IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE AND PULLED OVER, HE OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE UNDERCARRIAGE COMPARTMENT AREA WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE, THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING AND BURNING, THE FIRE WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY THE ENGINE OR FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *SLC
1990 Chevrolet C20
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all C20 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 5 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports3 fire reports0 injury reports
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
1 reportsOfficial recalls
393V016000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Feb 1, 1993
UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE VENTED TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN CATCH FIRE IF EXPOSEDTO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy: INSTALL A LONGER TRANSMISSION VENT HOSE ROUTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE.
90V108000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages
Jun 4, 1990
LOOSE PIVOT BOLT HOLDING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ITS SUPPORT BRACKET COULD DISENGAGE FROM THE NUT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKING ACTIVITY THAT COULDRESULT IN A TRUCK CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: RETORQUE BRAKE PEDAL PIVOT BOLTS TO SPECIFICATIONS TO PREVENT LOOSENING.
90V015000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Jan 29, 1990
ON C AND K MODELS, FEED AND OR RETURN FUEL LINES CAN CONTACT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE CORDON SHAFT. IN ADDITION, ON K MODELS LINES MAY ALSO CONTACT FRONT PROPSHAFT. IN EITHER CASE THE FUEL LINES COULD BE DAMAGED RESULTING IN A FUEL LEAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A HOLE COULD BE RUBBED THROUGH THESE FUEL LINES, ALLOWING FUEL LEAKAGE NEAR EXHAUST CROSSOVER PIPE; THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE THAT COULD SPREAD TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
Remedy: INSTALL NEWLY DESIGNED FUEL LINE ROUTING BRACKET TO PREVENT CONTACT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE FUEL LINES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA94029 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jul 29, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
AN ALLEGED MALFUNCTION IN THE ATLERNATOR RESULTING IN ENGINE COMPARTMET FIRES.
EA92041 · Fuel System Integrity
Opened Dec 8, 1992 · Closed Mar 9, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
There is no summary currently available