RoadVitals

1979 Chevrolet Chevette

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
0
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
4
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1979 Chevrolet Chevette. 4 NHTSA investigations name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA86033ClosedEngineering Analysis

BRAKE FAILURE

Opened Sep 30, 1986
Closed Aug 25, 1987

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:GM MAINTAINS THAT THERE IS NO DEFECT IN THE DESIGN.SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP DOES NOT CHANGE WITH APPLICATION OF PEDAL FORCE.GM BELIEVES THAT THEIR TEST DATA DEMONSTRATES THAT PEDAL, BRACKET, AND FIREWALL ARE SUFFICIENTLY STOUT.GM REPORTSNO FIELD COMPLAINTS ON THIS ALLEGED DEFECT. ANALYSIS:THIS ALLEGED DEFECT WAS REPORTED IN A BENDIX TRADE PUBLICATION. IT CITED FIREWALL FLEXING AS REDUCING THE PEDAL FREE PLAY AND PREVENTINGTHE MASTER CYLINDER FROM COMPENSATING NORMALLY.STATUS:ON DEC 11,1986, A MEMO WAS SENT TO VRTC REQUESTING TESTING ON A VEHICLE IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE ALLEGED DEFECT.VRTC HAS PURCHASED A TEST VEHICLE AND TESTING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.DRAFT REPORT IN REVIEW CYCLE. PROPOSED ACTION:CLOSED AUG 25,1987===

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
PE86057ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

BRAKE FAILURE/FIREWALL

Opened May 23, 1986
Closed Sep 26, 1986

ANALYSIS:THE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN VERIFIED WITH THE VEHICLE'S OWNER AND ASTATE OF MICHIGAN CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE.THE BENDIX REPORT WAS SUPPLIEDBY A MIDAS REPRESENTATIVE, AND REMAINS UNCONFIRMED.ALTHOUGH NO OTHERCOMPLAINTS IDENTIFY THIS PARTICULAR CONDITION, THERE ARE SEVERAL REPORTEDINCIDENTS OF UNEXPLAINED BRAKE LOSS AMONG THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THERE ARENO TSB'S OR RECALLS REGARDING THE ALLEGED DEFECT.PROPOSED ACTION:PREPARE AN INFORMATION REQUEST TO GM AND BENDIX.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
EA85018ClosedEngineering Analysis

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT

Opened Mar 13, 1985
Closed Sep 4, 1987

SUMMARY: GM ADMITS THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM AND HAS DESIGNED A MODIFICATIONKIT INTENDED TO PREVENT PULLEY BOLT FAILURES BY KEEPING THE PULLEY INPROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE CRANKSHAFT AND THEREBY REDUCING THE BENDINGSTRESS ON THE BOLT. GM DOES NOT BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS SAFETY RELATEDAND WILL CONDUCT A SERVICE CAMPAIGN.ANALYSIS:THE HIGHEST FAILURE RATES HAVE OCCURRED ON VEHICLES EQUIPPEDWITH AC AND PS WHICH USE A TRIPLE SHEAVE PULLEY. THE MODIFICATION KITSHOULD REDUCE THE FAILURE RATE ON THESE VEHICLES.STATUS: GM LAUNCHED A SERVICE CAMPAIGN IN FEBRUARY 1987 APPLICABLE TO185,000 T BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TRIPLE PULLEYS. (PRODUCT CAMPAIGN84C27)EA CLOSED 9/4/87===

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DP85002ClosedDefect Petition

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT BREAKS

Opened Oct 10, 1984
Closed Mar 26, 1985

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT BREAKS

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Chevette by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1987002—
1986332—
1985113—
1984024—
1983114—
1982325—
1981537—
1980137—
1979Viewing004—
1978002—
1977012—
1976043—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.