1995 Chevrolet C1500 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about windshield wipers that quit or only run intermittently, frequently mentioning that a related wiper recall did not cover their truck. A second common theme is brake trouble — mainly reports of the pedal going to the floor and longer stopping distances — along with loosening or broken front seat mounts. Most of these trucks are well past 100,000 miles, and the reports read as wear- and age-related rather than a single sudden failure.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers stop or work intermittently

   • 106 complaints (51%)
   • median 130,000 mi at 12.3 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2012

   Wipers quit mid-sweep, fail to start when switched on, or only work after repeated attempts; some owners say tapping the wiper module or pulling the arms gets them moving again. Several describe this happening in rain on the highway or during storms and having to pull over. Many say a dealer told them their VIN was outside a wiper control recall covering similar trucks, and that repairs, including replacing the wiper motor pulse board or module, were at their own cost. Reported across a wide mileage range, from trucks in their first years of use to odometer readings around 100,000 to 186,000 miles.

   What to check: Test the wipers through every speed and intermittent setting, and try tapping the module cover while they run. Ask whether the wiper motor or control module has been replaced and keep the receipt.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The windshield wipers on my 95 C1500 works randomly at best. The pump for the fluid also only works some of the time. Some times I'll turn of the wipers and it will take up to a minute for them to start working,other times they work fine and then still other times they don't work at all. Fluid haven't come out of the pump for the last 4 months at all.”

   NHTSA complaint #10448916, filed 2012-02, 186,320 miles

   “Windshield wiper motor failed in thunderstorm, general motors has already recalled some vehicles, but did not include this model. Although, according to GM parts personnel, they all use the same wiper motor, and the module that controls it. We were advised that our vehicle was not covered under any current recalls for this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #707934, filed 1999-06
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes to the floor / long stopping distance

   • 31 complaints (15%)
   • typically at 3.9 yrs old
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2004

   Owners describe the pedal sinking close to the floor during hard or panic stops, with the truck taking much longer to stop than expected; a few mention collisions after braking failed. Others report the ABS light staying on, brakes releasing unexpectedly, or a hard pull to one side when braking. Dealers reportedly replaced the master cylinder, ABS components or front calipers and hoses, and in some cases said the behavior was normal or could not be reproduced. Reports span older, high-mileage trucks; several involve braking during downhill or emergency stops.

   What to check: Brake firmly from moderate speed on a safe, empty road and note pedal feel, pull and ABS light. Ask for service records on the master cylinder, ABS unit and front brakes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Five times I turned my truck in for repairs due to a hard pull to the left or right during braking and I finally gave up as frustration set in. Many work days lost and still I live with the same problem. The brakes are terrible and it takes for ever to stop the truck. I am afraid of what would happen in a panic stop. Also the windshield wipers work whenever they feel like.”

   NHTSA complaint #711322, filed 1999-09

   “After regular maintenence changing of brake fluid vehicle had a hard pull to the right when you first stepped on the brakes. After several mores attemps to bleed the system the pull was still there. I contacted the dealer for guidence and weseloh Chevrolet said to bring it in to them. They performed a full function bleed on my truck. I drove away from the dealer and within 1 block the brakes pulled right and I returned to the dealer. Their fix was to replace the calipers, brake linings and front brake hoses. …”

   NHTSA complaint #751050, filed 2001-08

Buying note. On a truck this old, check the wipers and brakes carefully on the test drive and ask for receipts showing any wiper module, master cylinder or ABS work already done. Expect age-related repairs and factor them into the price rather than treating them as unusual.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.