1981 Gmc C1500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
0 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1981 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
No owner complaints are recorded for this selection. A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
No usable records for this chart.
| Category | Count |
|---|
No records.
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
No usable records for this chart.
| Category | Count |
|---|
No records.
Pattern summary
There is not enough complaint evidence to summarize patterns.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
81V118000 · Wheels:Rim
Reported: 1981-10-05 (October 5, 1981)
THE SPARE WHEEL IS ONE INCH WIDER THAN THE MAXIMUM APPROVED RIM WIDTH AND FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS".
Remedy: THE SPARE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
0 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1985 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 317.6%ODI 764538I HAVE FOUND THAT YOU HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS (#98V150001), BUT IT ONLY APPLIES TO 1994 -1996 VEHICLES. MY 1992 HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. I BELIEVE THAT IT COULD BE THE SOLDER JOINTS AS WELL. THIS ISSUE MAY NOT BE LIMITED TO YEARS 1994-1996. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.*AK | 523.8%ODI 10086083 · 70,000 miWINDSHIELD WIPERS START AND STOP FOR NO APPAENT REASON.*AK | 520.0%ODI 10071657 · 55,000 miWHILE DRIVING DURING RAINY WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED, RECALL 03V159000 WAS ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *AK | 39.4%ODI 10040439CONSUMER NOTICED WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DUE TO WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK | 213.3% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 116.7%ODI 849097ABS BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED & RELEASED. ALSO, SEATS HAVE NO HEAD REST. CAN CAUSE A WHIPLASH EFFECT IF VEHICLE IS HIT FROM BEHIND. BEEN TO DEALER FOR BRAKES, BUT WILL NOT INSTALL HEADREST. *AK | 250.0%ODI 830704MAKING A NORMAL OR SUDDEN STOP, BRAKES WILL BECOME SPONGY, GO TO FLOOR, CAUSING A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE, AT LEAST 5 TIMES LONGER.DEALER HAS REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER/BOOSTER/ABS SYSTEM/ROTORS/CALIPERS/DISCS /DRUMS AND SHOES. DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 843752WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD AND DID NOT STOP VEHICLE.CONSUMER HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES DUE TO THE ABS SYSTEM WHICH KICKED IN, AND CAUSED THE BRAKES NOT TO WORK. *AK | 211.8%ODI 803780WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND BRAKING THE VEHICLE CHATTERED . THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND THE DISC HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE SYSTEM HAS REAR ABS. *AK | 14.8% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 825.0%ODI 807133WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES IN WET WEATHER, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKS UP. *AK | 213.3%ODI 817853CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES WEAR OUT EXTREMELY FAST. WHEN PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE BRAKES FEEL SPONGY AND VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE STOPPING POWER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK |
| Seats | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 15.9%ODI 823305WHILE DRIVING THE SEAT TRACK AND ANCHORS BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO SLIDE FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK | 419.0%ODI 10303244 · 200,000 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 GMC SIERRA C-1500 WHICH WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2007. SHE STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BENCH BOLTS BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE SEAT TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE OVER 200,000. | 416.0%ODI 732391I HAVE HAD APPROXIMATELY 7 COMPLAINTS AND FAILURRES WITH DRIVERS SEAT. BOLTS, CABLES,LOOSE BOLTS AND PORTIONS OF SEAT REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL FROM GM THAT WAS INSTALLED IN MY TRUCK ON 6-17-96. "RECALL 94C62"- "GM12386793 16682 BOLT" "SV V9870 CAMP 94-C-62" - "AS PER GM INSTRUCTIONS INSTALL UPDATED SEAT RELCINER BOLTS TO COMPLETE POLICY 94C62." THIS SEEMED TO FINALLY SOLVE MY DRIVERS SEAT PROBLEMS UNTIL MARCH 2000, WHEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE SEAT RELINER BROKE AND I FOUND MY SELF IN A COMPLETE RECLINED POSITION TRAVELING… | 412.5%ODI 808864THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT IS BROKEN CAUSING THE SEAT TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH. PROBLEM IS BEING FIXED BY DEALER. | 213.3% |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 971251SIXTY-FORTY SPLIT SEAT; WHEN BRAKING, BACK REST WILL LEAN FORWARD W/ PASSENGER CAUSING ENTIRE BACK AND SEAT REST TO SLIDE FORWARD. KT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 15.9%ODI 842558DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE WHILE DRIVING WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK | 523.8%ODI 844468EVERY TIME DRIVER ENTERS VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK WOULD COLLAPSE. NO BACK SUPPORT ON SEAT. HAD SEAT REPLACED UNDER RECALL IN MARCH 1996. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR SEAT AGAIN. *AK | 312.0%ODI 805911DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEATBACK BOLTS BECAME LOOSE, CAUSING SEAT TO MOVE, HAVING LOT OF PLAY WHILE DRIVING. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 16.7%ODI 808062CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, IMPACT ABOUT 40 TO 45 MPH AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY; ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S NECK AND BACK. *AK |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 618.8%ODI 803570CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER CAR AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY .*AK CONSUMER STATES HE HIT ANOTHER TRUCK GOING ABOUT 30-35 MPH.*JB | 213.3%ODI 808062CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, IMPACT ABOUT 40 TO 45 MPH AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY; ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE DRIVER'S NECK AND BACK. *AK |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 228.6%ODI 807156THE DRIVER'S SIDE RED RELEASE BUTTON BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT NOT TO LATCH INTO BELT BUCKLE. *AK | 120.0%ODI 838147DRIVER'S BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACED BUCKLE ON 10-21-94 WITH APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES OF WEAR. AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000, ON 5-17-99, BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH AGAIN. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO CORRECT PROBLEM.SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.0%ODI 977663PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE, PASSENGER IS UNABLE TO LATCH SEAT BELT. TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 16.7%ODI 987230DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKS UP WHEN GOING ON BUMPY/ROUGH RAOD SURFACE. *AK CONSUMER STATES SEAT BELT HAS TWO ROUND PENDLUMS HANGING DOWN THAT SWING IN ALL DIRECTIONS SO IF CONSUMER'S BODY PUTS ANY KIND OF PRESSURE AGAINST THE SEAT BELT WHILE THE PENDLUMS ARE SWINGING IT LOCKS UP, CONSUMER HAS TO LEAN BACK 2 INCHES FOR IT TO UNLOCK.*JB |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 116.7%ODI 809914CONSUMER'S WIRING HARNESS IS MELTING, THE WIRING AND THE BRAKES AND TAIL LIGHTS ARE BURNING OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN NINE YEARS. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 211.8%ODI 532911BRAKESS CONTINUE TO FAIL AFTER SEVERAL COMPONENT REPLACEMENTS. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 13.1%ODI 513732BRAKES LOCKED AND VEHICLE SKIDDED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT/PERMANENT INJURY. | 16.7%ODI 820950UPON APPLYING BRAKES ,STEERING GOES OUT. PROBLEM OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO DEALERS FOR PROBLEM AND OWNER WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION. *AK |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 10016363 · 112,000 miWINDSHIELD WIPERS OFTEN STOP WORKING WITHOUT WARNING. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN IT IS RAINING. YOU CAN SOMETIME PULL ON THE WIPER BLADES TO GET THE WIPERS TO START WORKING AGAIN BUT SOMETIMES THIS DOESN'T WORK EITHER. *JB | 15.9%ODI 843677THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. THEY WOULD GO ON/OFF. WOULD COME BACK ON BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT TURNING SWITCH OFF OR ON. PRESENTLY, WILL NOT SHUT OFF RIGHT AWAY AFTER SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO HAVE VERY POOR VISIBILITY. IT IS AN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT IS GETTING WORSE. HAS NOT BEEN TO DEALER. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.0%ODI 819752WHEN TURNING ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHEN IT'S RAINING THEY WILL WORK FOR A WHILE AND THEN THEY WILL STOP, MAKING IT HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS HAPPENS AT ALL WIPER SPEEDS, SOMETIMES CONSUMER CAN RESTART WIPERS BY MOVING THE ARMS, DEALER WANTED TO REPLACE EVERYTHING SINCE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM. *SLC | 13.1%ODI 882053WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, OR IN SOME CASES DO NOT WORK AT ALL, CAUSING POOR DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER INDICATED THAT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *NLM | 16.7%ODI 836332WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *AK |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1995: 23 complaints · 1996: 8 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 9 | 17 | 23 |
| 1996 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 21 | 11 | 0 |
| 1996 | 8 | 7 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component |
|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.