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1978 Chevrolet EL CaminoProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 1978 Chevrolet EL Camino, most often about the tires. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem1Tires

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 9, 2000. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1978 Chevrolet EL Camino has problems

1 complaint 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
Tires10

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

4 recalls

1978 Chevrolet EL Camino 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

1978 vs. every other EL Camino 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 EL Camino median. How we score

'66'67'68'70'73'74'75'77'78'79'80'81'83'84'86'87
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1978 Chevrolet EL Camino, and the recalls they led to.

  1. BRAKE BACKING PLATEEA86006 · closed Nov 28, 1988
    No recall
In owners' words

What EL Camino owners report

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

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO BALANCE TIRES ON A 1978, CHEVROLET, EL CAMINO. AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT; P205/75R14; DOT# UNAVAILABLE. *AK BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT TIRES COULD NOT BE BALANCED AND ARE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE. THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED BY REPLACING THE TIRES. *YH
Complaint 870071 · Sep 9, 2000

Own a 1978 EL Camino?

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