Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 GMC C/K Series, most frequently naming the brakes category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 18 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2005 | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 2010 | 1 | 2 |
| Sep 2011 | 1 | 3 |
| Mar 2014 | 1 | 4 |
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.
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
IN A LETTER DATED APRIL 20, 2005, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT HAD DECIDED THAT DEFECTS THAT RELATE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXIST IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES (PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) AND MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES (TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM) PICKUPS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.ACCORDING TO GM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THE FRICTION LININGS TO WEAR TO AN EXTENT WHERE THE PARKING BRAKE CAN BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN IMMOBILIZING A PARKED VEHICLE.GM'S ACTION COVERS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 142,585 VEHICLES.DEALERS WILL INSTALL A LOW-FORCE SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALL A REDESIGNED PARKING BRAKE CABLE ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRW PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. A TOTAL OF 58 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED BY ODI AND GM CONCERNING THE APPROXIMATELY 59,000 MY 1999-2002 C/K 1500 SERIES PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PBR PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.THESE INCLUDED 22 ALLEGED ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS, RESULTING IN A RATE OF 38.5 ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF 24 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE MY 2001-2005 C/K 2500 AND 3500 SERIES MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS RECALLED BY GM, INCLUDING 5 ALLEGING ROLLAWAY INCIDENTS.THOUGH THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED IN GM'S LETTER ARE ALSO PRESENT IN THE C/K TRUCKS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE ROLLAWAY RATE IN THOSE VEHICLES WAS SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN PEER VEHICLES STUDIED BY ODI IN THIS INVESTIGATION.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
PARKING BRAKE FAILURE
ODI OPENED PE03-057 TO ASSESS PARKING BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKES THAT INCORPORATE A SINGLE-SHOE DRUM-IN-HAT PARKING BRAKE INDEPENDENT OF THE SERVICE BRAKES.COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA INDICATE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE LININGS TEND TO WEAR OUT EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (AT AN AVERAGE OF 24 MONTHS IN SERVICE), REDUCING THE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM'S TORQUE BELOW THAT NEEDED TO IMMOBILIZE THE VEHICLE.GM HAS ATTRIBUTED THIS ACCELERATED WEAR TO FOREIGN MATERIAL INTRUSION AND A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SHOE TO PROPERLY SELF-CENTER WITHIN ITS BRAKE DRUM.EFFECTIVE WITH THE START OF MY 2003 PRODUCTION, A NEWER REDUCED FORCE HOLD-DOWN CLIP WAS INTRODUCED TO FACILITATE BRAKE SHOE DISENGAGEMENT FROM THE DRUM SURFACE.THIS PART IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE SERVICE LEVEL FOR THE MY 1999-2002 VEHICLES.GM HAS INDICATED THAT THE PAKING BRAKE IS INTENDED TO OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION TO IMMOBILZE PARKED VEHICLES, AND THAT IN MANY CASES, ACCELERATED PARKING BRAKE LINING WEAR IS CAUSED BY ROUGH USE, VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS, AND DRIVING WITH THE PARKING ENGAGED. ODI HAS UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING PARKING BRAKE USAGE FACTORS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SEVENTEEN REPORTED VEHICLE CRASHES.
BRAKE HOSE ABRASION
FRONT BRAKE HOSE ABRASION BY TIRE/WHEEL RIM MAY LEAD TO RUPTURE UNDER PRESSURE AND DIMINISHED BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW IN 1999 AND HAVE WATCHED IT RUST AWAY. WHY THEY DIDN'T USE BETTER METAL OR EVEN STAINLESS STEEL. MY BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED SO BAD THAT ONE OR MORE IS LEAKING ALONG FRAME RAIL UNDERNEATH DRIVERS SEAT. MANY OTHER OWNERS IN THIS REGION SEEM TO HAVE SAME PROBLEMS. I'M GLAD IT WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN IT BECAME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. ALSO THE ABS MODULE STOPPED WORKING AND HAD TO PULL THE 60 AMP FUSE TO DISCONNECT AT 60,000 AND TRUCK NOW HAS 121,000 MILES. GMC SIERRA 1500 4WD BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTING AWAY WHAT A SHAME. DRIVESHAFT GOING TO REAR AXLE IS MADE OF ALUMINUM AND LOOKS BRAND NEW STILL. AGAIN STAINLESS STEEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR IMPORTANT BRAKE LINES. JUST WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THAT IS ALL AND HOPE FOR A RECALL. *TR
BLEW A BRAKE LINE WHILE BACKING A BOAT INTO THE WATER..... THANK GOODNESS NO ONE WAS IN THE WATER AND THAT THE TRUCK STOPPED BEFORE COMPLETELY SUBMERGING. THE BRAKE LINES ALL LOOK TERRIBLE.... I'M NOT A MECHANIC BUT I DO MOST OF MY OWN MECHANICAL WORK ON MY TRUCKS ALL MY LIFE.... ONCE I PAID ATTENTION TO THEM, ALL OF MY BRAKE LINES ARE IN HORRIBLE SHAPE!! BAD NEWS HERE.... PEOPLE ARE GONNA DIE FROM THIS. *TR
LOSS OF BRAKES DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES. HAPPENED TWICE. SECTIONS OF BRAKE LINE REPLACED. (ALTHOUGH I INDICATED 15 MPH AT TIME OF "INCIDENT", THE BRAKES WERE ALREADY NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WHEN, ON THE WAY TO THE SERVICE STATION, I BUMPED A CAR WHICH CUT IN FRONT OF ME.) REPORTED ISSUE TO YOU SINCE I SAW ARTICLE IN 4/11/10 HARTFORD COURANT. HAVE NOT REPLACED ENTIRE BRAKE LINE DUE TO DIFFICULTY IN ACCESSING IT AND RELATED EXPENSE. *TR
MY 1999 GMC SUBURBAN WAS TAKEN IN FOR BRAKING PROBLEMS TO A GMC DEALERSHIP. UPON BACKING AT SLOW SPEEDS A SPRING TENSION RELEASE IS HEARD AND LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITIES OCCUR FOR THREE TO FIVE SECONDS. WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT FORWARD SPEEDS A FORWARD IMPULSE OCCURS AFTER HAVING FULLY STOPPED WHILE FOOT REMAINS UPON THE BRAKE. YES, AN INVOLUNTARY LURCH FORWARD. DEALERSHIPS RESPONSE? MASTER CYLINDER. SAME CONDITION ON LEAVING DEALERSHIP. RETURNED. MECHANICS RESPONSE. "CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM." GMC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE RESPONSE? ABS RECALL DOESN'T FALL WITHIN YOUR YEAR. I INSIST THIS IS HAPPENING WITH MY VEHICLE. PLEASE DIRECT MY PATH TO GET GMS ATTENTION. *NM
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
SAAB/HUMMER/GM: DIAGNOSTIC TIPS/RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACEMENT IS NECESSARY. ANALYSIS OF RETURNED POWER STEERING (PS) PUMPS THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED FOR NOISE, NO POWER ASSIST, NO OR LOW PRESSURE AND LEAKING CONDITIONS HAS INDICATED A HIGH NUMBER OF NO TROUBLE FOUND RESULTS. ALL 1997-2010 VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS; 2010 AND PRIOR HUMMERS H2/H3 AND SAAB 9-7X VEHICLES. *PE
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON, TRANSMISSION STUCK IN THIRD GEAR, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INOPERATIVE. *TT UPDATED *EH 2006 AND PRIOR GM PASSENGER CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *SC
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
A NO REVERSE, NO SECOND GEAR, OR NO FOURTH GEAR CONDITION. *TT UPDATED *EH
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH A P0300 SET AND A MISFIRE. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 1996 - 1999 P32 MODELS. SIT BULLETIN 1416475. *TT
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
6.5L L49 L56 L57 L65 DIESEL ENGINE REQUIRING FUEL INJECTION PUMP REPLACEMENT. MODELS P32/P42 1994-1999 INCLUDED. *TT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ROUGH IDLE AFTER START, AND/OR A SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) LIGHT. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 1995 CHEVROLET AND GMC S/T MODELS. *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
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.