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Model file · GMCUpdated · 11 sources

Selling an old GMC S-15 pickup

Recall 93V008 is the S-15 campaign that reached furthest. On 1989-1991 trucks, the engine cooling fan blades can break from fatigue or vehicle stress, and the fix was a newly designed fan assembly. Its 215,052 vehicles count the whole campaign, which may include other GM models.

A green four-door GMC Jimmy, the SUV from the S-series family, parked on a paved lot beside other cars
Photo: Interesting.cars.insta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Model years in EPA data
1984-1990
Built at
Moraine Assembly, Ohio
Gasoline engines (first generation)
1.95, 2.0 and 2.5 L four-cylinders
Complaints to NHTSA
28
Busiest complaint years
1989 and 1991 (8 each)
Recall campaigns
7

Got an S-15 that won't start, or one that has rusted past saving? You can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and there's free pickup anywhere in the US.

One generation, two complaint eras

Every S-15 year in EPA's data, 1984 to 1990, falls in the first generation. Wikipedia dates that generation to 1981-1993 and places its assembly in Moraine, Ohio. The platform code is GMT325, with a front engine and rear- or four-wheel drive. The gasoline engines it lists are the 1.95 L LR1, the 2.0 L LQ2 and the 2.5 L L38/LN8, all four-cylinders. Gearboxes were a 3-speed THM-200C or 4-speed 700R4 automatic, or a 4-speed Isuzu or BorgWarner manual.

Heavy-duty and off-road suspensions and a hydraulic clutch arrived in 1984. For 1985, the 2.0 gave way to Pontiac's 2.5 L "Iron Duke."

NHTSA's file holds complaints for the 1985 through 1991 model years, one year past EPA's last entry. Counts are as of October 10, 2026. Each is an owner's report, not a tally of broken trucks, and a later model year has had fewer seasons for reports to accumulate.

1984-1988: seats, steering and labels

Nine complaints, spread thin: seats, seat belts, steering, the fuel system, the engine, electrical and brakes. The single 1985 complaint reports a crash and an injury, and one 1986 complaint reports a fire. The recalls:

  • 84V011 (1984): bucket seat back locks that may not hold in a crash, short of the federal rule for anchoring seats (FMVSS 207). Locks with bent, broken or missing hooks were replaced. 76,586 vehicles in the campaign.
  • 86V131 (1986): a headlight switch that can make the lights flicker or go out. It's a shared campaign that the Vandura's records list as well, so its 106,111 vehicles are not S-15s alone.
  • 86V140 (1986): wrong tire and wheel information on the certification label.
  • 87V021 (1987): inner tie rod to relay rod nuts that may not be torqued or crimped. The steering linkage was replaced. 60 vehicles.

1989-1991: electrical, brakes and the fan

Nineteen complaints. Electrical system and engine cooling lead the 1989, whose complaints record 1 crash, 1 fire and 2 deaths. On the 1991, 6 of 8 complaints are about the hydraulic brakes. Besides the fan recall, two 1991 campaigns are listed: improper primer that could weaken windshield and side window adhesion (90V107, 181 vehicles), and attaching nuts on the lower control arms, rear springs and shocks that could strip (90V193, 237 vehicles).

Complaints and recalls by model year

YearComplaintsFiresDeathsRecall campaignsTop component
19851000Seats (1)
19863102Seat belts, fuel system, steering (1 each)
19873001Engine, steering, electrical (1 each)
19882000Seat belts, brakes (1 each)
19898121Electrical, engine cooling (2 each)
19903101Electrical (2)
19918003Hydraulic brakes (6)

The 1984 has no complaints on file; its seat lock recall is listed above.

Fix it or sell it?

Hold the repair quote up against what a running S-15 of the same year would bring. Brakes are the most common complaint, and the bad brakes guide shows the signs. If it's a half-finished build in the garage, read old project car first.

Selling your S-15 whole

  1. Find the S-15's VIN and mileage, and list its faults.
  2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
  3. Say whether the pickup rolls and where it's been sitting. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
  4. Leave it whole, and mention anything already pulled off.
  5. Hand over the title at pickup. Lost it? See selling with no title.

The photo above shows a later GMC Jimmy, the S-series SUV. Compare the Sonoma and Canyon, or every GMC we cover.

Questions people ask

Which S-15 model years have the most NHTSA complaints?
The 1989 and the 1991, with 8 each out of 28, as of October 10, 2026. Six of the 1991's eight are about the hydraulic brakes. These are complaints owners filed, not a measure of how many trucks broke.
Was the S-15 recalled for its cooling fan?
Yes. Recall 93V008 covers 1989-1991 trucks whose engine cooling fan blades can break from fatigue or vehicle stress. The fix was a newly designed fan assembly. The campaign's 215,052 vehicles may include other GM models.
Do you buy an S-15 that won't roll because the tires are flat?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. Tell us the tires are flat and where the truck sits so the right truck comes for it.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. EPA fuel economy data (S-15 model years and body types) fueleconomy.gov
  2. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  3. NHTSA: Check for recalls nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 84V011: bucket seat back locks, 1984 nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 86V131: headlight switch, 1986 nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA recall 86V140: certification label, 1986 nhtsa.gov
  7. NHTSA recall 87V021: tie rod nuts, 1987 nhtsa.gov
  8. NHTSA recall 90V107: windshield primer, 1991 nhtsa.gov
  9. NHTSA recall 90V193: control arm and spring nuts, 1991 nhtsa.gov
  10. NHTSA recall 93V008: engine cooling fan, 1989-1991 nhtsa.gov
  11. Wikipedia: GMC S-15 (first generation, engines, assembly) en.wikipedia.org