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Things You Didn't Know About the Chevrolet K1500

  • Confused between the K1500 and the C1500? It's technically the same full-sized pickup truck! The only difference is that the "C" is the two-wheel drive variant while the "K" is the more powerful four-wheel drive version. The confusion is understandable, however, as the "C" and "K" naming conventions are used by both Chevrolet and GMC.

  • The K1500 may have debuted in the United States in 1960 but its roots go back over half a century. The first "K" was made between 1911 and 1913 and, in fact, was the very first Chevrolet ever produced by the company in its earliest years.

  • Hard to believe given their tough and rugged looks, but the Chevrolet K1500 was actually designed as a "glamour pickup." This was intended to transition the rather utilitarian truck into a family secondary automobile-just one with boosted engine power, a more comfortable cabin, and customization and personalization options. So during the work week, it was a light duty workhorse and during the weekends it could be used to drive the family around.

  • GMC produces a version of the K1500, and this often is a cause for confusion among consumers. Initially, GMC was originally intended to produce the "luxury" versions of Chevrolet trucks. As the years wore on, however, and Chevrolet start to offer more options, both versions almost became indistinguishable from one another with the exception of their badge identifiers.

  • According to MotorTrend, the Chevrolet K1500 is, among all full-sized pickups, the one with the highest resale value. When you decide it's time to sell off you K1500, you can expect to get as much as 75% of the original price you paid for it! By comparison, the truck with the lowest resale value will only return 63% of your original purchase price.

  • In 1993, the K1500 featured in Dateline report that the sidesaddle arrangement of the fuel tanks made it more vulnerable to exploding when hit from the side. Not only did this report turn out to be false, but the accompanying video was later proven to be an elaborate hoax. The sidesaddle fuel tanks turned out to be well-engineered and, in fact, were extremely resistant to crushing or crumpling as a result of a side-impact.

Chevrolet K1500 Articles

  • The Two Most Common Problems of the Chevrolet K1500

    17 January 2013

    People like pickup trucks because they're known for their great ruggedness and durability. The Chevrolet K1500 is no exception to this-what with the addition of four-wheel drive for this particular model. In the nearly four decade run of this truck, it has been the popular choice among Americans looking for the right balance of functionality and utility. It is reliable, and performs well under the worst conditions. It's not without its problems, however. Listed here are the two most common glitches associated with the truck-that way, consumers are aware of what they are purchasing.


    Hydraulic power-assist steering system

    Several problems have been associated with the brand spanking new hydraulic steering system sported by the Chevrolet K1500. One of the most alarming come from reports that-at about 500 miles-the power steering abruptly activates itself, causing the vehicle to careen uncontrollably. Occasionally, the system malfunctions during turns. This causes a total loss of control. In both cases-and in a number of other cases in the same vein-dealers have faulted the steering sensor. In many of these scenarios, replacement of the sensor did not completely solve the problem.

    The problem appears to be specific to the 1997 model, and up until 2002, there was no clear solution save to completely overhaul the system. Replacement of the sensors has proven to be ineffective.


    Windshield wiper & washer

    Also specific to the 1997 Chevrolet K1500 is a failure of the wipers on the windshield. In the best case, the problem is restricted to intermittent stop-starting. In the absolute worst case, the wipers do not work altogether. Some customers even reported that sometimes, while the wipers do start, they can become impossible to turn off-draining the battery. Increasingly disturbing is the fact that this often occur when the wipers are needed the most-when it rains. Ironically, while this is a problem for many K1500s and a recall order was sent out for the controlling circuit boards, the 1997 K1500 was mysteriously left out.

    An aftermarket overhaul of the control module is so far the only way to get around the problem, unless General Motors re-considers its stance on the recall order.

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