1994 Chevrolet Beretta Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1994 Chevrolet Beretta, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes3026.5%
- Interior & seats1210.6%
- Body & structure108.8%
- Electrical108.8%
- Engine108.8%
- Suspension87.1%
- Exterior lighting76.2%
- Tires & wheels65.3%
- Transmission65.3%
- Driver assistance54.4%
- Airbags32.7%
- Seat belts32.7%
- Steering10.9%
- Other / unspecified10.9%
- Visibility10.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT: TOTALED VEHICLE, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, AND AFTER HITTING THE BRAKES THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE KEEP GOING STRAIGHT AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT. NOT SURE IF SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ABS SYSTEM. *AK
THE FRONT SEAT RELEASE LATCH DID NOT LOCK INTO PLACE. *JB THE BRAKE LIGHT MOUNTED ON THE WIND DEFLECTOR FAILED. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE MELTED AND CRACKED. *NM
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT SEAT RELEASE LATCH DID NOT LOCK INTO PLACE. *JB THE BRAKE LIGHT MOUNTED ON THE WIND DEFLECTOR FAILED. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE MELTED AND CRACKED. *NM
ENTIRE INTERIOR OF CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES DUE TO FAULTY WIRING OR A SHORT IN THE DOME LIGHT INSIDE THE CAR AS PER THE FIRE INSPECTORS REPORT. *AK
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT SEAT RELEASE LATCH DID NOT LOCK INTO PLACE. *JB THE BRAKE LIGHT MOUNTED ON THE WIND DEFLECTOR FAILED. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE MELTED AND CRACKED. *NM
PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL LIFT FRAME DOES NOT LINE UP PROPERLY WITH DOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ALTERNATOR FAILED. *AK
HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH BROKE, HEADLIGHTS CQN NO LONGER BE USED ON HIGH-BEAMS. IN ADDITION, ALTERNATOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME DISABLED. *AK
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
1994 CHEVY BERETTA CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY DRIVE 2 MPH. *KB (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*JB
WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE WOULD LEAK ANIT-FREEZE. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE ANTI-FREEZE ONCE A WEEK TO KEEP COOLENT DOWN. TECHNICIAN STATED HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM THE SUSPENSION. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 93V157000, REGARDING THE SUSPENSION FRONT. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*AK
CAR WAS SQUAWKING AND VIBRATING ESPECIALLY WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME THAT LOWER CONTROL ARMS IS BADLY WORN OUT AND THE GMC SHOULD REPLACE IT FREE SINCE IT IS THE MOST SAFETY PART OF THE CAR. SO I CALLED GMC CONSUMER SECTION AND TALKED TO ONE ADVISER MS. GLORIA. (REF.#03027319) SHE INSISTED THAT GM WILL NOT COVER IT. I BELIEVE IT AS UNFAIR AND MUST BE COVERED. EARLIER I MADE A REPORT TO NHTSA (ODI-740067) SINCE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE I TOOK THE CAR TO LES STANFORD CHEVROLET IN DEARBORN MI AND GOT BOTH THE CONTROL ARMS REPAIRED. THEY CHARGED ME ABOUT 650.00 DOLLARS.(TEL# 313-565 6000) WILL YOU PLEASE HELP ME FOR GM TO REFUND THE MONEY.*AK
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
HIGH/LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT SELECTOR ON TURN SIGNAL SWITCH INOPERATIVE. LEFT TURN SIGNAL SOMETIMES CLICKS VERY RAPIDLY AND DOES NOT ACTUALLY FLASH AND SMOKE COMES OUT FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AROUND THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER. STEERING COLUMN IS QUITE HOT TO THE TOUCH AROUND THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER WHEN THIS OCCURS. PROBLEM IS WORSE/MORE FREQUENT WHEN AIR CONDITIONING IS RUNNING.*AK
CONSUMER CAN NOT CHANGE TO HIGH OR LOW BEAM WHILE TURNING STEERING WHEEL. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVROLET BERETTA WITH KUMHO SOLUS TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AS THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE TIRE SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM . THE TIRE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A SET OF CORNELL 1000 TIRES, LINE SIZE: P185/75R14, WHICH WERE BEING UTILIZED ON A 1999 CHEVROLET BERETTA. WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEGUN TO VIBRATE ABNORMALLY. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BELTS ON ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SEPARATED. THE TIRES WERE TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRES COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 9,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING DURING MEDIUM TO HARD ACCELERATION. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
MACHANIC TOUCHED IDLE WHEEL AND IT FELL INTO ENGINE.THE MACHANIC CALLED THE CHEVY DEALER AND HE WAS TOLD THE BACK SIDE OF THE IDLE WHEEL WAS KNOWN TO WROUGHT OUT AND FALL INTO ENGINE.IF HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ENGINE BLOWS AND YOU LOSE POWER.COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENT AND INJURY EXSPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS.
ELECTRIC LOCKS WILL NOT WORK WHEN IT IS WET OUTSIDE. THEY WILL EVENTUALLY KICK IN, AND ALLOWING FOR THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS TO GO OFF. IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND DRIVER NEVER KNOWS WHEN. ALSO, VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD AT SPEEDS OF 55-60 MPH. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 45 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY , ALSO THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK ,CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE RAN INTO THE BACK OF OTHER VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO SUMMARY
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SHOULDER SEATBELTS THAT ATTACH TO THE DOOR CRACKED AND CAME APART, THEY MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE HORN WILL NOT SOUND WHEN DEPRESSED, BEARING IN STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE.*MR IN THE ACCIDENT, THE DOOR WAS DENTED AND ALL THE LUG NUTS WERE MISSING AND THREE OUT OF FIVE BOLTS WERE MISSING.*CB *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
DOOR PANELS LEAK. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .