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1979 Chevrolet Corvette

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
3Owner complaints

Model-year median: 29

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
19761
19771
19783
19793
19806
1981
Compare all Corvette years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
3Equipment
2Structure
2Tires
2Wheels
1

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 3 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 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Equipment. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

3 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

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 VEH…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10244808

Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentStructure

THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH AT LOW SPEEDS AND WOULD FREQUENTLY STALL WHEN AT IDLE, THE ENGINE LEAKS OIL DUE TO FAULTY HEAD GASKET. NLM

NHTSA ODI #562989

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentStructure

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

NHTSA ODI #562225

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.