1989 Chevrolet C3500 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 1989 Chevrolet C3500, 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
- Tires & wheels337.5%
- Body & structure112.5%
- Brakes112.5%
- Fuel system112.5%
- Powertrain (other)112.5%
- Visibility112.5%
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
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TIRES CHUNKING AND WEAK SIDEWALLS. *TR
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE AND SHAKE . HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. TREAD CAME COMPLETLY OFF. BRIDGESTONE, DULLER, 9.50X16.5 #DOT VD. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
PAINT HAS CONTINUED TO PEEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITENTLY, POWER WINDOWS ALSO WORK SPORADICALLY. THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE FAILING TO STOP PROPERLY WHILE DRIVING. NO MTTER WHAT THE SPEED MAY BE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
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
VEHICLE HAS TWO SIDE SADDLE FUEL TANKS, WHICH IS A POOR DESIGN.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEPARATION OF WHEEL, HUB AND AXLE ASSEMBLY FROM VEHICLE WHILE UNDERWAY. INSPECTION OF THE COMPONENTS REVEALED A CRACKED BEARING RETAINING NUT, WHICH ALLOWED THE NUT'S INSIDE DIAMETER TO EXPAND AND SLIDE OFF THE THREADED HUB. RECOVERED PARTS INCLUDE THE NUT, KEY, AND RETAINER RING, ALL OF WHICH APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED. ALSO DAMAGED AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS THE AXLE SHAFT, WHICH FRACTURED AT THE OUTBOARD EDGE OF THE SPLINE AREA, ABOUT 3 INCHES FROM THE TIP. I COULD NOT DETERMINE IF THE AXLE FRACTURE OCCURRED WHILE THE AXLE WAS IN THE HOUSING OR IF THE DAMAGE WAS THE RESULT OF THE AXLE EXTENDING OUT OF THE HOUSING OR THE SUBSEQUENT TUMBLING OF THE WHEEL/AXLE ASSEMBLY AFTER SEPARATION. THIS IS A NON-POSITRACK REAREND SO THE AXLE FAILURE COULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED VERY LONG BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY SEPERATION. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN A RURAL AREA AND RESULTED IN NO DAMAGE OTHER THAN TO THE REAR AXLE HOUSING AND BRAKE BACKING PLATE. ALL AXLE BEARINGS TURN FREELY. THERE IS NO VISUALLY APPARENT CAUSE FOR THE FRACTURE OF THE BEARING RETAINER NUT. THIS IS NOT A PART NORMALLY SUBJECT TO WEAR OR PREVENTITIVE MAINTENANCE REPLACEMENT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
PAINT HAS CONTINUED TO PEEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, POWER DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITENTLY, POWER WINDOWS ALSO WORK SPORADICALLY. THE DOOR LOCK CYLINDERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES.
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 .