FaultScore

Chevrolet Caprice transmission problems

44 of the 912 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Caprice are about the transmission — 5% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1996.

44

Complaints

5%

Share of all complaints

4

Crashes

2

Fires

Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year

1979 Caprice 2 4.5%
1984 Caprice 2 4.5%

Median failure at 155,000 miles

1987 Caprice 4 9.1%
1988 Caprice 1 2.3%
1989 Caprice 1 2.3%
1991 Caprice 2 4.5%
1992 Caprice 2 4.5%
1993 Caprice 2 4.5%
1994 Caprice 8 18.2%
1995 Caprice 9 20.5%

Median failure at 77,000 miles

1996 Caprice 10 22.7%
2013 Caprice 1 2.3%

Median failure at 26,000 miles

What owners said

2013 Chevrolet Caprice at 26,000 miles Vancouver, WA Fire

POWER TRAIN

DRIVING VEHICLE ON DIRT ROAD, ROAD ABRUPTLY TURNED TO SOFT SAND. VEHICLE WAS LAGGING IN THE SAND. ABLE TO GET VEHICLE TURNED AROUND TO GET BACK TO SOLID ROAD. SWITCHING BETWEEN AUTOMATIC & MANUAL MODE ON THE TRANSMISSION TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. AFTER VEHICLE WAS TURNED AROUND, SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING & SAW SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD. STOPPED VEHICLE TO LOOK UNDER HOOD. UNDER HOOD SMOKE COMING FROM DOWN BELOW ENGINE AREA ON FRONT DRIVERS SIDE AREA. SMOKE WAS THICK WHITE & CHEMICAL SMELLING. ENGINE AREA IGNITED TO FLAMES. ATTEMPTED TO PUT FIRE OUT WITH WATER WITH NO LUCK. VEHICLE COMPLETELY BURNED UP. VEHICLE WAS A RENTAL CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10577013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet Caprice Jackson, MS

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CAME PAST THE STOP LINE AT A RAILROAD TRACK, SAW TRAIN WAS APPROACHING AND TRIED TO BACK UP.....NO REVERSE!!! NO PRIOR WARNING OR SIGNS OF DEFECTS.....HAD TO GET OUT AND PUSH VEHICLE OFF OF TRACKS TO PREVENT A CATASTROPHIC COLLISION. TOOK TO A NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND FOUND OUT THAT GM ISSUED A NUMBER OF SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THE REACTION SHELL FAILURE ISSUE BUT THEY NEVER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY TO ISSUE A RECALL......THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THE NO REVERSE PROBLEM DUE TO THE REACTION SUN SHELL FAILING.......GM SHOULD STILL ISSUE A RECALL!!!!!! DOES IT HAVE TO TAKE A LOSS OF LIFE TO HAVE A RECALL ISSUED? THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.....

NHTSA complaint #10264407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet Caprice at 77,000 miles Bartow, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 CHEVROLET CAPRICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. CHEVROLET STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NUMBER 95V221000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS LEAKING AND THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE OCCASIONALLY, WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE POWERTRAIN AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA complaint #10197855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet Caprice at 77,000 miles Bartow, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 CHEVROLET CAPRICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. CHEVROLET STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NUMBER 95V221000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS LEAKING AND THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE OCCASIONALLY, WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE POWERTRAIN AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA complaint #10197855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet Caprice Lansing, IL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

NHTSA#95-V-221-000; THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL LINKAGE. THIS DOES NOT MEET WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

NHTSA complaint #10022831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1984 Chevrolet Caprice at 155,000 miles Laurel, MD

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

PRNDL READOUT STAYS ON THE "P" (FOR PARK) POSITION. I HAVE TO COUNT THE GEARS WHEN I OPERATE THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR. CABLE THAT LINKS THE PRNDL NEEDLE TO THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR HAS BROKEN (HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE). THIS MAY BE A DEVELOPING SAFETY DEFECT TREND IN THIS GREAT CAR. PH **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768324

NHTSA complaint #10007477 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet Caprice Cherry Hill, NJ

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING.*AK THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED IN 1997, 1999 AND 2000. EACH TIME THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. THE HORN IS INOPERABLE. THE WIRING TO THE SIR SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED. THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM NEEDED SERVICING. ALSO THE BACK UP LIGHTS WERE OUT, DEALER HAD TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH IN THE TRANSMISSION. JLG

NHTSA complaint #8010592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Chevrolet Caprice Orlando, FL Crash 1 injured

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON AND SHFTING IN GEAR CAR WILL LUNGE FORWARD ABRUPTLY.

NHTSA complaint #724980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet Caprice Winthrop, ME

POWER TRAIN

VERY BAD VIBRATION

NHTSA complaint #9001113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet Caprice Winthrop, ME

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CAR BEGAN TO VIBRATE BADLY AT ELEVEN THOUSAND MILES THOUGHT IT WAS A FRONT END PROBLEM TOOK IT BACK TO BOBBARROWS JUNE 1998 UNDER THE EXPRESS WARRANTY ON THE CAR. SAID TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED, SAME STORY TWENTY TIMES PLUS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. REPLACED NEW TRANSMISSION NEW DRIVE SHAFT AND UMPTEEN OTHER PARTS.NEW TRANSMISSION DAMAGED BY THE VIBRATING DRIVE SHAFT HAD TO HAVE REAR SEAL REPLACED.CAR VIBRATES QUITE VIOLENTLY AT SPEEDS FROM 25 TO 55 MILES PER HOUR WORSE IN OVERDRIVE THAN STANDARD DRIVE.BARROWS AND CHEVROLET NOW TELL ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS MINE, THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND NEVER HAVE KNOWN WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE VIBRATION IS BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. IT IS A DANGEROUS CAR TO DRIVE AND IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BEECAUSE OF THE FREEZING OF THE EXPRESS WARRANTY WHEN THEY FAILED TO REPAIR IT.IN JULY 99 WHEN THEY WERE GIVEN THE ULTIMATUM OF THAT BEING THE LAST CHANCE TO FIX IT.CHEVROLET AND BARROWS HAVE FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY ON THIS CAR. BECAUSE IT IS SO NERVEWRACKING TO DRIVE I HAVE ONLY MANAGED TO DRIVE IT 21000 MILES IN FOUR YEARS BETWEEN REAPAIRS AT SOMETHING LIKE TWO WEEKLY INTERVALS. I WINDER HOW MANY MORE THERE ARE OUT THERE LIKE THIS ONE OR WHETHER BARROWS IS JUST INCOMPETENT. THEY HAVE BEEN BACKED UP BY CHEVROLET TECHNICAL SERVICES EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

NHTSA complaint #723918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Chevrolet Caprice Winthrop, ME

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

CAR BEGAN TO VIBRATE BADLY AT ELEVEN THOUSAND MILES THOUGHT IT WAS A FRONT END PROBLEM TOOK IT BACK TO BOBBARROWS JUNE 1998 UNDER THE EXPRESS WARRANTY ON THE CAR. SAID TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED, SAME STORY TWENTY TIMES PLUS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. REPLACED NEW TRANSMISSION NEW DRIVE SHAFT AND UMPTEEN OTHER PARTS.NEW TRANSMISSION DAMAGED BY THE VIBRATING DRIVE SHAFT HAD TO HAVE REAR SEAL REPLACED.CAR VIBRATES QUITE VIOLENTLY AT SPEEDS FROM 25 TO 55 MILES PER HOUR WORSE IN OVERDRIVE THAN STANDARD DRIVE.BARROWS AND CHEVROLET NOW TELL ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS MINE, THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND NEVER HAVE KNOWN WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE VIBRATION IS BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. IT IS A DANGEROUS CAR TO DRIVE AND IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BEECAUSE OF THE FREEZING OF THE EXPRESS WARRANTY WHEN THEY FAILED TO REPAIR IT.IN JULY 99 WHEN THEY WERE GIVEN THE ULTIMATUM OF THAT BEING THE LAST CHANCE TO FIX IT.CHEVROLET AND BARROWS HAVE FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY ON THIS CAR. BECAUSE IT IS SO NERVEWRACKING TO DRIVE I HAVE ONLY MANAGED TO DRIVE IT 21000 MILES IN FOUR YEARS BETWEEN REAPAIRS AT SOMETHING LIKE TWO WEEKLY INTERVALS. I WINDER HOW MANY MORE THERE ARE OUT THERE LIKE THIS ONE OR WHETHER BARROWS IS JUST INCOMPETENT. THEY HAVE BEEN BACKED UP BY CHEVROLET TECHNICAL SERVICES EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

NHTSA complaint #723918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Chevrolet Caprice Hamlin, NY

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

AFTER PARKING VEHICLE AND SHIFTING INTO PARK WITH ENGINE STILL RUNNING, WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, VEHICLE STARTED TO MOVE DUE TO AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #859047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Chevrolet Caprice Eight Mile, AL

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 45MPH IT WOULD MAKE HOWLING NOISES IN THE REAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE PROBLEM WAS REAREND DIFFERENTIAL. ALSO, BRAKES WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN APPLIED. CANNOT LOCATE PROBLEM WITH NAKED EYE. TIRES WERE REPLACED & VEHICLE WAS ALIGNED, AND FRONT SEAT BELTS WOULD FAIL TO RETRACT OR LOCK.

NHTSA complaint #853602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Jackson, MI 1 injured

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

CONSUMERS CHILD WAS ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS INTO NEUTRAL. CHILD JUMPED OUT AND WAS RUN OVER BY THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH ALL CARS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OFF.

NHTSA complaint #852222 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Washington, DC

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE THE ENGINE STALLS AND DIES. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PORBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #848862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Chevrolet Caprice Philadelphia, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHEN CAR IS PLACED INTO DRIVE IT POPS INTO GEAR. ALSO, WHEN CAR IS TRAVELLING AT 20 MPH AND THE DRIVER PRESSES THE GAS PEDAL FURTHER, THE VEHICLE AGAIN SHIFTS AND POPS.

NHTSA complaint #843355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Pensacola, FL

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT CAUSED VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL AND LOSS OF CONTROL(LOCKUP). OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT STATE THAT VEHICLE LOCK UP CAN OCCUR IF THE FLUID IS NOT CHANGED WITHIN THE FIRST 6,000 MILES. MJS

NHTSA complaint #547470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Plano, TX

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

DUE TO THE DIFFENTIAL UNIT EXPERIENCING INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION, LOCK-UP (FISHTAILING) CAUSING TEMP. LOSS OF CONTROL.

NHTSA complaint #544670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Galign, MI

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ONGOING/ INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING. WHENEVER VEHICLE IS PUT IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED AND MADE SOME REPAIRS. REPLACED COMPUTER MODULE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED.

NHTSA complaint #835686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Chevrolet Caprice Pensacola, FL

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

WHILE PULLING OUT ONTO HIGHWAY, VEHICLE STARTED TO FISHTAIL VIOLENTLY. REAR END KEPT SWINGING BACK AND FORTH. POLICEMAN CHECKED THE PROBLEM. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED A SLIPPED DIFFERENTIAL. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK.ET.

NHTSA complaint #835231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Chevrolet Caprice problems