Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1984 Chevrolet Citation
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Fuel & Propulsion
330.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Electrical System
220.0%
Engine & Cooling
220.0%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
110.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Brakes
110.0%
Steering
110.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 1997peak 3Dec 2005
NHTSA investigations into the 1984 Chevrolet Citation
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA87006Opened 16 Dec 1986Closed 19 Sep 1988STEERING
POWER ST. ASSIST
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER:GM HAS DEVELOPED A SPLITRING FIELD REPAIR KIT AND IS EXTENDING THE WARRANRY ON ALL 1982-84 A,J, AND X, BODY CARS AND 1985 C,BODY CARS.THE WARRANTY APPLIES TO CARSTHAT ARE FOR 50,000 MILES OR 5 YRS.IT INCLUDES REIMBURSEMENT FOR PREVIOUSREPAIRS.ANALYSIS:WEARING OF THE RACK AND PINION HOUSING AND LOW AMBIENT TEMPCAN CAUSE TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER ASSIST.TEFLON O RINGS FAIL TO SEALOFF INTERNAL PRESSURE.STATUS:EVALUATING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFER BY GM.======
PE85016Opened 3 Dec 1984Closed 22 Mar 1985ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Recalls on the 1984 Chevrolet Citation
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 19850322,394 units in Canada
ON VEHICLES WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE FUEL SYSTEM MAY LEAK AT THE THROTTLE BODY INJECTION FUEL FEED PIPE CONNECTION PRESENTING THE POSSIBILITY OF AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Recall 198402711,399 units in Canada
Seats And Restraints
On certain vehicles, the front seat back locks may not lock under forward load conditions and are therefore not in compliance with CMVSS 207 - Seat Anchorages.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Palmdale, CACrash1 injured2 killed
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
LTR RE DEFECTIVE 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION, REQUESTING A DEFECT INVESTIGATION, REPLY ATTN. JOSEPH BACIGALUPI/SAN FRANCISCO OFC. *TS THE COMPLAINANT WAS THE PASSENGER ON A MOTORCYCLE WHICH WAS HIT BY A 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS HIT WHEN THE CHEVROLET CITATION STALLED WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. THE CHEVROLET CITATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 85V-034 TO PREVENT IT FROM STALLING. THE COMPLAINANTS IS CONCERNED THAT NHTSA CONCLUDED THAT NO INCIDENTS OCCURRED BEFORE AUG. 1984 WHEN IN FACT THE ACCIDENT HE WAS INVOLVED IN INDEED OCCURRED BEFORE 1984. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER IF THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. THE PASSENGER ON THE MOTORCYCLE SUFFERED BRAIN DAMAGE AND BROKEN AND CRUSHED BONES.
NHTSA complaint #10145337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palmdale, CACrash1 injured2 killed
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
CONSUMER WAS A PASSENGER ON MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING THE MOTORCYCLE ON FREEWAY A VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED INTO TRAFFIC CRASHING WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED.
NHTSA complaint #10109097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palmdale, CACrash2 killed
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURNS VEHICLE ACCELERATED THEN STALLED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A MOTORCYCLE. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER OF THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10106867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Palmdale, CACrash1 injured2 killed
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
LTR RE DEFECTIVE 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION, REQUESTING A DEFECT INVESTIGATION, REPLY ATTN. JOSEPH BACIGALUPI/SAN FRANCISCO OFC. *TS THE COMPLAINANT WAS THE PASSENGER ON A MOTORCYCLE WHICH WAS HIT BY A 1984 CHEVROLET CITATION. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS HIT WHEN THE CHEVROLET CITATION STALLED WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. THE CHEVROLET CITATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 85V-034 TO PREVENT IT FROM STALLING. THE COMPLAINANTS IS CONCERNED THAT NHTSA CONCLUDED THAT NO INCIDENTS OCCURRED BEFORE AUG. 1984 WHEN IN FACT THE ACCIDENT HE WAS INVOLVED IN INDEED OCCURRED BEFORE 1984. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER IF THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. THE PASSENGER ON THE MOTORCYCLE SUFFERED BRAIN DAMAGE AND BROKEN AND CRUSHED BONES.
NHTSA complaint #10145337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palmdale, CACrash1 injured2 killed
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
CONSUMER WAS A PASSENGER ON MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING THE MOTORCYCLE ON FREEWAY A VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED INTO TRAFFIC CRASHING WITH THE MOTORCYCLE. THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED.
NHTSA complaint #10109097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palmdale, CACrash2 killed
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURNS VEHICLE ACCELERATED THEN STALLED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A MOTORCYCLE. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER OF THE MOTORCYCLE DIED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10106867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stoughton, WI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE MAP SENSOR & THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, PROBLEM STILL EXIST DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #546486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stoughton, WI
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE MAP SENSOR & THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, PROBLEM STILL EXIST DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #546486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stoughton, WI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE MAP SENSOR & THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, PROBLEM STILL EXIST DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #546486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Leeds, AL
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE FUEL SYSTEM IS THE PROBLEM AND IT GASPS AND DOES NOT WANT TO GO WHEN YOU ACCELERATE.
NHTSA complaint #708139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gloucester, NJ
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
I HAVE PUT SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THIS CAR TO MAKE IT SAFE AND KEEP IT RUNNING, HOWEVER MY MECHANIC IS WAS CONFUSED WHY THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT RUN. I FOUND OUT THAT THE DEFECT IN IN THE CARB. AND THAT THE DECELERATION VALVE IS STUCK CLOSED. THE COST WILL BE TO REBUILD IS $425.00. I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT ANOTHER CAR WITH WHAT I HAVE INVESTED HOWEVER BY THE TIME THIS DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED I WAS ALREADY IN SO IN DEBT TO THE CAR I CAN'T TURN BACK AND DON'T HAVE ANOTHER $425.00 TO PUT OUT.
NHTSA complaint #702268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Butte, MT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
VOLTAGE METER PRINTED CIRCUIT OVER HEATED, CAUSING COMPONENT TO JUMP OUT OF THE BOARD, RESULTING IN BATTERY/ALTERNATOR DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #514102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Butte, MT
PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE RELEASES IT SELF WHEN DRIVERS DOOR IS CLOSED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL UNTIL TRANSMISSION ENGAGES IF LEFT IN GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #514102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.