Total Complaints
11 filings
GMC S15 · model year
1989 GMC S15
11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989GMCS15 carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 3 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 1989 S15 is electrical system:wiring:front underhood with 1 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1) 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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1989 S15. 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.
11
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
3
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20041207EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FRONT LEFT BLINKER. FOR SOME REASON THE OUTSIDE BLINKER STOPPED WORKING EVEN THOUGH THE INSIDE SIGNAL ON DASHBOARD STILL WORKED. *AK *NM
20040523ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I BOUGHT A 1989 JIMMY S15 LAST YEAR. DROM THE REPAIR BILLS THAT CAME WITH THE TRUCK THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THIS TRUCK IN THE SHOP COUNTLESS TIMES FOR SURGING. WHENEVER I AM STOPPED AT A LIGHT ETC- THE TRUCK SURGES FORWARD. I AM AFRAID OF AN ACCIDENT, ESPECAILLY WITH MY MY GRANDCHILDREN IN THE TRUCK.*AK
20020731FatalSEATS
THE CONSUMER (WHO IS NOW DECEASED HAROLD BRIDGES) WAS DRIVING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST WHO WAS DRIVING RECKLESSLY, THE CONSUMERS SEAT ADJUSTER RAILING FAILED, WHICH ATTRIBUTED TO SEVERE INJURIES IN WHICH THE CONSUMER WAS KILLED, HOWEVER THE MOTHER, ROSA LEYVA IS WRITING IN ON BEHALF OF HER SON EDWARDO LEYVA WHO WAS CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER IN THE INCIDENT BELIEVES IF GMC WOULD HAVE TAKEN RESPONSIBILTY FOR THE DEFECTIVE SEAT RAILING OF CONSUMERS VEHICLE, HER SON WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER.*JB
19991129ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
THERMOSTAT FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. MJS
19991129EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITION FAILED DUE TO FAULTY BLOWER MOTOR ASSEMBLY. MJS
19991129VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
FAILURE OF THE HEATER CORE RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY AND NEAR ACCIDENT WHEN A THICK YELLOW STICKY GAS/FLUID CAME OUT OF VENTS AND COATED THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHILE TRYING TO DEFROST. MJS
19960417SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR SUSPENSION REPLACED. *SD
19951207ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED. *AK
19950607CrashFatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT RELEASED DURING AN ACCIDENT,DRIVER WAS THROWN APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET FROM VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A FATALITY. *AK
19950607CrashFatalSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL/SKID. *AK
19950208FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, EA94-029 ACTIVE WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION. TT
Compare 1989GMCS15 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 GMC S15 have?▼
The 1989 GMC S15 has 11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 3 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 GMC S15?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 GMC S15 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS.
Is the 1989 GMC S15 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.