Owners have filed 13 complaints
about the 1994 Chevrolet C20 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2010.
The largest single group is the brakes.
Across this model's run it ranks 2 of 3 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 37
Against the median year of the Chevrolet C20. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
30.8% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1994 Chevrolet C20
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Brakes
538.5%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
215.4%
Seats
17.7%
Seat Belts
17.7%
Tires
17.7%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control
17.7%
Airbags
17.7%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Electrical System
17.7%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 1995peak 2Sep 2010
NHTSA investigations into the 1994 Chevrolet C20
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
PE95050Opened 22 Sep 1995Closed 22 Dec 1995SEATS
FRONT SEAT BACK COLLAPSE
FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER ATTACHMENT BOLTS LOOSEN, FATIGUE, AND FRACTURE, ALLOWING THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE BACKWARDS WITHOUT WARNING.
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Youngstown, OHCrash4 injured
TIRES
1994 CHEVROLET C20, LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD, STRIKING THE CONCRETE MEDIAN WALL. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE TIRES SHOWED SUFFICIENT TREAD, BUT SHOWED SIGNS OF DRY ROT AND CRACKING. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0469-90) *JB UPDATED 09/13/10
NHTSA complaint #10354252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brockton, MACrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. TT
NHTSA complaint #960989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brockton, MACrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE, HELD THEM DOWN, WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. TT
NHTSA complaint #961095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Youngstown, OHCrash4 injured
TIRES
1994 CHEVROLET C20, LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD, STRIKING THE CONCRETE MEDIAN WALL. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE TIRES SHOWED SUFFICIENT TREAD, BUT SHOWED SIGNS OF DRY ROT AND CRACKING. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0469-90) *JB UPDATED 09/13/10
NHTSA complaint #10354252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chesapeake, VA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
CONSUMER FEELS THERE IS INSUFFICIENT SPACE BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE COVER (THIS IS A VAN WITH THE ENGINE COVER LOCATED BETWEEN THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SEAT). WHEN THE DRIVER REMOVES HIS FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL IT WILL OCCASIONALLY GET CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #564456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chesapeake, VA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
CONSUMER FEELS THERE IS INSUFFICIENT SPACE BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE COVER (THIS IS A VAN WITH THE ENGINE COVER LOCATED BETWEEN THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SEAT). WHEN THE DRIVER REMOVES HIS FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL IT WILL OCCASIONALLY GET CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #564456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pontotoc, MS
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD HAS AN IRREGULARITY, THIS CAUSES DRIVER'S VIEW TO BE OBSTRUCTED, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S RAINING. AREA IS NOT ABLE TO BE CLEANED WHEN WIPER IS IN USE. ROAD IS HARD TO DISCIPHER WHEN THE WEATHER IS CLEAR AND SUNNY.*AK
NHTSA complaint #894356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wheeling, WV
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AT ANY SPEED WHEN APPLYING BRAKES BRAKING DISTANCE IS NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE. REAR BRAKES NOT WORKING PROPERLY, LOCK UP. FRONT BRAKES REPLACED TWICE. *AK BRAKES ARE REAL BAD ON WET OR ICY ROADS.
NHTSA complaint #880100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
East Bernard, TX
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND HAVE INTERMITTENT OPERATION. POSSIBLE TO RESTART WIPERS BY TAPPING ON MOTOR HOUSING AND/OR MOVING WIRES THAT PLUG INTO WIPER MOTOR.
NHTSA complaint #705047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Calhoun, GA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP SEVERAL TIMES, TWO ACCIDENTS FROM LOCK UP.
NHTSA complaint #536991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lyons, OR
SEATS
DRIVERS SEAT BRACKET THAT SECURES THE FRAME BROKE. *AK THE BRACKET BROKE ON TH BACK SEAT, HAD A ROCKING MOTION WHICH FELT VERY UNSAFE PARTICULARY IF THERE WOULD BE AN ACCIDENT, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPAIRED IT.
NHTSA complaint #982139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BIG Timber, MT
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE CAR IDLES AT 1100 TO 1500 RMP WHEN YOU RELEASE THE PEDAL. HAS TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO DEALERS SEVEN TIMES NOTHING HAPPENED. TT
NHTSA complaint #976954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Maitland, FL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, WILL LOCK UP UNEXPECTEDLY. TT
NHTSA complaint #963889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Goodlettesvi, TN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, PE94-091 ACTIVE. TT
NHTSA complaint #963502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brockton, MACrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. TT
NHTSA complaint #960989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brockton, MACrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE, HELD THEM DOWN, WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. TT
NHTSA complaint #961095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.