1990 Chevrolet Silverado 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 1990 Chevrolet Silverado, 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
- Brakes1031.3%
- Seat belts412.5%
- Tires & wheels39.4%
- Engine26.3%
- Exterior lighting26.3%
- Electrical26.3%
- Steering26.3%
- Suspension26.3%
- Transmission13.1%
- Driver assistance13.1%
- Interior & seats13.1%
- Other / unspecified13.1%
- Body & structure13.1%
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
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.
WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH AND WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMAITON.*AK
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
REPORTING DRIVER SIDE BELT BUCKLE FELL APART; MFR'S NOTIFIED AND UNABLE TO GET REPLACEMENT PART. LEAVING OCCUPANT WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS:
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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
THE BRAKE SYSTEM EATS DRUMS AND SHOES <CONSTANTLY FALL APART> FOR BREAKFAST AS WELL AS ROTORS CRACKING. THIS TRUCK IS HIGHLY INADEQUATE FOR STOPPING AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND THE BRAKES HAVCE ALWAYS FELT SPONGY. THIS BRAKE SYSTEM IS AN ECONOMICAL AND SAFETY NIGHTMARE!! PLEASE HELP!!! THE OIL LINES TO THE RADIATOR OIL COOLER RUBBED ON THE STEERING BOX AND DRAINED THE ENGINE OF OIL AT 65 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY! THANK GOD FOR PROLONG! THE VERY SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY SON'S TRUCK GMC 1990 A FEW DAYS EARLIER. BOTH WERE WITHOUT WARNING!!! WHAT GIVES??? SHAME ON GM!!! WHAT A PIECE OF GARBAGE IS THE BRAKING SYSTEM!!!
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENTS. YH
HORN DOESN'T WORK, AND ALL LIGHTS DON'T WORK. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
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
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENTS. YH
HORN DOESN'T WORK, AND ALL LIGHTS DON'T WORK. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
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
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
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO STOP VEHICLE HIT A BUMP AND PEDAL STARTED TO VIBRATE. PEDAL WILL HIT THE FLOOR. IT HAS TAKEN EXTENDED STOPING DISTANCE IN ORDER FOR VEHICLE TO STOP. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHO HAD NO REMEDY, AND SAID "GET USED TO IT". BRAKES HAVE CAUSED CONSUMER TO COME CLOSE TO AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP AT AN APPROPIATE DISTANCE. ALSO, TRUCK DOES NOT STAY IN ALIGNMENT. VEHICLE STARTS TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. DEALER HAD ADVISED CONSUMER TO GIVE THE VEHICLE A "SETTLE IN PERIOD" UP TO 500 MILES, VEHICLE HAS 15000 MILES, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENTS. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
AT A SPEED OF 65MPH, MY TRUCK SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO THE MAX RPM. I ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT, BUT THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND SINCE I WAS APPROACHING AN OF-RAMP I PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE, BUT COULD NOT STOP, SO I TURNED OFF THE KEY, BUT HAD TO SWERVE OFF TO THE GRASS TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE LINE OF TRAFFIC STOPPED IN THE OFF-RAMP. I WAITED A FEW MOMENTS TO STOP SHAKING AND REALIZED A NOXIOUS "BURNING" SMELL WAS FILLING THE CAB AND I THOUGHT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. I WAITED A FEW PANICKY MOMENTS AND RESTARTED IT AND EASED ONTO THE FEEDER RD.AND INTO A MUFFLER SHOP. THE OWNER LOOKED AT IT, DROVE IT AND THEN DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL. HE ADVISED ME TO HAVE MY BRAKES INSPECTED, SINCE I PROBABLY DAMAGED THEM WHILE TRYING TO STOP. I WENT TO A CHEV. DEALER AND THEY SAID NO SERVICE BULLETINS COULD BE FOUND.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENTS. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
IRON ON TRAILER HITCH THAT COMES WITH THE TRUCK IS DEFECTIVE. BECAUSE OF OVERTIME IT WILL RUST AND POSSIBLE CAUSE A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS COULD HAPPEN IF CONSUMER HAS A BOAT OR ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE BACK, IT COULD DISCONNECT. *AK TRAILER HITCH RUSTED OUT JUST ABOUT FELL OFF. *YH
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 IS PEELING HAS BEEN FOR 2YEARS. TRUCK IS NOT OLD ENOUGH FOR PAINT TO PEEL. PAINT IS PEELING NOT FADING. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTE DIN THE SUMMARY. *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 .