1994 GMC K15

Routine

Owners filed 10 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seats. It has been recalled 5 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seats3
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip2
000
Visibility1
000
Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate1
000
Structure › Body › Door1
001
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner1
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood1
010

5 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Seats95V246000
Filed Dec 21, 1995675,661 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE SEAT RECLINER TO SEAT FRAME ATTACHING BOLTS ON THESE VEHICLE COULD LOOSEN, FATIGUE AND FRACTURE, ALLOWING THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE.

Risk. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THIS COULD RESULT IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE ALL FOAM AND/OR FABRIC SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE RECLINER ASSEMBLY AND THE SEAT FRAME, INSTALL WASHERS BETWEEN THE SEAT RECLINER AND THE SEAT FRAME AT EACH ATTACHMENT POINT, AND INSTALL NEW ATTACHING BOLTS TORQUED TO A HIGHER SPECIFICATION. THESE CORRECTIONS WILL BE MADE TO BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATS.

Visibility › Windshield94V212000
Filed Oct 26, 199429 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE WINDSHIELDS WERE INSTALLED WITH INCORRECT WINDSHIELD OPENING PINCH-WELD-FLANGE PRIMER. THIS PRIMER WILL NOT PROPERLY ETCH THE PAINTED SURFACE OF THE FLANGE, ALLOWING THE WINDSHIELD TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE DURING A COLLISION. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING."

Risk. CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: THE SEPARATION OF THE WINDSHIELD FROM THE VEHICLE DURING COLLISION INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY FOR ALL PERSONS INVOLVED.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE WINDSHIELD AND REINSTALL IT USING THE CORRECT PRIMER.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Arm94V060000
Filed Apr 5, 199430,148 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. TRUCKS WERE ASSEMBLED WITH THE LEFT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM TO FRAME REAR NUT TIGHTENED BELOW THE SPECIFIED TORQUE. LOW TORQUE ON THIS NUT MAY ALLOW THE ATTACHMENT BOLT TO LOOSED AND SUBSEQUENTLY FATIGUE AND BREAK. THE BOLT BREAKAGE CAN CAUSE THE LEFT HAND CONTROL ARM TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME.

Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD RESULT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE LEFT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM TO FRAME REAR NUT TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION.

Seats93V216000
Filed Dec 14, 19931,375 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE SEATS HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITHOUT BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE UPPER SLAVE HINGE TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, OR WITHOUT BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE SEAT TO THE SEAT ADJUSTER. IN EITHER CASE, THE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO FNVSS NO. 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS."

Risk. THE MISSING BOLTS MAY CAUSE THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO BECOMELOOSE AND IN A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT MAY SUBJECT THE OCCUPANT TO INCREASEDRISK OF INJURY.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT SEATS FOR MISSING BOLTS AND INSTALL BOLTS IF REQUIRED.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Pedals and Linkages93V152000
Filed Sep 15, 199370,154 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSH ROD RETAINER IS MISSING, MISPOSITIONED OR NOT PROPERLY SEATED.

Risk. BRAKE PEDAL PUSH ROD PROBLEMS CAN CAUSE THE STOP LAMPSWITCH AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER PUSH ROD TO DISCONNECT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL,RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE OPERATION, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUTPRIOR WARNING.

Remedy. INSPECT VEHICLES TO ASSURE THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSH ROD RETAINER IS PRESENT AND FULLY SEATED IN ITS CORRECT POSITION.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Visibility
Filed Jul 18, 2008171,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 GMC K15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. THE WIPERS DO NOT OPERATE AS THEY SHOULD, BUT RATHER INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE CIRCUIT BOARD WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. HE DISCOVERED A RECALL THAT LISTED AN IDENTICAL FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD STOP WORKING AND REDUCE VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIPER FAILURE OCCURRED REGULARLY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 171,000.

Structure › Body › Door1 injured
Filed May 14, 2002NV

PASSENGERS DOOR WAS STARTING TO SAG, NOT SHUTTING PROPERLY. WHILE GOING AROUND A CURVE DOOR SWUNG OPEN WHILE CHILD WAS SITTING IN SEAT, AND FELL OUT. *AK THE CHILD, WHO WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT, FELL OUT WHEN THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN AND RECEIVED ROAD RASH ON ELBOW AND KNEES. *YH

Seats
Filed Oct 11, 1996MA

SEAT FRAME/ANCHOR RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS.

Seats
Filed Aug 30, 1996MA

DEALERSHIP HASN'T RECEIVED THE PARTS FOR TWO MONTHS CONCERNING RECALL (93V-216). *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed May 23, 1996CA

DRIVING VEHICLE, TRAILER BEING PULLED, NOTICED SMOKE & PULLED OVER, FLAMES STARTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD, COULD NOT PUT FLAMES OUT, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Apr 8, 1996RI

WHEN THERE IS A LOW OF 500 LBS OR MORE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES BRAKE LOSS, TRUCK HAS REAR ABS. *AK

Seats
Filed Feb 23, 1996TX

RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT RATTLES LIKE IT LOSE ON THE MOUNTING BRACKET ON FLOOR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jun 27, 1995NY

PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR BRAKES, LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY, EQUIPPED WITH ABS SYSTEM BRAKES. TT

Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate
Filed May 17, 1995AR

REAR DOOR COMES OPEN, HAD FIXED TWICE, STILL COMES OPEN. TT

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Apr 12, 1995CA

DRIVER SIDE SEAT FELL BACKWARD WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH, CAUSING SEAT BACK FAILURE. TT

10 of 10 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1994
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
19960100Routine
19958000Routine
1994 — this page10510Routine
19931100Routine
19920200Routine
19910100Routine
19901300Routine

Compare every K15 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Dec 21, 1995. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.