Total Complaints
10 filings
CHEVROLET CITATION · model year
1984 CHEVROLET CITATION
10 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1984CHEVROLETCITATION carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 6 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 1984 CITATION is electrical system:ignition:module with 2 filings, followed by parking brake (1) and fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system (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 1984 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
3
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
6
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051207CrashFatalFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
LTR RE DEFECTIVE 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION, REQUESTING A DEFECT INVESTIGATION, REPLY ATTN. JOSEPH BACIGALUPI/SAN FRANCISCO OFC. *TS THE COMPLAINANT WAS THE PASSENGER ON A MOTORCYCLE WHICH WAS HIT BY A 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS HIT WHEN THE CHEVROLET CITATION STALLED WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. THE CHEVROLET CITATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 85V-034 TO PREVENT IT FROM STALLING. THE COMPLAINANTS IS CONCERNED THAT NHTSA CONCLUDED THAT NO INCIDENTS OCCURRED BEFORE AUG. 1984 WHEN IN FACT THE ACCIDENT HE WAS INVOLVED IN INDEED OCCURRED BEFORE 1984. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER IF THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. THE PASSENGER ON THE MOTORCYCLE SUFFERED BRAIN DAMAGE AND BROKEN AND CRUSHED BONES. *NM
20050127CrashFatalSTEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
CONSUMER WAS A PASSENGER ON MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING THE MOTORCYCLE ON FREEWAY A VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED INTO TRAFFIC CRASHING WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED. *AK
20050105CrashFatalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURNS VEHICLE ACCELERATED THEN STALLED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A MOTORCYCLE. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER OF THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
19990823ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE MAP SENSOR & THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, PROBLEM STILL EXIST DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *YC
19990823ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE MAP SENSOR & THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, PROBLEM STILL EXIST DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *YC
19990823ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE MAP SENSOR & THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, PROBLEM STILL EXIST DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *YC
19990701FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FUEL SYSTEM IS THE PROBLEM AND IT GASPS AND DOES NOT WANT TO GO WHEN YOU ACCELERATE. *AK
19990115FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
I HAVE PUT SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THIS CAR TO MAKE IT SAFE AND KEEP IT RUNNING, HOWEVER MY MECHANIC IS WAS CONFUSED WHY THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT RUN. I FOUND OUT THAT THE DEFECT IN IN THE CARB. AND THAT THE DECELERATION VALVE IS STUCK CLOSED. THE COST WILL BE TO REBUILD IS $425.00. I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT ANOTHER CAR WITH WHAT I HAVE INVESTED HOWEVER BY THE TIME THIS DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED I WAS ALREADY IN SO IN DEBT TO THE CAR I CAN'T TURN BACK AND DON'T HAVE ANOTHER $425.00 TO PUT OUT.
19970325ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
VOLTAGE METER PRINTED CIRCUIT OVER HEATED, CAUSING COMPONENT TO JUMP OUT OF THE BOARD, RESULTING IN BATTERY/ALTERNATOR DAMAGE.
19970325PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE RELEASES IT SELF WHEN DRIVERS DOOR IS CLOSED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL UNTIL TRANSMISSION ENGAGES IF LEFT IN GEAR.
Compare 1984CHEVROLETCITATION 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 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION have?▼
The 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION has 10 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 6 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION?▼
The most-complained component for the 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM.
Is the 1984 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.