RoadVitals

1994 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Dec 9, 2016
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2

Overview

Our database contains 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, most frequently naming the brakes, engine and interior & seats categories. 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes330.0%
  • Engine220.0%
  • Interior & seats220.0%
  • Visibility220.0%
  • Airbags110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Airbags
Filed Dec 9, 2016

AIRBAGS NEED REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
10934205
Incident
Dec 8, 2016
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 14, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 (NA) CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WITHOUT WARNING, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO HOLD THE DOOR TOGETHER WITH A CONTRAPTION TO KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED. THE INDEPENDENT DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID
10849593
Incident
Mar 31, 2015
Mileage
150,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 21, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE METAL FROM THE SEAT WAS RIPPED. IN ADDITION, WHILE ACCELERATING, THE SEAT WOULD ROCK BACKWARDS. WHILE BRAKING, THE SEAT WOULD ROCK FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

NHTSA ID
10811467
Incident
Dec 14, 2015
Mileage
137,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 14, 2011
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, HE HAD TO DRIVE INTO A DITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE OWNER AND HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 215,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10430216
Incident
Sep 19, 2011
Mileage
215,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 9, 2011

AFTER BUYING THE VEHICLE, THE FORMER OWNER SAID THAT THE PDM WOULD OVERHEAT AND THE ENGINE WOULD JUST FAIL AND THERE WOULD BE NO ABILITY TO STEER OR TO BRAKE. HE SAID THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM WAS TO MOVE THE PDM AWAY FROM THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP. HE TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AN HOUR BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. HE SAID THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PDM GETS TOO HOT WHICH CAUSES IT TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN, WHICH ONLY STANDS TO REASON. THE PDM IS AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT IN A SMALL BOX ATTACHED TO A PIECE OF METAL THAT REACHES TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF 300 DEGREES. HE TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO RELOCATE THE PDM AWAY FROM THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND UNTIL I DID THIS I WOULD HAVE TO MONITOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAREFULLY. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I POSTPONED FIXING THE PROBLEM AND FOOLISHLY DROVE FROM PHOENIX TO OREGON. NOW, I REALIZE HOW LUCKY I WAS THAT THE ENGINE DIDN'T QUIT ON ME GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR DOWN THE HILLS AND ON THE FREEWAY OR IN LOS ANGLES TRAFFIC. YESTERDAY, IT WAS 109 DEGREES IN PHOENIX WHEN I EXPERIENCED THE TRUCK JUST QUITTING. I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 15 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE TRUCK JUST QUIT. THERE WAS NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER. IT JUST QUIT. I COULDN'T STEER IT OR BRAKE OR TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAITED ONE HOUR IN 109 DEGREE HEAT AND THE TRUCK RESTARTED AS THE MAN HAD SAID. NOW AFTER HAVING EXPERIENCED THIS, I AM FRIGHTENED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING I AM READING ON THE INTERNET STATES THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN'T BE REMEDIED WITH RELOCATING THE PDM WITH THE RELOCATION KIT. I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AND I AM AFRAID IF I DRIVE IT I WILL BE PUTTING NOT ONLY MYSELF, MY 15 YEAR OLD SON IN DANGER, BUT ALSO ANYONE ELSE THAT IS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR HIGHWAY WITH ME. I WILL BE SEEKING LEGAL ACTION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10424553
Incident
Sep 8, 2011
Mileage
160,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 13, 2009

BRAKE SWITCH (AT PEDAL) HAD TO BE REPLACED 3 TIMES, STARTING AT 70,000 MI. OTHERS HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN WEEKS OF USE (AFTERMARKET BRAND). PROBLEM NOT FIXED AS OF DATE. 1994 SILVERADO VIN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10265189
Incident
Aug 15, 2008
Mileage
70,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 5, 2008
Fire reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH, WHITE SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE TAIL PIPE. BEFORE THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD, FLAMES APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000. UPDATED 02-19-09 *BF UPDATED 02/19/09. *JB

NHTSA ID
10226630
Incident
Apr 26, 2008
Mileage
180,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 19, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THERE WAS AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE UPON APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE MAIN BRAKE LINE RUSTED INTO RENDERING THE BRAKES INOPERABLE. THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE BRAKE LINE HAD CORRODED DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE VEHICLE BEING EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE ROAD SALTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ID
10168615
Incident
Sep 19, 2006
Mileage
160,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

PIE-0043

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES

CHEVROLET:GMC: ENGINEERING INFORMATION-FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSOR, DTCS P0446, P0451 OR P0454 SET. GMC ENGINEERING IS ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ABOVE CONCERN. *PE

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026693053.3
2025840046.9
20242812360.5
20233573364.4
20225836367.2
20217818469.6
202069512367.0
20191,05310264.7
20185117054.9
20177116057.9
201679011160.3
20151,09511262.9
20141,4326259.0
20133012254.0
20122152252.3
20115634257.1
20103603255.0
20094443253.6
20089143359.1
20078492355.7
20063570039.0
20055250039.6
20047970036.5
20038050343.9
20025090249.0
20014680249.0
20006110249.9
19995872257.5
19983612048.1
19975552049.3
1996700
1995300
1994Viewing100038.6

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.