I LET IT SLOW DOWN ON ITS ON. UPON EXAMINATION, I DISCOVERED THE STEELING WHEEL WAS MOUNTED USING A THINK PLASTIC WASHER. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE DESIGN, THE CPSC SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE PHOTOS TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR DEFECT IF YOU NEED THEM. I WILL HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER STEERING WHEEL. YOUR RESPONSE WILL BE APPRECIATED. *TR
20010123TIRES
LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING DAMAGE TO WHEEL WELL (FIRESTONE 721). NLM
19991129STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING RUST PROBLEMS THAT'S CAUSING FAILURE TO THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW FRAME / INSIDE OF THE DOOR / THE ENGINE CRADLE. MJS
19991129LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
HOOD LATCH MISALIGNED CAUSING CLOSURE PROBLEMS. MJS
19991129ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE OIL SENSOR REPLACED AND THE ENGINE BELT REPLACED WHICH WAS CAUSING NOISE. MJS
19991129ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
ENGINE OIL SENSOR REPLACED AND THE ENGINE BELT REPLACED WHICH WAS CAUSING NOISE. MJS
19990329SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND LEAKING CAUSING BRAKES TO FAIL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR.
19981127CrashFatalEQUIPMENT
THE CUSTOMIZED VAN, WHICH INCLUDED A TV,VCR AND NINTENDO SYSTEM, WHICH WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE DEALER, HYDROPLANED IN A RAINSTORM AND ENDED UP IN THE MEDIAN WHERE IT HIT A TREE AT THE SIDE DOOR AREA. THE 7 YEAR OLD AND THE 3 YEAR OLD SITTING ON THE SIDE OF IMPACT SUSTAINED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THE 9 YEAR OLD, SITTING DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DRIVER, DIED AS A RESULT OF A CLOSED HEAD INJURY SUSTAINED WHEN THE VCR CAME OUT OF THE COMPARTMENT IN FRONT AND ABOVE HER AND STRUCK HER. THIS VCR, IN AN ENCLOSED WOOD COMPARTMENT, WAS INSTALLED WHEN WE RECEIVED THE VAN-NEW. UNKNOWN TO US, THIS EQUIPMENT WAS NOT SECURED TO THE VAN--ONLY PLACED IN A COMPARTMENT. THE TV-HOWEVER, WAS SECURED AND DID NOT MOVE FROM ITS COMPARTMENT IN THE CRASH. HAD WE DREAMED THAT OUR CHILD WAS NOT SAFE--WE WOULD HAVE SECURED IT. WE STOP MANY VAN OWNERS AND MOST SAY THE SAME THING-"OURS IS SAFE, IT IS ENCASED IN WOOD". WE CANNOT STOP EVERY VAN AND WOULD INSIST THAT OTHERS NOT GO THROUGH THIS HELL, AS WE ARE, AN
19971020FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE. *AK
19970627FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE.
19970313FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD.
Compare 1992CHEVROLETVAN 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 1992 CHEVROLET VAN have?▼
The 1992 CHEVROLET VAN has 12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 3 fires, 3 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 CHEVROLET VAN?▼
The most-complained component for the 1992 CHEVROLET VAN is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EQUIPMENT and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD.
Is the 1992 CHEVROLET VAN 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.