Owners have filed 15 complaints
about the 1994 GMC Sierra 1500 with NHTSA between 2006 and 2021.
The largest single group is the windows, mirrors & wipers.
Across this model's run it ranks 31 of 31 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 — 2
Against the median year of the GMC Sierra 1500. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 17
10% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 1994 compares with every other GMC Sierra 1500
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
10,000 – 24,999 miles
110.0%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
110.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
220.0%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
220.0%
150,000+ miles
440.0%
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.
Jul 2006peak 3Sep 2021
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 204,000 milesNewaygo, MI
VISIBILITY/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.
NHTSA complaint #11432158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vallejo, CA
POWER 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
NHTSA complaint #11093507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vallejo, CA
ELECTRONIC 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
NHTSA complaint #11093507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vallejo, CA
FUEL/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
NHTSA complaint #11093507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Escondido, CA
VISIBILITY/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.
NHTSA complaint #11024284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 120,000 milesEscanaba, MI
VISIBILITY/WIPER
WIPERS WILL WORK SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES NOT.
NHTSA complaint #10983908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 210,000 milesBillings, MT
TIRES: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.
NHTSA complaint #10745781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 44,000 milesHouston, TX
VISIBILITY/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).
NHTSA complaint #10505784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 161,000 milesDecatur, IN
VISIBILITY/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.
NHTSA complaint #10477239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 159,000 milesPittsburgh, PA
TIRES
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.
NHTSA complaint #10414957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 17,000 milesWalton, KY
VISIBILITY: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.
NHTSA complaint #10332398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 139,550 milesAtlantic, PA
VISIBILITY: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.
NHTSA complaint #10171441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 98,000 milesGrain Valley, MO
VISIBILITY: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.
NHTSA complaint #10164824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 98,000 milesGrain Valley, MO
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. GMC INFORMED ME THAT PAST RECALLS DO NOT APPLY TO MY VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10164826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Joppa, MD
VISIBILITY: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 THE RECALL. HARCO DID NOT. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I OFFERED TO EMAIL THE NOTICE I FOUND ON THE INTERNET TO THE REPRESENTATIVE AT GM CUSTOMER SERVICE. HE SAID "WE DON'T HAVE EMAIL" (UNBELIEVABLE, IT'S 2006). I GAVE HIM A WEBSITE. HE SAID THERE'S NOTHING GM CAN DO. I ASKED "DO YOU DENY I OWN THIS VEHICLE?" HE DID NOT DENY IT. I ASKED "DO YOU DENY THAT THIS RECALL EXISTS?" HE DID NOT DENY IT. SO I SAID THERE WAS A RECALL IN 1998, GMC FAILED TO NOTIFY ME OF IT, I FIND OUT ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET AND SEEM TO BE EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED (AND HAVE BEEN FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS AND IT IS GROWING WORSE), YET THERE IS NOTHING GMC INTENDS TO DO ABOUT IT. HE SAID HE WAS SORRY, BUT NO. BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THEIR NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM THERE IS NOTHING GMC CAN DO. NOW I'VE GOT TO GET THIS REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL. HIGHLY UNFAIR!
NHTSA complaint #10163156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.