89 of the
783 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Beretta
are about the engine —
11% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1996.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET BERETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07E021000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.
NHTSA complaint #11121662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE CHATTING WITH THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALER I RECENTLY HEARD THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE NEW STYLE ORANGE ANTIFREEZE CORRODING HEAD GASKETS ON SOME OF THEIR V-6 ENGINES. WORD HAS IT THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM BUT HAVE KEPT QUIET ABOUT IT. I ALSO HEARD FROM ANOTHER MECHANICTHAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE VALVE SEATS. THEY BOTH WORKED AT THE CHEVROLET DEALER. WHICH EVER THE CASE, I HAD A CHEVROLET BARRETTA WITH A V-6 ENGINE. WITHOUT WARNING WATER STARTED COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. THERE WERE NO BROKEN HOSES OR OTHER LEAKS PRESENT. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT THIS WAS STRANGE. I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER, AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD REPLACE THE HEADS, BUT THEY WOULDN'T GAURANTEE THAT WOULD FIX IT. THEY TALKED ME INTO BUYING A NEW CAR. ALL I COULD AFFORD WAS A LOW MILEAGE DEMONSTRATOR.NOW THE NEW CAR IS APPROACHING THE SAME AGE AND IT HAS THE SAME ENGINE. *AK I TRAVEL TO OHIO FOR CHRISTMAS. NOW I'M WORRIED ABOUT THIS CAR. I'M A MILITARY WIDOW AND I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW CAR EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS. I ALWAYS TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND SERVICE. I AM LUCKY I WAS HOME WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IF IT HAD HAPPENED LAST CHRISTMAS ON MY WAY TO OHIO, I WOULD HAVE FROZE TO DEATH. MOST OF THE DATES HERE ARE GUESSES. GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD HAVE ALL THE CORRECT DATES ON FILE. I BOUGHT THE FIRST CAR IN CABOT, ARKANSAS AND I BOUGHT THE SECOND CAR IN BRANSON , MISSOURI. MY FRIEND HAS BEEN A MECHANIC MOST OF HIS LIFE AND HE CAN'T DO IT ANY MORE. HE PRESENTLY OWNS A 1990 CHEV. ASTRO VAN WITH A V-6 ENGINE WITH 250,000 MILES ON IT WITH NO PROBLEM. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD THE OLD STYLE GREEN ANTIFREEZE IN IT. I FEEL THAT IF THERE HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM THEY SHOULD WARN PEOPLE ABOUT IT. AND IF I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BEFORE I BOUGHT IT.
NHTSA complaint #10118460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MY 1996 CHEVROLET BERETTA HAS HAD CHRONIC LEAKING PROBLEMS AROUND THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD. FIRST IT WAS FROM VARIOUS BOLTS, THEN FROM THE MAIN GASKET EVEN THOUGH THE CAR ONLY HAS 75K MILES ON IT. I CALLED CAR SHOPS IN THE AREA AND EVERYONE I SPOKE TO SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM 3.1L ENGINES. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT THERE IS A FAULTY GASKET IN THESE CARS THAT COSTS ABOUT $600-800 TO REPLACE, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10050930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PURCHASED A 95 BARRETTE. I DID NOT START HAVING PROBLEMS UNTIL 2000. IT WAS A BRAKE RELATED PROBLEM. MY BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP AND THE ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BUT KNEW I HAD TO HAVE IT FIXED BEFORE IT CAUSED A ACCIDENT FROM BRAKE LOCK UP DURING HARD BRAKING. I ULTIMATELY BOUGHT A CD VERSION OF A AUTO REPAIR MANUAL. POPULAR MECHANICS REPAIR SOFTWARE. STILL NO ANSWERS UNTIL I WENT TO THE TSB AND SAFETY RECALL PORTION. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND MY PROBLEM IN THERE. IT WAS HOW THE WIRING WAS ROUTED IT AND WOULD RUB ON THE GAS LINE AND WEAR THE WIRES DOWN TO CAUSE A SHORT IN RESPECT CAUSE THE ABS SYSTEM TO SHUT DOWN AND NOT OPERATE. I ALSO FOUND A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE ON MINE. BELOW LIST THE RECALLS BULLETINS FOR 1995 CHEVROLET BERETTA V6-3100 3.1L VIN M SFI SAFETY RECALLS TSB NUMBER ISSUE DATE TSB TITLE 95C03 SEP 94 RECALL - SUPPORT PANEL OMITTED FROM ROCKER PANEL GENERAL RECALLS TSB NUMBER ISSUE DATE TSB TITLE 95C08 OCT 94 CAMPAIGN - A/T DEFECTIVE 2ND CLUTCH REACTION PLATE 410103 SEP 94 CAMPAIGN - PRODUCT BULLETIN NUMBERING SYSTEM I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE ENGINE THAT INVOLVES THE SERVICE BULLETINS. I AM OUTRAGED BECAUSE OF 2 REASONS. I PAID A LOT OF HARD EARNED MONEY FOR A VEHICLE WITH THE FAITH THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.. WELL I CALLED THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT I COULD DO TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS CORRECTED. THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO..IT WAS MY PROBLEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM ONE VERY UPSET CUSTOMER. I NEED TO KNOW WHO I CAN CONTACT ABOUT THIS AND WRITE TO. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I NEVER GOT A RECALL NOTICE ON MY CAR ABOUT ANY OF THE INVOLVED PROBLEMS. SO NOW I FIND OUT MY CAR COULD BE A DEATH TRAP. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THE ROCKER PANEL INVOLVES SIDE IMPACTS AND COULD CAUSE SOMEONE SERIOUS INJURY FOR WHOEVER IS DRIVING THIS TYPE OF CAR. TS
NHTSA complaint #10000950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
3 HEAD GASKET FAILURES ON THIS VEHICLE. 1ST REPAIR WAS UNDER WARRANTY ON 12/16/98 AT 27392 MILES. 2ND REPAIR WAS AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD, PAID BY MYSELF, ON 2/01 AT 62253 MILES. BOTH REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED AT VALLEY CHEVROLET SERVICE CENTER, 221 CONYNGHAM AVE, WILKES-BARRE, PA 18702. HEAD GASKET IS NOW LEAKING AGAIN AT 77000 MILES AND THE 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE LAST REPAIR EXPIRED IN FEBRUARY OF 2002, 3 MONTHS AGO. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET CORPORATION, AND HAVE A COPY OF THEIR EMAIL RESPONSE STATING THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR. THEY STATED THAT COVERED PROBLEMS OCCUR "EARLY" IN THE VEHICLES USAGE, (THE FIRST REPAIR WAS UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY PERIOD) AND THAT THIS VEHICLE IS TOO OLD AND HAS TOO MANY MILES FOR THEM TO TAKE RESPONSIBLITY AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #761856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
ELECTRONIC EGR VALVE IS SPRING-LOADED CLOSED. EXHAUST PRESSURE OVERCOMES SPRING PRESSURE, CAUSING UNDERHOOD EXHAUST LEAK. NOTICED PROBLEM BY SMELLING EXHAUST INSIDE CAR. SNAPPED THROTTLE OPEN AND SAW PUFF OF EXHAUST GAS FROM EGR VALVE. POTENTIAL ASPHYXIATION PROBLEM!
NHTSA complaint #754219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP, AND ENGINE TO STALL. THEN, AFTER TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER, THEY SAID THAT DEFECT WAS WITH TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION .
NHTSA complaint #894215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OIL SHOULD BE CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES, I HAVE TO ADD OIL EVERY 1000 - 1500 MILES, NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE, IT SHOULD NOT LEAK AFTER SEAL WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #744931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE TRAVELING 60MPH HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH. SECOND TIME VEHICLE WAS DOING SAME THING AND IDLING FUNNY. COOLANT WAS SHOOTING OUT. THIRD TIME SAME PROBLEM. SPARK PLUGS CHANGED. STILL RAN FUNNY.
NHTSA complaint #884391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE TRAVELING 60MPH HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH. SECOND TIME VEHICLE WAS DOING SAME THING AND IDLING FUNNY. COOLANT WAS SHOOTING OUT. THIRD TIME SAME PROBLEM. SPARK PLUGS CHANGED. STILL RAN FUNNY.
NHTSA complaint #884391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SMALL COOLANT LEAK ON RIGHT SIDE OF CYLINDER HEAD GASKET, DURING THE FALL LEAK WORSENED, GASKET REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE, OWNER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR CHARGES, OWNER BELIEVES THAT VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED IN MAY FOR CAVALIER'S AND S10'S, SAME ENGINE MODEL. CJ
NHTSA complaint #559593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE WOULD LEAK ANIT-FREEZE. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE ANTI-FREEZE ONCE A WEEK TO KEEP COOLENT DOWN. TECHNICIAN STATED HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #877823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
35000 MILES AND I NEED A NEW WATER PUMP? IT COST ME ALMOST $350.00 TO HAVE A NEW ONE PUT ON! ACCORDING TO MY UNCLE, WHO IS A MECANIC, THE WATER PUMP DID NOT NEED REPLACING! THE PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE FOR THE COOLANT HAD A LEAK UNDERNEATH THE BOLT. I TOLD THE MECHANIC THIS AND THEY STILL PUT A WATER PUMP ON IT! DO THESE DEALERSHIPS GET OFF WHEN A WOMAN COMES IN AND THEY CAN TAKE HER FOR ALL THAT SHE IS WORTH?! HAVE YOU HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE COOLANT LEAKING OUT FROM THE PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE?VALVE?
NHTSA complaint #737531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.