GMC SIERRA 1500 · model year

1994 GMC SIERRA 1500

15 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1994GMCSIERRA 1500 carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 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 SIERRA 1500 is visibility/wiper with 5 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer (4) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring (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 1994 SIERRA 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.

15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

15 filings

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

ComponentCount
VISIBILITY/WIPER5
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER4
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING1
TIRES1
TIRES:SIDEWALL1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN1

Recent Complaints

20210908VISIBILITY/WIPER

The contact owns a 1994 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the windshield wiper motor intermittently failed to operate without warning. The contact then discovered that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 98V150001 (Visibility). The dealer was notified of the recall and the contact was informed that they did not see a recall on his vehicle. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The contact had attempted to reach the manufacturer but had no success. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 204,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Mileage: 204,000

20180512ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

I HAD WROTE SOMETHING THAT HAD LIKE 4500 CHARACTERS AND YOU GUYS DID NOT ALLOW ME TO SEND IT THIS IS RIDICULOUS I WILL HAVE TO CUT AND PASTE AND SEND IT IN A EMAIL

20180512FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I HAD WROTE SOMETHING THAT HAD LIKE 4500 CHARACTERS AND YOU GUYS DID NOT ALLOW ME TO SEND IT THIS IS RIDICULOUS I WILL HAVE TO CUT AND PASTE AND SEND IT IN A EMAIL

20180512POWER TRAIN

I HAD WROTE SOMETHING THAT HAD LIKE 4500 CHARACTERS AND YOU GUYS DID NOT ALLOW ME TO SEND IT THIS IS RIDICULOUS I WILL HAVE TO CUT AND PASTE AND SEND IT IN A EMAIL

20170919VISIBILITY/WIPER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT HAD TO LIFT THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE TO SQUEEZE THE CONNECTOR BOX FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN MINUTES WHILE DRIVING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V150001 (VISIBILITY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

20170507VISIBILITY/WIPER

WIPERS WILL WORK SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES NOT.

Mileage: 120,000

20150803TIRES:SIDEWALL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH FOUR GOODYEAR WRANGLER AUTHORITY TIRES, TIRE SIZE LT265/75R16. THE DOT NUMBER FOR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS PJW8H01V0515. THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE DOT NUMBER WAS PJW8H01V5214. THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE DOT NUMBER WAS PJW8H01V4614 AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE DOT NUMBER WAS PJW8H01V3414. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE SIDEWALLS ON THE TIRES WERE UNEVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,420.

Mileage: 210,000

20130410VISIBILITY/WIPER

I HAVE NOTICED THROUGH OUT THE HISTORY OF THIS VEHICLE THAT I OWN. A GMC 1500 SIERRA PICKUP TRUCK (1994-2013), THAT THE VEHICLE WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING OR NOT COME ON AT ALL (INCLUDING THE WASHER). *TR

Mileage: 44,000

20120927VISIBILITY/WIPER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V150001 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) BUT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED ON ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.

Mileage: 161,000

20110725TIRES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500 EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE STEALTEX A/T (LT245/75/16). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE SIDE WALL HAD ALSO SEPARATED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO AN AUTO SHOP TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.

Mileage: 159,000

20100526VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A RAINSTORM AT 30 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THEY WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 98V150001 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 170,000.

Mileage: 17,000

20061020VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WIPERS QUIT WORKING DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM. SEARCHED FOR RECALLS AND CAME UP WITH A CAMPAIGN NUMBER 98V150001. CONTACTED A DEALER WITH MY VIN NUMBER AND HE STATED THAT THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. SINCE THEN THE PULSE BOARD HAS BEEN REPLACED AND WIPERS ARE NOW WORKING FINE. *NM

Mileage: 139,550

20060807VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. GMC HAS INFORMED ME THAT PAST RECALLS DO NOT APPLY TO MY VIN. *JB

Mileage: 98,000

20060807VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. GMC INFORMED ME THAT PAST RECALLS DO NOT APPLY TO MY VIN. *JB

Mileage: 98,000

20060722VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, MY WIPERS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STOP. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION IT NEARLY CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT. LATELY THE WIPERS CEASED ALTOGETHER. IN THE COURSE OF SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET FOR THE POSSIBLE PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION IN 1998, OF WHICH GMC NEVER NOTIFIED ME (EVEN THOUGH I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER). I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS REMEDIED THROUGH A LOCAL DEALER, HARCO AUTO PARK IN ABERDEEN, MARYLAND. BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF MY VEHICLE, AND THE NEWNESS OF THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEM, THEY SAID MY VEHICLE WAS NOT IN THEIR COMPUTER AND THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. THEY ADVISED ME TO CALL GM CUSTOMER SERVICE (BUT THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME THE PHONE NUMBER). I CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY HAD MY VEHICLE'S VIN IN ONE COMPUTER, BUT NOT THE OTHER. I DESCRIBED THE SITUATION AND PROVIDED THE RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER (98V150001). THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THEIR COMPUTER. THEY PUT ME ON HOLD AND CALLED HARCO TO SEE IF THEY HAD A HARD COPY OF TH

Compare 1994GMCSIERRA 1500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500 have?
The 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500 has 15 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500?
The most-complained component for the 1994 GMC SIERRA 1500 is VISIBILITY/WIPER with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING.
Is the 1994 GMC SIERRA 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.