1993 Chevrolet K3500 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 1993 Chevrolet K3500, 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
- Visibility250.0%
- Body & structure125.0%
- Engine125.0%
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
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
MALFUCTIONING WINDSHIELD WIPERS:993 CHEVROLET K3500 WIPER PROBLEM. WAS INFORMED BY A RELATIVE ABOUT A RECALL EFFECTING THEIR TWO TRUCKS CONCERNING A WIPER FAILURE. THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO DETERIORATION OF A SOLDERED CONNECTION ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE FAILURE MODE IS THAT THE WIPERS JUST QUIT WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE RECALL (J#97CZT02054 I BELIEVE) WAS FIRST INITIATED TO COVER 98 AND UP. IT WAS LATER EXTENDED TO COVER THE 94-97 MODELS. THE 98 RECALL NUMBER IS 98043 I BELIEVE. I ASSUME THAT I HAVE THE SAME PART IN MY 93,: 12463090 MODULE 16.067, AND SEALANT 12345739, AS MY WIPERS FIRST FAILED JUST THIS LAST SUMMER AND THEY NOW WORK INTERMITTENTLY. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS ONLY A PROBLEM WHEN ITS RAINING/SNOWING!! I HAUL A 10,000 LB HORSETRAILER WITH HORSES IN IT SO THIS IS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. THE FIRST TIME IT FAILED I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I LIFTED THE HOOD AND PECKED ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD HOUSING AND THE WIPERS STARTING UP AGAIN. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IF GM IS RECALLING OVER 1.5 MILLION VEHICLES, THAT THEY EXTEND IT FURTHER TO COVER ALL MODELS WITH THE KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART. THAT YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MY COMPLAINT, AND I HOPE THERE IS ENOUGH OF A BACKLASH TO FORCE GM TO EXTEND THE RECALL. [XXX] 1993 CHEVROLET, K3500-VIN: [XXX] AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE TRUCK WAS PURCHASED NEW: BOB HOOK CHEVROLET, 4144 BARDSTOWN RD., LOUISVILLE, KY (502) 499-8900. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILS AT DIFFERENT TIMES. I HAVE CHECKED AND FOUND THAT LATER TRUCKS HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THE SAME WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. I HAVE DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION WHEN THE WIPER FAILED WHILE DRIVING. YOU CAN GET THE WIPER MOTOR TO START AGAIN BY REACHING UNDER THE HOOD AND JIGGLE THE WIRING HARNESS THAT CONNECTS TO THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR. THAT SOMETIMES WILL START THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKING BUT WHEN IT DOES IT TYPICALLY WILL ONLY OPERATE IN THE HIGH SPEED MODE.*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
1993 CHEVROLET K3500. RUST ISSUES. THE VEHICLE IS SUCH A RUST BUCKET THAT THE METAL THAT THE PLASTIC REAR BLINKER SCREWS INTO RUSTED AWAY AND THE BLINKER FELL OUT. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I DROVE BEFORE I NOTICED IT HANGING BEHIND ME. FURTHERMORE, THE FRAME HAS THROUGH RUST HOES AND THE BODY HAS TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF RUST AS WELL. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT ENGINE PROBLEMS. ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT HAD NO ANSWERS TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER STATED THAT HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE UNLESS THEY TOOK THE ENGINE APART.*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 .