Total Complaints
10 filings
CHEVROLET CITATION · model year
1981 CHEVROLET CITATION
10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1981CHEVROLETCITATION carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1981 CITATION is engine and engine cooling:engine with 2 filings, followed by steering:linkages (1) and suspension:front (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1981 CITATION, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
10
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000822VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH ONLY WORKS WHEN TURNED BY USING WASHER DIRECTION INSTEAD OF TURNING ON VIEW ON SWITCH.*AK
19990325STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING . THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. COMSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE VERY SLOW WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. *AK
19990325ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING . THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. COMSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE VERY SLOW WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. *AK
19961210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FLYWHEEL FAILED.
19961210STEERING:LINKAGES
STEERING LINE FAILED.
19961210SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT STRUT PLATE FAILED.
19961210TIRES
FRONT TIRES REPLACED.
19961210ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR BELT REPLACED.
19961210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED.
19961210POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH FAILED.
Compare 1981CHEVROLETCITATION to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1981 CHEVROLET CITATION have?▼
The 1981 CHEVROLET CITATION has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1981 CHEVROLET CITATION?▼
The most-complained component for the 1981 CHEVROLET CITATION is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:LINKAGES and SUSPENSION:FRONT.
Is the 1981 CHEVROLET CITATION safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.