Total Complaints
13 filings
CHEVROLET CORVETTE · model year
1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
13 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1979CHEVROLETCORVETTE carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1979 CORVETTE is structure:body:roof and pillars with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (2). 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 1979 CORVETTE, 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.
13
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080930FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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
20020514STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
THE T-TOP LEAKS WATER WHENEVER IT RAINS OR WHEN THE CAR IS WASHED. NLM
20011016ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
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
20011016ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
THE MUFFLER WAS MAKING A LOUD RATTLING NOISE. NLM
20011016WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
THE LEFT REAR TIRE CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL, FENDER AND UNDERCARRIAGE, DEALER FAILED TO PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS. NLM
20011016TIRES
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS A LEAK, TIRE INFO NOT GIVEN. NLM
20011016EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
THE POWER ANTENNA IS INOPERTIVE. NLM
20011016STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
THE T-TOP LEAKS WATER WHENEVER IT RAINS OR WHEN THE CAR IS WASHED. NLM
20010912ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
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
20010912ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MUFFLER WAS MAKING A LOUD RATTLING NOISE.*JB
20010912EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
THE POWER ANTENNA IS INOPERATIVE.*JB
20010912TIRES
RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS A LEAK, AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE FLEW OFF AND CAUSED SIGNIFICGANT DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL, FENDER AND UNDERCARRIAGE.*JB
20010912STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKS WATER WHENEVER IT RAINS OR IF THE VEHICLE IS WASHED.*JB
Compare 1979CHEVROLETCORVETTE 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 1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE have?▼
The 1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE is STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE.
Is the 1979 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 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.