1999 Chevrolet C/K 3500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1999 Chevrolet C/K 3500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes125.0%
- Electrical125.0%
- Fuel system125.0%
- Steering125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND FAILED DURING LOADING OF A BOAT. WAS NOT MOVING WHEN LINE BROKE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING DOWN A VERY BUSY ROAD THE ENGINE STALLED. THE PMD PUMP MOUNTED DRIVER FAILED. I ALMOST WRECKED AND HAD TO TAKE MEASURES TO AVOID OTHERS AND ENDED UP IN A PARKING LOT ALMOST HITTING PARKED CARS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS PROBLEM STARTED APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO WHEN THE TRUCK MOTOR (1999 CHEVROLET 3500 DIESEL DUALLY) SUDDENLY SHUTDOWN WHILE I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS IT STARTED AND I HAD NO FURTHER INCIDENTS THAT DAY. NO MORE INCIDENTS FOR A FEW WEEKS, IT BECAME AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND AFTER ALMOST JACK KNIFING THE TRUCK, PULLING A 34 FT BOAT DECIDED TO TAKE IT A LOCAL SHOP FOR REPAIRS. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING BUT SAID THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE OR RECALL, CHECKED WITH A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER. CALLED DEALERSHIP, EXPLAINED ISSUE, WERE INFORMED NO RECALLS. PROBLEM CONTINUED,TRIED ANOTHER SHOP WHO TOLD US THE SAME THING ABOUT AN ISSUE AND REFERRED US TO ANOTHER SHOP FOR DIESELS. CALLED DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND WERE TOLD AGAIN NO RECALLS. BY THIS TIME THE TRUCK STALLED CONTINUALLY. MY SON USED THE TRUCK ONE EVENING , WHILE GOING THROUGH A LIGHT THE TRUCK SHUTDOWN. HE WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED AND PLOWED INTO BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IMMEDIATELY TOOK TRUCK TO THE LOCAL DIESEL SHOP. HE KNEW WHAT PROBLEM WAS BUT TOLD US TO FIRST TRY DEALERSHIP , IT WAS AN ISSUE HE KNEW HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE. WITH IN 5 MINUTES OF WALKING INTO DEALERSHIP, MY HUSBAND WAS INFORMED, NOT ONLY OF WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS (WITHOUT ANYONE LOOKING AT TRUCK) BUT THAT THE REPAIRS MAY ALSO BE COVERED. IT WAS A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR PUMP, SINCE OUR TRUCK HAS 132,000 MILES, IT IS OUTSIDE THEIR PARAMETERS FOR COVERAGE OF 10 YRS OR 120,000 MILES. I FEEL THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. LASTLY, UNFORTUNATELY, MY SON PURCHASED A 1994 CHEVROLET 2500CK DIESEL THAT STARTED THE SAME THING AND HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS THE SAME PART FAILURE. AGAIN, I TRULY BELIEVE, THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE RELEASED ASAP. I AM ALSO GOING TO TRY AND RESEARCH THIS ISSUE THROUGH MY LOCAL INSURANCE AGENT TO SEE IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THIS PART. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAD NO WARNING, NO VIBRATION OR SLOP IN MY STEERING. LUCKILY MY SON HAD JUST CAME IN WITH THE TRUCK. I WENT OUT AND STARTED BACKING UP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE FRONT LEFT (DS) WHEEL DROPPED TO THE GROUND. I INSPECTED IT AND FOUND THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THE SPINDLE HAD BROKEN JUST BEFORE WHERE THE BOTTOM BALL JOINT IS. APPROX 1" FROM THE A FRAME. WONDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN DRIVING IT??????? I DIDNT SEE ANY SIGNS OF DAMAGE OR WHERE IT WAS HIT. IT JUST LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS A FAILURE IN THE SPINDLE?????*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .