1981 Chevrolet Corvette

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

6Owner complaints

Model-year median: 29

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1981 Chevrolet Corvette

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 6 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Fuel System, Gasoline: 4 reports
Power Train: 3 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 1 reports
Steering: 1 reports
Suspension: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Corvette years →

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

What owners reported most

Fuel System, Gasoline

4 Power Train

3 Engine And Engine Cooling

1 Steering

1 Suspension

All reported categories

Wheels

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: 1 of 6 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.

Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 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 reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports

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Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

Read full complaint

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN IN STORAGE SINCE 1982 AND HAS 4900 ORIGINAL MILES. THE VEHICLE IS IN NEW SHOWROOM CONDITION. I AM NOW PLANNING TO TRANSPORT THE VEHICLE TO FLORIDA AND DIRVE IT ON OCCASION. I WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL IN 1983 AND HAVE MISPLACED THE NOTIFICATION DUE TO THE CAR BEING IN STORAGE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THIS RECALL DONE, WORKING WITH A DEALER NEAR WHERE IT IS STORED IN BURLINGTON, VERMONT. THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO ACCESS TO OBTAINING THIS INFOFRMATION AND UNLESS I CAN PROVIDE THE NOTICE, THEY ARE UNABLE TO HELP ME. I WOULD LIKE TO ARRANGE THIS FOR EARLY IN NOVEMBER WHEN I RETURN TO VERMONT AND WILL WORK WITH SHEARER CHEVROLET TO ACHIEVE THE BEST SOLUTION POSSIBLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #753118

Recall campaigns

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 ↗

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.