Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 25 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1990 Chevrolet Silverado, most frequently naming the brakes, seat belts and tires & wheels categories. 3 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.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1998 | 1 | 1 |
| Mar 1999 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 1999 | 1 | 3 |
| Jun 1999 | 1 | 4 |
| Jul 1999 | 1 | 5 |
| Oct 1999 | 1 | 6 |
| Nov 1999 | 1 | 7 |
| Feb 2000 | 2 | 9 |
| Apr 2000 | 1 | 10 |
| May 2000 | 1 | 11 |
| Jun 2000 | 1 | 12 |
| Aug 2000 | 2 | 14 |
| Sep 2000 | 2 | 16 |
| Oct 2000 | 1 | 17 |
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 18 |
| Apr 2002 | 1 | 19 |
| Apr 2003 | 1 | 20 |
| May 2004 | 1 | 21 |
| Oct 2007 | 1 | 22 |
| Jun 2009 | 1 | 23 |
| Feb 2010 | 1 | 24 |
| Apr 2011 | 1 | 25 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
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.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
STEERING COLUMN ON 1990 CHEVROLET C 1500 (SILVERADO) IS VERY LOOSE AND FEELS DISCONNECTED. STEERING WHEEL MOVES VERTICALLY OVER ONE INCH AND ENTIRE COLUMN SHAKES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICKUP. HE STATED SINCE PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE HAD POOR BRAKE STOPPING ABILITY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FROM 5 MPH AND UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HIS INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THE REAR BRAKE LINE PINCHED UNDER A HOT RIVET CAUSING A DECREASE IN BRAKE STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS ALSO CAUSED A FAILURE IN THE BRAKE FLUID REACHING THE REAR BRAKES. THE REAR BRAKE LINE AND TWO REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE REPLACED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. SINCE THE REPAIRS, BRAKE STOPPING DISTANCE IMPROVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7300 AND THE CURRENT WAS 156,000.
I HAVE BOUGHT A UNIROYAL LAREDO TIRE AND NOT USED BUT 900 MILES ON IT AND IT BUBBLED ON THE INSIDE COULD HAVE BLEW OUT WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY THANK GOD A TRUCKER TOLD ME I HAD A 3 YEAR OLD CHILD WITH ME. * TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE STEELTEX AT, SIZE LT 245/75 R16 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THEN A LOUD BANGING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT THOUGHT THAT THE ENGINE FELL OUT AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAD NOT BLOWN OUT, HOWEVER, THE TREAD SEPARATED TO REVEAL THE STEEL BELTS. THE TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE. THE CONTACT PLACED THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT A NAIL COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES HAVE APPROXIMATELY 90% OF TREAD REMAINING. SHE STILL HAS THE TIRES ALONG WITH PICTURES. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 213,070.
SEATBELTS KEEP BREAKING ON MY 1990 CHEVY SILVERALDO C/K 1500 PICKUP. LITTLE PLASTIC PIECES INSIDE THE FEMALE PART OF THE LATCHING DEVICE. KNOW OF OTHER PEOPLE AND OTHER VEHICLES WITH WITH SAME PROBLEM. ALL SEATBELTS ARE BROKEN IN MY TRUCK.
THE CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE LEANED TO THE LEFT, AND THE STEERING HAD BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE CONSUMER WAS UNSURE IF THE TIRE HAD BLOWN OR IF THE BALL JOINTS FAILED. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SPECIAL POLICY LETTER IN REFERENCE TO THE FRONT SUSPENSION. MR SCC *JB
THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE COMPONENT FAILURE. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY HAD MANY TRUCKS COME IN WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS PART SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED, AND I FEEL THEY SHOULD RECALL OTHERS TO CHECK OUT PROBLEM BEFORE WE HAVE ANY FATALITIES. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.**** DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****761182. *AK *JB
STEERING IS VERY LOOSE, AND VEHICLE MOVES UP AND DOWN AND FROM SIDE TO SIDE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT
SUSPENSION:REAR
SPRING SLAP NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE GMT 400 SERIES TRUCK. *MN
POWER TRAIN
DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT
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.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 2016 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 76 | 7 | 0 | 52.7 |
| 2014 | 124 | 14 | 0 | 53.5 |
| 2013 | 64 | 3 | 0 | 50.8 |
| 2012 | 68 | 2 | 0 | 52.0 |
| 2011 | 75 | 2 | 0 | 48.6 |
| 2010 | 62 | 1 | 0 | 38.1 |
| 2009 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 37.9 |
| 2008 | 162 | 2 | 0 | 50.7 |
| 2007 | 183 | 4 | 2 | 58.7 |
| 2006 | 182 | 10 | 0 | 52.8 |
| 2005 | 316 | 14 | 0 | 50.7 |
| 2004 | 622 | 15 | 1 | 59.9 |
| 2003 | 695 | 13 | 8 | 62.5 |
| 2002 | 710 | 15 | 12 | 66.5 |
| 2001 | 877 | 15 | 13 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 1,305 | 20 | 13 | 66.6 |
| 1999 | 1,660 | 17 | 14 | 63.5 |
| 1998 | 279 | 0 | 2 | 43.0 |
| 1997 | 272 | 0 | 0 | 38.1 |
| 1996 | 186 | 0 | 0 | 39.2 |
| 1995 | 263 | 0 | 0 | 35.9 |
| 1994 | 210 | 0 | 0 | 37.1 |
| 1993 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 37.5 |
| 1992 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 36.9 |
| 1991 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 28.0 |
| 1990Viewing | 25 | 0 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 1989 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 42.3 |
| 1988 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 38.7 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
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.