RoadVitals

1981 Chevrolet Chevette Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

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.
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Latest Nov 9, 2005
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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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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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1981 Chevrolet Chevette, 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 belts233.3%
  • Brakes116.7%
  • Engine116.7%
  • Fuel system116.7%
  • Transmission116.7%

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.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

DEFECTIVE SEATBELT AND BRAKES, UPON HITTING THE BRICK HOUSE THE PASSENAGER WAS EJECTED INTO THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID 604024 · filed Apr 8, 1997

SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN PASSENGER IN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY BRAKE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID 509408 · filed Oct 2, 1996

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN PASSENGER IN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY BRAKE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID 509408 · filed Oct 2, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TIMING BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ID 521617 · filed Sep 1, 1997

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER WANTS ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE SENSITIVITY OF THE GAS TANK IN THE 1981 CHEVETTE DURING CRASHES. *TS *NM

NHTSA ID 10143221 · filed Nov 9, 2005

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER MECHANISM IS WORN OUT, CAUSING DIFFICULY SHIFTING INTO PARK/ REVERSE.

NHTSA ID 516325 · filed Apr 9, 1997

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

Data on this page last refreshed .