Total Complaints
16 filings
CHEVROLET CORVETTE · model year
1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
16 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985CHEVROLETCORVETTE carries 16 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 1985 CORVETTE is seat belts:front:anchorage with 5 filings, followed by seat belts (2) and exterior lighting:headlights (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 1985 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.
16
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 5 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20191226SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. UPON BRAKING, THE SEAT BELT SENSORS FOR BOTH SEATS DID NOT ENGAGE AND WERE INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 91V143000 (SEAT BELTS). THE MANUFACTURER AND GETTEL CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (1901 TAMIAMI TRAIL, PUNTA GORDA, FL 33950) WERE NOTIFIED, BUT COULD NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.
Mileage: 75,000
20181009SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT PULL OUT TO SAFELY SECURE THE DRIVER. THE CONTACT CALLED DAN VADEN CHEVROLET SAVANNAH (9393 ABERCORN ST, SAVANNAH, GA 31406, (912) 925-9393) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
20090519SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IN HIS VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE SEAT BELT BEGAN TO FAIL. WHENEVER HE WOULD BUCKLE THE SEAT BELT, IT FAILED TO RELEASE. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR; THEREFORE, THE DEALER REFUSED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURE SHOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY SINCE A RECALL WAS ISSUED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000. UPDATED 6/15/09 *CN UPDATED 06/16/09
Mileage: 70,000
20061213SUSPENSION:REAR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE REAR WHEELS FELT AS IF THEY HAD TURNED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED TO THE RIGHT. THIS SENT THE VEHICLE INTO A REAR SKID. A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP WAS CONSULTED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.
Mileage: 178,397
20051104SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DT:DITTO CONTACT STATES THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO USE THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT THE LAP PORTION OF THE BELT BECAME STUCK WITHIN THE FRONT ANCHORAGE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE SEAT BELT AND OFFERED TO PUT ON ANOTHER STRAP. THE STRAP WAS IN A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN THE PREVIOUS STRAP, AND HE DID NOT WANT IT. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL 91V143000 ON A SIMILAR PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER HAD PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED REPAIRS. HOWEVER THE CONTACT WANTED THIS PROBLEM TO BE COVERED BY THE RECALL AS WELL. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT TIME. *AK UPDATED 01/04/06. *JB
Mileage: 109,000
20020906SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20020308POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE 4+3 OVERDRIVE DESIGN PROBLEMS AND NEW PARTS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. DOES GM REIMBURSE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS?*AK
20011227SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 91V143000. DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTORS, CAUSING THE SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE.*AK
20010718SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20000905UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY
19980712STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AND THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN "FISHTAILING" ACROSS THREE LANES BECAUSE THE LEFT REAR OUTER TIE ROD HAD BROKEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THREADS.
19970325POWER TRAIN
ODOMETER FRAUD.
19960619STEERING:RACK AND PINION
'COLD POWER STEERING'. *DH
19950628PARKING BRAKE
THE EMERCENCY BRAKE LINE FALLS OFF OF THE CAR. *AK
19950613EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE HEADLIGHT MOTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
19950213SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT PERFORM SEAT BELT RECALL WITH NO REASON GIVEN (91V-143). TT
Compare 1985CHEVROLETCORVETTE 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 1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE have?▼
The 1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE has 16 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 CHEVROLET CORVETTE is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS.
Is the 1985 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.