CHEVROLET CORVETTE · model year

1986 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

16 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1986CHEVROLETCORVETTE 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, 1 injury, 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 1986 CORVETTE is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder with 5 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (3) and seat belts (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 1986 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
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

16 filings

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

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER5
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE3
SEAT BELTS2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recent Complaints

20170721SEAT 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.

Mileage: 23,000

20160414SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKES LOCK UP IN REAR FRONT KEEPS SPINING WAS TOLD MY ABS MODULE WAS BAD UNABLE TO EVEN FIND REPLACEMENT.

Mileage: 2

20140630SEAT 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 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 REPA

Mileage: 84,000

20110321SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING ABNORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 86V120000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

20070424SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

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

Mileage: 88,132

20060627SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

MY BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER STARTED TO LEAK. THE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. *NM

Mileage: 83,200

20050706SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

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

19991112SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

THE CENTER VALVE ON THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS BRAKE FLUID.THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE CENTER VALVE HAD TO BE REPLACED.THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET CO. BUT THEY SAID THERE ISNT A RECALL .BUT YOU SAY THERE IS. WHO IS TELLING THE TRUTH???PLEASE HELP.TIM THE CAMPAIGN # IS 86V120000

19990925SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

DEALERS REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH SEAT BELT RECALL

19990507SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES LOCK AND UP THE VEHICLE SKIDS AND WHEN THE BBRAKES WOULDN'T RELEASE. *AK

19990428SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

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

19990217SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED.

19990217ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL SHORT SOMEWHERE IN THE VEHICLE THAT THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT MAY BE RELATED TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNALS AND/OR THE BRAKES, THE FUSE OR FUSES BLOW, LEAVING THE CAR WITHOUT BRAKING LIGHTS AND/OR TURN INDICATORS. *SLC

19971002SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

AT HIGH SPEED, APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, HAD TO MAKE A PANIC STOP, BUT BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER CLAIMS PROBLEM RELATES TO MASTER CYLINDER. INQUIRES WHETHER HIS VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER RECALL 86V-120, MASTER CYLINDER. *AK

19971002SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

AT HIGH SPEED, APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, HAD TO MAKE A PANIC STOP, BUT BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER CLAIMS PROBLEM RELATES TO MASTER CYLINDER. INQUIRES WHETHER HIS VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER RECALL 86V-120, MASTER CYLINDER. *AK

19961209SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

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

Compare 1986CHEVROLETCORVETTE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1986 CHEVROLET CORVETTE have?
The 1986 CHEVROLET CORVETTE has 16 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 CHEVROLET CORVETTE?
The most-complained component for the 1986 CHEVROLET CORVETTE is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 1986 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.