Total Complaints
5 filings
GMC PICKUP · model year
1990 GMC PICKUP
5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990GMCPICKUP carries 5 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, 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 1990 PICKUP is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (1) and steering: steering wheel/handle bar (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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1990 PICKUP. 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.
5
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010212CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THIS FAILURE WAS THE RESULT OF A REAR UND COLLISION WITH MY VEHICKE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE THAT HIT MY TRUCK WAS A SMALL IMPORT TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT MY HEAD WAS SNAPPED BACKEARDS AND ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW, SHATTERING IT AND CAUSING A CONCUSSION SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE ME TO TO BE UNABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK. THERE WAS NO HEAD RESTRAINT OR BUMPER OR PAD EXTENDING HUGH ENOUGH FROM THE BACK OF THE SEAT TO CUSSION THE HEAD. LATTER MODLES (IE 1992) HAD AN EXTENDED HEAD REST. GMC SHOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEN AND OFFERED A REPAIR ABOUT THE SAME TIME IT REDESIGNED THE BENCH SEATS TO INCLUDE A PASSIVE HEAD RE
19971215SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE TRUCK WILL NOT STOP WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *AK
19970214SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK AS WELL AS IT SHOULD, OWNER SAID THAT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND NOT FULLY STOPPING THE TRUCK. *AK
19960909STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, STARTED TO MAKE A TURN INTO INTERSECTION, STEERING WHIEEL CAME OFF COLUMN, THE WHEELS LOCKED UP; LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE; HAD VEHICLE TOWED.*AK
19950620ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VIBRATION OF OIL LINE & TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE CAUSES A HOLE TO WEAR INTO THE OIL LINE. TT
Compare 1990GMCPICKUP to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 GMC PICKUP have?▼
The 1990 GMC PICKUP has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 GMC PICKUP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 GMC PICKUP is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR.
Is the 1990 GMC 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.