IllustrationALL EXTRIOR LIGHTS HEADLAMPS/TAIL LAMPS/SIDE MARKER LAMPS GO ON IN DAYTIME WITH NO WAY TO TURN OFF. IN ADDITION, ENGINE SURGES, SPEED INCREASES AND BACK FIRES/TRANSMISSION SHIFTS OUT OF CONTROL AND AT DIFFERENT TIMES, AND VEHICLE SQUEAKS, NOCEABLE AT SLOW SPEEDS OR ROLLIN GOVER SPEED BUMPS.
1996 Chevrolet Beretta
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet Beretta do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 39.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Beretta years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 8 of 72 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
72 reports5 SPEED GEARS JAM WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT DUE TO FAILURE OF THE GEARS.
BRAKE ROTORS: WHEN DRIVING THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BOUNCES. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE. WHEN PUTTING THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP DEALER SAYS THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. *AK
CONSUMER HAVE HAD THREE ALTERNATORS REPLACED ON VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP FROM 7-8-97 UNTIL CURRENT TIME. WHENEVER IGNITION IS SHUT OFF THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. TERRY CULLINS OF CHEVROLET-77--968-4444 AND ANDY LEWIS-770-964-1313 CHEVROLET DID THE REPAIRS OF THIS VEHICLE. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND TURN SIGNAL SWITCH MALFUNCTION. WIPERS FAIL TO COME ON AT TIMES.
DRIVER'S SEA TROCKS IN A FORWARD/BACKWARD DIRCTION. *AK
CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING ENGINE TROUBLE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. PASSENGER'S SEATS ROCKS FORWARD AND BACK. MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO SATISFACTION. *AK
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM FAILURE, CAUSED ROUGH ENGINE PERFORMANCE.
ELECTRICAL: TAKING THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TURN COMPLETELY OFF IGNITION/ DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY WHEN SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF/INTERIOR LIGHT WILL NOT SHUT OFF AT TIMES/ BATTERY DRAINS ITSELF CONTINUALLY. IN ADDITION, HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING. ALSO, VEHICLE PULLS TO …
Read full complaint
ELECTRICAL: TAKING THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TURN COMPLETELY OFF IGNITION/ DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY WHEN SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF/INTERIOR LIGHT WILL NOT SHUT OFF AT TIMES/ BATTERY DRAINS ITSELF CONTINUALLY. IN ADDITION, HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING. ALSO, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. HAS TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS MANY TIMES, BUT CONTINUES TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. *AK
TURN SIGNAL TRIP LEVER CATCHES ON TURN SIGNAL LEVER INSIDE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO WOBBLE.
Official recalls
198V027000 · Interior Lighting
Feb 17, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR THE INTERIOR LAMPS TO COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE VEHICLES ARE BEING DRIVEN. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE INTERIOR LAMPS COMING ON UNEXPECTEDLY COULD STARTLE A DRIVER CAUSING A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE LAMP CONTROL MODULE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.