← New search

1986 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 →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Corvette years →

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

What owners reported most

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: 5 of 15 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.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. 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 reports1 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

7 reports
Clear category filter
23,000 miles · Jul 21, 2017
Seat Belts

SEAT BELTS DON'T TIGHTEN UPON FAST BODY MOVEMENT OR FAST BRAKING. THEY DON'T WORK PROPERLY.I HAD THE BELTS REPLACE AT A CHEVROLET DEALER, BUT THEY STILL DON'T WORK PROPERLY.

NHTSA ODI #11006679

84,000 miles · Jun 30, 2014
Seat Belts

REFERENCE NUMBERS: ?CHEVROLET RECALLS 91C25 AND 91C26 ISSUED NOVEMBER 1991 ?NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #: 91V143000 ?CHEVROLET CLAIM# [XXX] (FROM RECENT CONVERSATIONS) ?VIN# [XXX]. OUR 1986 CORVETTE'S SEATBELTS INTERMITTENTLY LOCKUP AND DO NOT MOVE; THEN WHEN THEY DO EVENTUALLY RELEASE WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THEY DO NOT CONSISTEN…

Read full complaint

REFERENCE NUMBERS: ?CHEVROLET RECALLS 91C25 AND 91C26 ISSUED NOVEMBER 1991 ?NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #: 91V143000 ?CHEVROLET CLAIM# [XXX] (FROM RECENT CONVERSATIONS) ?VIN# [XXX]. OUR 1986 CORVETTE'S SEATBELTS INTERMITTENTLY LOCKUP AND DO NOT MOVE; THEN WHEN THEY DO EVENTUALLY RELEASE WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THEY DO NOT CONSISTENTLY GRAB WHEN NEEDED. AFTER ONE RECENT QUICK STOP THE PASSENGER BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN. THAT EXPERIENCE PROMPTED US TO SEARCH ONLINE FOR REPLACEMENT SEATBELTS. DURING THAT SEARCH WE FOUND A RECALL NOTICE, SO WE CHECKED OUR OWN RECORDS AND FOUND THE ORIGINAL RECALL NOTICE THAT CHEVROLET MAILED TO US IN 1991, AND AN APRIL 1991 NOTE THAT THEY REFUSED TO PERFORM THE SERVICE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE ALL OF THE VEHICLE?S SERVICE RECORDS AND THERE IS NO RECORD, OR RECOLLECTION, THAT THE REPAIR WAS EVER PERFORMED. WE CALLED CHEVROLET?S CUSTOMER SERVICE AND LEARNED THAT ONE DATABASE SHOWS THAT OUR 1986 CORVETTE IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE REPAIR, BUT ANOTHER DATABASE (OPEN RECALL DATABASE?) DOES NOT SHOW OUR VIN# SO THEY WON?T PERFORM THE REPAIR. IN JUNE 2014 A LOCAL DEALER, WHO ALSO REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL SERVICE, SURMISED THAT OUR VIN# DOES NOT APPEAR BECAUSE IN APRIL 1992, WHEN THE RECALL SERVICE WAS ORIGINALLY REFUSED, THE DEALER PROBABLY REMOVED IT FROM THE RECALL DATABASE (BUT WE WERE NOT INFORMED OF THIS NOR DOES CHEVROLET HAVE ANY RECORD OF IT.) OF COURSE THE MISSING VIN# MIGHT ALSO BE A DATA ACCURACY PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLET?S DATABASE. ARE YOU IN A POSITION TO ADVISE/ENCOURAGE CHEVROLET TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS? IF NOT, AT LEAST FILE THIS AS A SAFETY COMPLAINT AGAINST CHEVROLET. THANK YOU. PS: WE HAVE A LOG OF ALL CALLS TO GM AND PICTURES OF THE SEAT BELT SERIAL NUMBERS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607163

88,132 miles · Apr 24, 2007
Seat Belts

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. RECALL #91V143000 WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL, AND THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT MAINTAINED THAT THE…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. RECALL #91V143000 WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL, AND THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT MAINTAINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 88,132. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10188736

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2005
Seat BeltsInjury

DT: IN 1991 THE CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN RECALL 91V143000 CONCERNING SAFETY BELTS. THE RECALL STATED THAT WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE VEHICLE IT WILL BE FIXED. TODAY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE AMERICAN CHEVROLET, THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEAR…

Read full complaint

DT: IN 1991 THE CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN RECALL 91V143000 CONCERNING SAFETY BELTS. THE RECALL STATED THAT WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE VEHICLE IT WILL BE FIXED. TODAY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE AMERICAN CHEVROLET, THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE RECALL. AT THAT POINT, THE CONSUMER CALLED GENERAL MOTORS AND THEY CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY REFUSED TO HELP. THE CONSUMER HAS A FILE NUMBER AT GM 1-347-363-013. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED APPROXIMATELY A WEEK AGO. CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS HURT WHEN SHE WAS RIDING IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT AND THE BRAKES HAD TO BE APPLIED QUICKLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10127660

Mileage unknown · Sep 25, 1999
Seat Belts

DEALERS REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH SEAT BELT RECALL

NHTSA ODI #712078

Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 1999
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER SEAT BELT AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER SEAT BELT GET STUCK. SHOULDER BELTS CAN'T COME OUT AND GO OVER THE CONSUMERS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THEM WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #837216

Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 1996
Seat Belts

SEAT BELTS JAMMED AND FAILED TO RETRACT PRIOR TO RECALL; RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DEALER CLAIMING BELT FAILURE NOT RELATED TO RECALL. (91V-143). *AK

NHTSA ODI #512142

Official recalls

3

91V143000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

Sep 4, 1991

UNDER CERTAIN VEHICLE OPERATIONS AND OCCUPANT USAGE CONDITIONS, THE SAFETY BELTS CAN LOCKUP OR JAM IN THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF LOCKUP OCCURS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL BELT OUT OFTHE RETRACTOR. THE OCCUPANT OF A SEAT WITH AN UNUSABLE SAFETY BELT ISSUBJECT TO INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE SAFETY BELTS IF THE LOCKUP OCCURS.

86V120000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Aug 26, 1986

SEVERE AND UNUSUAL BRAKING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CENTER VALVE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF SUFFICIENT DAMAGE OCCURS, LOSS OF FRONT BRAKES MAY OCCUR WITH INCREASED PEDAL TRAVEL AND REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY. THE REDUCTION OF BRAKING ABILITY AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE IS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: NEW MASTER CYLINDER CENTER VALVE AND RELATED PARTS WILL BE INSTALLED.

86V056000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch

Apr 28, 1986

THE PUSH-PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR SUDDENLY GO OUT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SUDDEN LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS UNDER SEVERE WEATHER OR NIGHTTIME DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD REDUCE DRIVER VISIBILITY WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. NOTE: ALSO, SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 86V131000.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH 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

5

DP96006 · Brake Pull

Opened May 14, 1996 · Closed Oct 18, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE PETITIONS STATED THAT:WE REPRESENT THE OWNER OF A 1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE WHICH, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, SUDDENTLY, VIOLENTLY, AND UNEXPECTEDLY PULLS TO THE LEFT.THIS IS A INTERMITTENT DEFECT WHICH DOES NOT OCCUR WITH AN REGULARITY.

EA92005 · Throttle Sticking

Opened Jan 30, 1992 · Closed Jan 29, 1993

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

EA90033 · Safety Belt Retractor Fail

Opened Jun 11, 1990 · Closed Sep 9, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor

There is no summary currently available

PE90041 · Safety Belt Retractor Fail

Opened Feb 8, 1990 · Closed Jun 11, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor

There is no summary currently available

PE90032 · Tie Rod Socket Failure

Opened Jan 12, 1990 · Closed Mar 22, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

There is no summary currently available