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1985 Chevrolet CorvetteProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 16 owner complaints about the 1985 Chevrolet Corvette, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints160 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage75kSeat belts, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 26, 2019. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1985 Chevrolet Corvette has problems

16 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts80
Power train20
Steering20
Parking brake10
Exterior lighting10
Suspension10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1985 Chevrolet Corvette recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Best & worst years

1985 vs. every other Corvette year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Corvette median. How we score

'68'69'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1985 Chevrolet Corvette, and the recalls they led to.

  1. BRAKE PULLDP96006 · closed Oct 18, 1996
    No recall
  2. SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR FAILEA90033 · closed Sep 9, 1991
    Led to recall 91V-143
  3. THROTTLE STICKINGEA92005 · closed Jan 29, 1993
    No recall
  4. TIE ROD SOCKET FAILUREPE90032 · closed Mar 22, 1990
    Led to recall 90V-032
In owners' words

What Corvette owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11291295 · Dec 26, 2019 · 75,000 miles
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, [PHONE]) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE…
Complaint 11139301 · Oct 9, 2018
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…
Complaint 10269373 · May 19, 2009 · 70,000 miles

Own a 1985 Corvette?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.