NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2008

Chevrolet C Series recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 71 owner complaints for the Chevrolet C Series, covering model years 1995 to 2008. The 1997 model year drew the most complaints (22), and Visibility is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Chevrolet C Series VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

1 recall campaign on file
71 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
9 model years with data (1995–2008)

most complaints: 1997 (22 for that model year)
top component: Visibility (20 complaints)
latest recall 01V159000 (reported May 17, 2001)

4 complaints reporting a crash (5.6%)
1 complaint reporting a fire (1.4%)
1 complaint reporting an injury (1.4%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Chevrolet C Series complaints by model year

9 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 1997 model year has the most complaints: 22 of 71, or 31.0%. Next come 1998 (17) and 1996 (11). The fewest are for 2008, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Chevrolet C Series complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Chevrolet C Series complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury
1995	10	1	0	0
1996	11	1	1	1
1997	22	1	0	0
1998	17	1	0	0
1999	3	0	0	0
2001	2	0	0	0
2002	3	0	0	0
2007	2	0	0	0
2008	1	0	0	0
All model years	71	4	1	1

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Chevrolet C Series components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Visibility is the component named most often, in 20 complaints (28.2% of all 71), followed by Service Brakes, Hydraulic (16) and Power Train (8).

Components named most often in Chevrolet C Series complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Chevrolet C Series complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Visibility	20	28.2%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	16	22.5%
Power Train	8	11.3%
Fuel System, Gasoline	7	9.9%
Steering	6	8.5%
Air Bags	5	7.0%
Engine and Engine Cooling	5	7.0%
Suspension	5	7.0%
Electrical System	4	5.6%
Seat Belts	3	4.2%
Structure	3	4.2%
Tires	3	4.2%
Parking Brake	2	2.8%
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	1	1.4%
Equipment	1	1.4%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Chevrolet C Series recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name C Series, newest first. The only campaign, 01V159000, covers model year 2001.

1 recall campaign

Chevrolet C Series recall campaigns covering each model year
2001: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 01V159000
Reported May 17, 2001
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Model year 2001
Vehicle description: pickup and utility trucks. Some of these vehicles have an internal component in the outboard seat belt retractors for the 2nd and 3rd row of seats that could be cracked. With repeated actuation of the locking mechanism, the crack could spread to the point such that the seat belt would no longer lock.
Consequence:
In a crash, increased occupant injury could result from the no-lock condition.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the outboard seat belts for specific lot numbers and replace the belts if necessary. GM is enclosing an inspection procedure for the owners to use or they can have their dealers do the inspections. Owner notification began July 2, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC at 1-800-462-8782.
Filed by General Motors, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Chevrolet C Series questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Chevrolet C Series have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the Chevrolet C Series, covering model years 1995 to 2008. The campaign, 01V159000, was reported on May 17, 2001 and is filed under “Seat belts”.

Which Chevrolet C Series model year has the most complaints?

The 1997 model year, with 22 of the 71 complaints in NHTSA’s file (31.0%). The next are 1998 (17) and 1996 (11). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Chevrolet C Series complaint?

Visibility is the component named most often: 20 complaints, or 28.2% of all 71. Service Brakes, Hydraulic (16) and Power Train (8) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Chevrolet C Series?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Chevrolet dealer.

How many Chevrolet C Series complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 71 complaints, 4 report a crash, 1 a fire, 1 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Chevrolet models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Chevrolet VIN decoder with every Chevrolet model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Chevrolet Malibu 1997–2025 · 53 recalls · 19,326 complaints
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 1995–2026 · 54 recalls · 17,953 complaints
Chevrolet Impala 1995–2020 · 31 recalls · 10,395 complaints
Chevrolet Tahoe 1995–2026 · 80 recalls · 9,976 complaints
Chevrolet Equinox 2005–2026 · 32 recalls · 9,132 complaints
Chevrolet Silverado 1995–2017 · 46 recalls · 8,387 complaints
Chevrolet Cobalt 1996–2017 · 10 recalls · 7,681 complaints
Chevrolet Trailblazer 1999–2026 · 29 recalls · 7,141 complaints

All Chevrolet models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.