Total Complaints
3 filings
GMC K1500 · model year
1985 GMC K1500
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
- Complaints
- 3
- Recalls
- 0
The verdict
The 1985 GMC K1500 posts below-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.
- Top 30%
- fewest complaints, own model years
- 0
- recall campaigns
The 1985GMCK1500 carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1985 K1500 is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 1 filings, followed by tires:tread/belt (1) and fuel system, gasoline (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1985 K1500. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1985 GMC K1500
PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.
NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001219FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FUEL SYSTEM EXPLODED CAUSING FIRE TO GO THROUGH THE FUEL LINE TO THE CARBURETOR RESULTING IN ENGINE TO IGNITE IN FLAMES AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. *MJS
20001016TIRES:TREAD/BELT
INSURED GOING E ON I-90 WHEN RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW, DAMAGE FENDER AND THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THE WHEEL. THIS TIRE IS A FIRESTONE ATX TIRE THAT IS ON RECALL, INSURED THINKS FIRESTONE SHOULD PAY FOR THIS, HE WANTS TO TAKE ESTIMATE TO THEM ON THURSDAY. (CLAIMS 47-4193-131) *MW
19950525SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT MIDDLE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKEN WILL NOT LATCH. TT
Compare 1985GMCK1500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 GMC K1500 have?▼
The 1985 GMC K1500 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 GMC K1500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 GMC K1500 is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:TREAD/BELT and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1985 GMC K1500 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.
Data vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1985 GMC K1500; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.