IllustrationVIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG UPON IMPACT DUE TO DRIVER BEING INCAPACITATED EITHER UNCONSCIOUS OR STUNED. VEHICLE LANDED UP IN STEEP DITCH. DRIVER SUFFERED ABRASIONS TO NECK/FACE AND UPPER THIGHS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DUP 817362, POSTED ON 03-NOV-98. *AK
1991 Chevrolet Corsica
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 Chevrolet Corsica do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 100.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Corsica 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: 0 of 108 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.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports5 fire reports15 injury reports
What owners actually said
108 reportsWHEN THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL IS IN A CERTAIN POSITON, THE DIMMER SWITCH CANNOT BE USED.
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL/LAND UP IN STEEP DITCH. DRIVER SUFFERED ABRASIONS TO FACE/NECK AND UPPER THIGH. ALSO, SEVERE DAMAGE TO LEFT HAND SID EOF VEHICLE. *AK
SMOKE CAME FROM TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD SWITCH. REMOVED FUSES TO GET TO DEALER AND HAVE FIXED.
THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. CANNOT TURN THE HIGH BEAMS OFF. WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO DIM. *AK
OWNER'S SON WAS DRIVING CAR. WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, CAUSING CAR TO FALL INTO A DITCH (TOTALLING THE WHOLE CAR.) *AK
VEHICLE WAS ABOUT TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN THE VEHICLE JUST TOOK OFF WITHOUT THE DRIVER FOOT BEING ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE SWERVED ONTO THE ROAD, HIT A CURB AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG IN ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY.
HAD VEHICLE IN PARK POSITION; WENT TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE; SHIFTER WENT TO 6TH GEAR INSTEAD. DROVE VEHICLE INTO GARAGE & SHIFEDT INTO REVERSE; IT WENT INTO DRIVE & THEN BACK TO REVERSE INSTEAD. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT CABLE MIGHT BE BROKEN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. OWNER HAS MADE APPOINTMENT TO GO TO DEALER. OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
191V083000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Jun 10, 1991
NUT ATTACHING STEERING WHEEL MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TIGHTENED DURING INSTALLATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD ALLOW STEERING WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM STEERINGCOLUMN; LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: TIGHTEN THE NUT TO THE PROPER TORQUE AS NECESSARY.
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
7DP96014 · Defective Air Bag Crash Sensor
Opened Nov 14, 1996 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
CFAS SENT A FOLLOW-UP LETTER ON DECEMBER 12, 1996, TO CHANGE THE INTENT OF THE PETITION TO AIRBAG AGGRESSIVITY AND DEPLOYMENT VARIABILITY.NHTSA RECEIVED THE LETTER ON 12/12/96; ACCORDINGLY, THE PETITION DUE DAY WAS CHANGED TO APRIL 12, 1997.CFAS PETITIONED THE AGENCY TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE AIRBAG CRASH SENSOR AND/OR DEPLOYMENT SYSTEMS FOR THE 1991-92 CHEVROLET CORSICA/BERETTA, 1990-92 FORD TAURUS, AND 1994-96 CHRYSLER MINIVANS ARE DEFECTIVE.CFAS ALLEGE THAT INFORMATION ON LOW SPEED CRASHES HERE OCCUPANTS HAVE SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES SUGGESTS [THAT THE ABOVE VEHICLES] HAVE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG CRASH SENSOR AND/OR DEPLOYMENT SYSTEMS.
PE94062 · Steering Column Smk/flames
Opened Aug 4, 1994 · Closed Dec 30, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
PE93009 · Fuel Filter Fires
Opened Feb 26, 1993 · Closed Jun 30, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
EA92024 · Sticking Throttle
Opened Jun 26, 1992 · Closed Jan 31, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE92021 · Sticking Throttle
Opened Feb 24, 1992 · Closed Jun 26, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
EA91023 · Steering Wheel Separation
Opened Apr 10, 1991 · Closed Jun 5, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
PE91048 · Steering Wheel Separation
Opened Feb 20, 1991 · Closed Apr 10, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available