Total Complaints
2 filings
CHEVROLET P1500 · model year
1978 CHEVROLET P1500
2 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1978CHEVROLETP1500 carries 2 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1978 P1500 is steering:linkages with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1978 P1500, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080215STEERING:LINKAGES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1978 CHEVROLET P1500. WHILE DRIVING 5-60 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME LOOSE. WHEN SHIFTING THE GEAR INTO PARK, THE LEVER WOULD NOT REMAIN IN PARK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WAS NO LONGER DESIGNED TO LOOK UP OLDER VIN'S WITH LESS THAN 17 CHARACTERS. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE FOLLOWING RECALLS APPLY TO HIS VEHICLE: 77V169000 (STEERING), 77V185000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT), AND 78V035000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
Mileage: 67,000
20080215POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1978 CHEVROLET P1500. WHILE DRIVING 5-60 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME LOOSE. WHEN SHIFTING THE GEAR INTO PARK, THE LEVER WOULD NOT REMAIN IN PARK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WAS NO LONGER DESIGNED TO LOOK UP OLDER VIN'S WITH LESS THAN 17 CHARACTERS. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE FOLLOWING RECALLS APPLY TO HIS VEHICLE: 77V169000 (STEERING), 77V185000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT), AND 78V035000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
Mileage: 67,000
Compare 1978CHEVROLETP1500 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 1978 CHEVROLET P1500 have?▼
The 1978 CHEVROLET P1500 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1978 CHEVROLET P1500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1978 CHEVROLET P1500 is STEERING:LINKAGES with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT.
Is the 1978 CHEVROLET P1500 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1978 CHEVROLET P1500; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.