Total Complaints
32 filings
GMC 1500 · model year
1994 GMC 1500
32 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994GMC1500 carries 32 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 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 1994 1500 is visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor with 6 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer (5) and seats (3). 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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1994 1500. 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.
32
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 | 6 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 5 |
| SEATS | 3 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20170619ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK IVED TRIED EVERY THING TO FIX THEM AND I CANT SEEMED TO FIND THE PROBLEM I WAS WONDERING IF THE WIREING OR BRAKE SWITCH WERE RECALLS
Mileage: 5
20041007VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
1994 GMC SIERRA PICKUP ([XXX]) GM HAS 2 RECALLS FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR PROBLEMS ON 1994 AND NEWER PICKUPS AND SUVS (RECALL 98043 AND SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT 02054A). MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM NOTED IN THE RECALLS: INTERMITTENT WIPER OPERATION RESULTING FROM CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE WIPER MOTOR CONTROL'S PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AT ITS CONNECTION TO THE WIRING HARNESS. BUT, BECAUSE MY VIN DOES NOT MATCH THOSE IN THE RECALL, I AM LEFT TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM ON MY OWN. I HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH THIS FOR A FEW YEARS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR MONEY TO FIX IT. AND, MY BRIEF INTERNET RESEARCH REVEALS NUMEROUS OTHER GM OWNERS IN THE SAME SITUATION ... THE SAME PROBLEM IDENTIFIED IN THE RECALL BUT LEFT IN THE COLD BY GM BECAUSE OF VIN NUMBER EXCLUSIONS. MY CALL TO GM REVEALED THAT THE RECALL WAS LIMITED TO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AT CERTAIN PLANTS, BECAUSE ONLY THOSE PLANTS USED PARTS FROM "DEFECTIVE BATCHES." THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM (BAD SOLDER JOINTS) SEEMS T
20040820VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUN INTERMITTENTLY SEVERELY LIMITIING VISIBILITY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. GMC NOTIFIED ME THAT MY VEHICLE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE WIPER MOTOR REPLACEMENT RECALL EVEN THOUGH I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Mileage: 122,000
20040608VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
20040317VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENLY. A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK
Mileage: 145,000
20031207VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WIPERS ON MY 1994 GMC PICK-UP DO NOT WORK AT ALL TIMES WHEN REQUIRED. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ROUTINELY FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. GMC ACKNOWLEDGED OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE; HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THEIR RECALL ORDERS, MY CONTACT WITH GMC PRODUCED NEGATIVE RESULTS. *LA
Mileage: 100,000
20030729ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CONSUMER STATES HE IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH HIS GMC 1500 ONCE HE PUTS THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND STARTS THE VEHICLE. WHEN IT IS TIME TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF HE CANNOT CUT IT OFF. IT IS HARD TO ENGAGE THE THE SWIFT LEVEL TO PARK AND REMOVE THE KEY. HE IS KILLING THE STARTER. CONSUMER HAS WORKED ON TRUCKS FOR A LONG TIME AND HAS NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20030304SEATS
A FAULTY BOLT CAUSED THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO BREAK. WHEN THE BOLT BROKE IT WAS HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD *NLM
20030218VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNTIONED STOPED WORKING. HAS BEEN UNRELIABLE SINCE THEN.
20030218VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNTIONED STOPED WORKING. HAS BEEN UNRELIABLE SINCE THEN.
20020814VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WHILE DRIVING 65MPH IN RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING.*AK
20020814ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
BRAKE LIGHT WILL NOT WORK. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRED/ REPLACED FUSES. BRAKE LIGHT STILL NOT WORKING.*AK
20020724VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WHILE DRIVING 35MPH IN THE RAIN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST SHUT OFF, CAUSING DRIVER TO BRAKE. DRIVER HAS NO CONFIDENCE IN WIPER OPERATION. *AK THIS PART WAS RECALLED #98V150, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY WORK. *JG
20011109SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
BRAKES WILLNOT HOLD WHEN THEY GET HOT, PEDAL IS SOFT AND GOES AL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATED THIS CONVERSION VAN FRONT BRAKE PADS ONLY LASTS 14000 THIS IS THE 4TH SET OF BRAKE PADS.*SLC
20010601VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY WHEN IN USE. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR WIPERS. VEHICLE AT DEALER'S. *AK
20001130SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKE PROBLEM STARTED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. DEALER ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM. FRONT BRAKES DO ALL THE BRAKING, REAR BRAKES ARE IN NEW CONDITION AFTER 90000 MILES. *AK THE DRIVELINE EXPERIENCES A CLUNK. THE TRIP SETTER IS FAULTY, CONSUMER IS WAITING FOR DEALER TO REPLACED THE DASH/GAUGE ASSEMBLY. *SLC
20001130POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
BRAKE PROBLEM STARTED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. DEALER ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM. FRONT BRAKES DO ALL THE BRAKING, REAR BRAKES ARE IN NEW CONDITION AFTER 90000 MILES. *AK THE DRIVELINE EXPERIENCES A CLUNK. THE TRIP SETTER IS FAULTY, CONSUMER IS WAITING FOR DEALER TO REPLACED THE DASH/GAUGE ASSEMBLY. *SLC
20001130EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
BRAKE PROBLEM STARTED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. DEALER ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM. FRONT BRAKES DO ALL THE BRAKING, REAR BRAKES ARE IN NEW CONDITION AFTER 90000 MILES. *AK THE DRIVELINE EXPERIENCES A CLUNK. THE TRIP SETTER IS FAULTY, CONSUMER IS WAITING FOR DEALER TO REPLACED THE DASH/GAUGE ASSEMBLY. *SLC
20001013TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE TREAD SEPARATED OFF TWO NEW UNIROYAL LAREDO P235/75R15M+S TIRES WITHIN ONE MONTH AFTER THEY WERE INSTALLED ON THE GMC PICKUP. *AK (DOT NUMBER: APHLF3U343 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)
20000711SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS WILL NOT RELEASE. THEY ARE STUCK OR JAMMED. CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO FASTEN SEATBELTS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPAIRED THE DRIVERS SIDE. BUT, PASSENGER'S SIDE STILL IS NOT USABLE.*AK
Compare 1994GMC1500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 GMC 1500 have?▼
The 1994 GMC 1500 has 32 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 GMC 1500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 GMC 1500 is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER and SEATS.
Is the 1994 GMC 1500 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.