1989 Chevrolet Caprice 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 1989 Chevrolet Caprice, 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
- Seat belts422.2%
- Brakes316.7%
- Driver assistance211.1%
- Tires & wheels211.1%
- Body & structure211.1%
- Fuel system211.1%
- Transmission15.6%
- Interior & seats15.6%
- Suspension15.6%
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
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER SEATBELT LATCH WON'T LOCK.*AK
DRIVER'S SIDE BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL, AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKE LINES RUSTED. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKE PEDAL PROCEEDED TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKE FLUID CAME OUT OF THE BRAKE LINE. NO IMPACT REPORTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE SHOULD BE MADE OUT OF STAINLESS STEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
FRONT DISC BRAKE PAD BONDING TO BRAKE PAD BACKING PLATE FAILED CAUSING PAD TO FAIL IN SHEAR.*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
CAR EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED FULL THROTTLE ACCELERATION, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY OTHER VEHICLE. *AK
FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE STICKING CAUSED CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT PE92-090. TT
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 1989 CHEVROLET CAPRICE. THE CONTACT PURCHASED FOUR TIRES FROM A GOODYEAR TIRE COMPANY. THE TIRES HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE TIRE BRAND IS GOODYEAR INTEGRITY, SIZE P215/75R15, AND THE DOT# IS MDHF1MHR. THE CONTACT RETURNED THE TIRES FOR A NEW SET; HOWEVER, THE NEW TIRES HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE AS MUCH AS THE FIRST SET OF TIRES. A GOODYEAR TIRE REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT HIM; HOWEVER, HE HAS NOT RECEIVED A CALL. A TECHNICIAN DROVE THE VEHICLE, OBSERVED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ASKED THE TIRE DEALER TO ACCEPT THE TIRES IN EXCHANGE FOR A DIFFERENT BRAND AND WAS DENIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
PEOO 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A BANGING NOISE, LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND IT TORE A HOLE THOUGH THE BOTTOM OF VEHICLE. TIRE WAS FLAT. FIRESTONE, BRIDGESTONE, SIZE P21575 SR15. CONSUMER CONTACTED FIRSTONE, AND THEY TOLD CONSUMER TO TAKE IT BACK TO WHERE HE BOUGHT IT FROM. *AK BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE P215/75/R15 *MW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
PAINT IS CRACKING OFF BODY OF VEHICLE.
POWER SWITCH THAT CONTROLLED THE SEATS OVERHEATED AND THEN A FIRE STARTED ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF DOOR AREA. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL PUMP FAILED.
WHEN STOPPED AT GAS STATION INSERTED THE GAS PUMP NOZZLE NOT INTO FUEL TANK NOZZLE, BUT INSTEAD INSERTED THE GAS PUMP NOZZLE IN ONE OF THE SPACES AND PUMPED GAS ONTO THE GROUND. *AK
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 SLIPS. *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
BUTTONS THAT CONTROL POWER SEATS ON DRIVERS DOOR, CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE VEHICLE UNATTENDED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING VEHICLE AT SPEED 45 MPH STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION REAL HARD. TT
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 .