Total Complaints
3 filings
CHEVROLET P30 · model year
1986 CHEVROLET P30
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986CHEVROLETP30 carries 3 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, 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 P30 is engine and engine cooling:exhaust system with 1 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and fuel system, gasoline:delivery (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 1986 P30, 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.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060908FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, WHITE SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP. WHILE THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS BEING CHANGED, THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO POUR ONE QUART OF GASOLINE OUT OF THE MUFFLER. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL REGULATOR HAD FAILED, PUSHING RAW GASOLINE INTO THE INTAKE. THE NEXT DAY, NEW FUEL INJECTORS WERE INSTALLED. AND WHEN THE MECHANIC MOVED THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND WITHIN SECONDS, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE MECHANIC SUSTAINED INJURIES ON THE FACE. THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS MODERATELY DAMAGED. THE PART MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED.
Mileage: 109,978
20050506AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DT: USE MOTOR HOME AND THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT WORK PROPERLY. DEALER MADE SURE THAT IT WOULD PASS INSPECTION. DEALER ALSO SAID THAT THE AIR BAGS THAT WERE NOT WORKING WAS NOT A SAFTY ISSUE. CHEVROLET TOLD THAT IS WAS. CALLER DID HAVE THE AIR BAGS REPLACE AT COST. *AK
Mileage: 50,000
19980214ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
LEFT EXHAUST IS TOO CLOSE TO THE OIL FILTER. OWNER WANTS TO KNOW IF THERE WAS A RECALL.
Compare 1986CHEVROLETP30 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 1986 CHEVROLET P30 have?▼
The 1986 CHEVROLET P30 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 CHEVROLET P30?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 CHEVROLET P30 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY.
Is the 1986 CHEVROLET P30 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.