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 K2500
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Fuel & Propulsion
522.7%
Median failure at 216,000 miles
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
313.6%
Median failure at 90,000 miles
Brakes
313.6%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
29.1%
Median failure at 216,000 miles
Engine & Cooling
29.1%
Median failure at 216,000 miles
Equipment & Accessories
14.5%
Seats
14.5%
Tires
14.5%
Lights
14.5%
Suspension
14.5%
Electrical System
14.5%
Transmission & Drivetrain
14.5%
Median failure at 100,000 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
25,000 – 49,999 miles
116.7%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
116.7%
150,000+ miles
466.7%
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.
Jun 1997peak 3Feb 2015
NHTSA investigations into the 1994 Chevrolet K2500
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.
EA97023Opened 31 Oct 1997Closed 1 Jun 1999SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME FAILURE
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION HAS RECEIVED 375 REPORTS ALLEGING FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME WHICH IS PRONE TO BREAKAGE AT THE LEFT FRONT ATTACHING POINT.WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE SEAT MAY TILT AWAY FROM THE RISER DURING ACCELERATING OR BRAKING.(SEE CLOSING REPORT)
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 100,000 milesRidgefield, WA
POWER TRAIN
CLUTCH PEDAL SLOWLY STARTED GETTING HARDER TO DEPRESS SINCE NEW (I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER). I PUT ON MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS. FIRST THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO ROD BUSHING/RETAINER WOULD WEAR OUT CAUSING CLUTCH TO SUDDENLY ENGAGE WITH NO WARNING. AFTER MULTIPLE BUSHINGS, THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDERS STARTED FAILING FROM TOO MUCH HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. AFTER A TOTAL CLUTCH SYSTEM REPLACEMENT AT 140K MILES, WE FOUND THE ROOT CAUSE TO BE THE FORK AND BALL STUD ATE INTO EACH OTHER DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION. CLUTCH WORKED LIKE NEW AFTER REPLACEMENT. AT 160K MILES CLUTCH IS BACK TO VERY STIFF AND PARTS ARE NOW FAILING AGAIN, EVEN WITH OFTEN GREASING THRU BELL HOUSING ZERK FITTING FOR BALL STUD.
NHTSA complaint #10690601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 216,000 milesLongmeadow, MA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AFTER FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL, IT STUCK TO FLOOR CAUSED VEHICLE TO CONTINUE ACCELERATING. ONCE HAD TO SHUTOFF ENGINE ANOTHER TIME IT HAPPENED BRIEFLY AND FIXED ITSELF. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED A PIECE OF METAL WIRE SPLINTERED AND WOULD GET CAUGHT IN OTHER PARTS WHEN FULLY DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. BOUGHT REPLACEMENT FOR THROTTLE CABLE LINK. I THINK THIS WILL FIX IT.
NHTSA complaint #10604667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 216,000 milesLongmeadow, MA
ENGINE
AFTER FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL, IT STUCK TO FLOOR CAUSED VEHICLE TO CONTINUE ACCELERATING. ONCE HAD TO SHUTOFF ENGINE ANOTHER TIME IT HAPPENED BRIEFLY AND FIXED ITSELF. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED A PIECE OF METAL WIRE SPLINTERED AND WOULD GET CAUGHT IN OTHER PARTS WHEN FULLY DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. BOUGHT REPLACEMENT FOR THROTTLE CABLE LINK. I THINK THIS WILL FIX IT.
NHTSA complaint #10604667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 216,000 milesLongmeadow, MA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
AFTER FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL, IT STUCK TO FLOOR CAUSED VEHICLE TO CONTINUE ACCELERATING. ONCE HAD TO SHUTOFF ENGINE ANOTHER TIME IT HAPPENED BRIEFLY AND FIXED ITSELF. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED A PIECE OF METAL WIRE SPLINTERED AND WOULD GET CAUGHT IN OTHER PARTS WHEN FULLY DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. BOUGHT REPLACEMENT FOR THROTTLE CABLE LINK. I THINK THIS WILL FIX IT.
NHTSA complaint #10604667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 27,000 milesPhoenix, AZ
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
SINCE IT DOESN'T RAIN MUCH IN PHOENIX AZ, THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED TWICE. WHILE DRIVING IN A LIGHT RAIN, WITH THE WIPERS SET ON INTERMITTENT, THEY QUIT OPERATING AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. QUITE DISTURBING WHEN YOU CANNOT SEE WHERE YOUR GOING. AFTER PULLING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND PAUSING FOR 20 MIN, THE WIPERS MAY AGAIN WORK. SOME TIMES IT TAKES A COUPLE OF HOURS. I HAVE TESTED ALL OF THE WIPER CIRCUITS VIA THE SERVICE MANUAL RECOMMENDATION, WITH OUT FINDING A FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10028549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 153,000 milesSUN Valley, NV
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10010063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mill Creek, WA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
LOW POWER AND "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD COME ON PERIODICALLY. DEALER "SHOTGUNNED" PARTS BUT DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. GOT MANUFACTURER INVOLVED AND ADMITTED TO A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL CHIP. CHIP WAS REPLACED WITH ONE HAVING A HANDWRITTEN PART NUMBER AND NO MORE PROBLEM. AM AWARE THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCE THIS SAME PROBLEM AND CANNOT GET IT FIXED. SOMEONE NEEDS TO "TELL THE WORLD" SINCE THE MANUFACTURER CONTINUES TO HIDE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #749596 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chandler, AZ
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
. I STARTED TO FEEL A SLIGHT VIBRATION OCCURRING IN THE TRUCK. AT THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH. I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE AN INCREASING NOISE LEVEL FROM THE TIRES. ABOUT 1 TO 2 MINUTES LATER I HEARD A LOUD BANG. THEN I EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. FORTUNATELY I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VDW8R4A227 TIRESIZE: LT26575R16)
NHTSA complaint #746429 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Great Falls, MT
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:LOW PRESSURE WARNING:SWITCH
CONSUMER BECAME STUCK IN A SNOW DRIFT IN WHICH THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #559004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chardon, OH
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK
SPARE TIRE HOIST AND STORAGE UNDER THE BED OF THE TRUCK FAILED SENDING SPARE TIRE LOOSE ONTO ROADWAY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO MOTORISTS BEHIND. THE CABLE HOLDING THE TIRE ON THE TRUCK BROKE. ALTHOUGH I DO NOT HAVE STATISTICAL PROOF, THIS SPARE TIRE HOIST IS FAILING MORE THAN NECESSARY AS I HAVE BEEN LOOKING UNDER LATE MODEL TRUCKS AND SEEING THE SAME FRAYED CABLE PROBABLY INDICATING FAILURE AS OCCURRED TO ME. CALLED CHEVROLET, CLAIM NUMBER C984196 AND WAS STONEWALLED DUE TO MILEAGE OF VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT A MILIEAGE ISSUE/
NHTSA complaint #725882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Selden, NY
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 1.5 HOURS THE ENGINE JUST DIED WITH NO WARNING LEAVING ME WITH NO POWER IN TRAFFIC. THE FIRST TIME THE ENGINE REFIRED WHILE IN GEAR BUT THE NEXT 4 TIMES I HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER. I WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT NO ONE HIT ME EACH TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING. I HAVE SINCE SPOKEN TO ANOTHER OWNER OF THE SAME VEHICLE AND HE DESCRIBED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THE SAME PART REPLACEMENT THAT THE DEALER IS TELLING ME HAS TO BE REPLACED. THIS TRUCK HAS RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE FOR ITS AGE. THREE YEARS AGO WE ALSO EXPERIANCD A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON 9/22/97. IS THIS A PROBLEM THAT ONLY 2 OF US HAVE HAD? LUCKILY I WASN'T TOWING MY TRAVEL TRAILER AT THE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #720808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Selden, NY
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 1.5 HOURS THE ENGINE JUST DIED WITH NO WARNING LEAVING ME WITH NO POWER IN TRAFFIC. THE FIRST TIME THE ENGINE REFIRED WHILE IN GEAR BUT THE NEXT 4 TIMES I HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER. I WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT NO ONE HIT ME EACH TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING. I HAVE SINCE SPOKEN TO ANOTHER OWNER OF THE SAME VEHICLE AND HE DESCRIBED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THE SAME PART REPLACEMENT THAT THE DEALER IS TELLING ME HAS TO BE REPLACED. THIS TRUCK HAS RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE FOR ITS AGE. THREE YEARS AGO WE ALSO EXPERIANCD A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON 9/22/97. IS THIS A PROBLEM THAT ONLY 2 OF US HAVE HAD? LUCKILY I WASN'T TOWING MY TRAVEL TRAILER AT THE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #720808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Crown Point, NY
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING DURING OPERATION, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
NHTSA complaint #853805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Artesia, NM
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WAS GOING APPROX. 15MPH & HEARD A HIGH PITCH SQUEAL, LIKE METAL TO METAL, COMING FROM LEFT REAR BRAKES WHILE IN MOUNTAINS. TOOK BRAKES APART & NOTICED PIECES OF METAL ON EMERGENCY BRAKES. HAD THEM REPLACED AFTER TAKING PIECES OUT. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE IN PREVIOUSLY WHEN LIGHT CAME ON & NOTHING FOUND.
NHTSA complaint #849540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Benton, KY
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OR AT STAND STILL VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT OR DIE. SOMETIMES CAN START RIGHT UP, BUT OTHER TIMES WOULD NOT. TOWED TO SHOP & INFORMED CONSUMER THAT FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. MANUFACTURER NOT REPAIRING IT. WAS INFORMED BY DEALER OUT OF WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #845034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alden, PA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS NOT WORKING, CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO BE INOPERATIVE RESULTING IN A SAFETY HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #837985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NEW Cumberland, WV
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
DUE TO THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILURE THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON 2 OCCASIONS, BOTH OF WHICH OCCURRED WHILE ON HIGHWAYS. *AK
NHTSA complaint #826975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Round Mountain, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH COMPUTER MODULE SYSTEM. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #831261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Woodstown, NJ
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
HAD FOOT ON BRAKE WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED/SURGED UNEXPECTEDLY, ALMOST HITTING TWO PEDESTRIANS. DEALER HAS REPLACED ENTIRE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM. DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING.
NHTSA complaint #823010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
White Mars, MD
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER
SHOCK MOUNT FELL OFF FRAME OF TRUCK.
NHTSA complaint #520212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Potomac, MD
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL
EMERGENCY BRAKE: DASHBOARD HANDLE BECOMES UNATTACHED FROM EMERGENCY BRAKE RACHET ASSEMBLY, CAUSING NO RELEASE OF EMERGENCY BRAKE . EMERGENCY BRAKE RACHET MECHANISM BOLSTER ATTACHING MECHANISM TO LEFT FIREWALL WORKS LOOSE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.
NHTSA complaint #813165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dallas, TX
SEATS
BUCKET SEAT: THE BOLTS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE SEAT IS BROKEN, CAUSING THE SEAT TO RECLINE AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #812837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.