1979 Chevrolet Corvette 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 1979 Chevrolet Corvette, 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
- Engine330.0%
- Body & structure220.0%
- Electrical220.0%
- Tires & wheels220.0%
- Other / unspecified110.0%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER OF 1979 CHEVY CORVETTE HEARD A BANG UNDER THE HOOD AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT A FIRE AND BURNED. THE FIRE STARTED AFTER AN OIL HOSE BROKE AND SPRAYED OIL ONTO THE HOT ENGINE. THE CONCLUSION WAS MADE AFTER SEEING APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET OF OIL RESIDUE ON THE ROADWAY LEADING FROM THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE CENTER LANE. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0361-89. *JB
THE T-TOP LEAKS WATER WHENEVER IT RAINS OR WHEN THE CAR IS WASHED. NLM
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
THE T-TOP LEAKS WATER WHENEVER IT RAINS OR WHEN THE CAR IS WASHED. NLM
CONSUMER BELIEVES HE WAS A VICTIM OF FRAUD, HE WAS TOLD BY THE SALESMAN THAT THE PARTS ON VEHICLE WERE ORIGNAL, HOWEVER VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AT LOW SPEEDS AND WOULD FREQUENTLY STALL WHEN AT IDLE, THERE WAS ALSO AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AS WELL AS A LEAKY HEAD GASKET.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE T-TOP LEAKS WATER WHENEVER IT RAINS OR WHEN THE CAR IS WASHED. NLM
CONSUMER BELIEVES HE WAS A VICTIM OF FRAUD, HE WAS TOLD BY THE SALESMAN THAT THE PARTS ON VEHICLE WERE ORIGNAL, HOWEVER VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AT LOW SPEEDS AND WOULD FREQUENTLY STALL WHEN AT IDLE, THERE WAS ALSO AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AS WELL AS A LEAKY HEAD GASKET.*JB
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
THE T-TOP LEAKS WATER WHENEVER IT RAINS OR WHEN THE CAR IS WASHED. NLM
CONSUMER BELIEVES HE WAS A VICTIM OF FRAUD, HE WAS TOLD BY THE SALESMAN THAT THE PARTS ON VEHICLE WERE ORIGNAL, HOWEVER VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AT LOW SPEEDS AND WOULD FREQUENTLY STALL WHEN AT IDLE, THERE WAS ALSO AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AS WELL AS A LEAKY HEAD GASKET.*JB
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
THE T-TOP LEAKS WATER WHENEVER IT RAINS OR WHEN THE CAR IS WASHED. NLM
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 .