1981 Chevrolet CITATION: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1981 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 3 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Steering behavior
1
33.3%
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator
1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
1
Power Train:Clutch Assembly
1
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System
1
Steering:Linkages
1
Suspension:Front
1
Tires
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator
1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
1
Power Train:Clutch Assembly
1
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System
1
Steering:Linkages
1
Suspension:Front
1
Tires
1
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Power Train:Clutch Assembly: 1; Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist System: 1; Steering:Linkages: 1; Suspension:Front: 1; Tires: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
1996
1
1998
1
2000
1
Complaints over time data
Category
Count
1996
1
1998
1
2000
1
1996: 1; 1998: 1; 2000: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING . THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. COMSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE VERY SLOW WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. *AK
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
80V129000 · Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections
Reported: 1980-10-08 (October 8, 1980)
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH THE POWER STEERING HOSE INCORRECTLY ROUTED. THE POWER STEERING HOSE MAY THEN CONTACT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN DETERIORATION AND EVENTUAL FAILURE OF THE HOSE AND LEAKAGE OF POWER STEERING FLUID ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE HOSES AND INLET PIPE AND ADD A CLIP AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.
THE ENGINE-TO-BODY GROUND CABLE ON CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING MANUFACTURE. THE CABLE COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK DUE TO THE RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND BODY DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.
Remedy: A NEW GROUND CABLE WILL BE INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
0.0%Usable mileage0 / 3 records
66.7%Valid incident date2 / 3 records
100.0%Valid filing date3 / 3 records
66.7%Ordered incident and filing dates2 / 3 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1988
Electrical System:Ignition:Module
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
228.6%ODI 514102
PARKING BRAKE RELEASES IT SELF WHEN DRIVERS DOOR IS CLOSED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL UNTIL TRANSMISSION ENGAGES IF LEFT IN GEAR.
WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING . THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. COMSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE VERY SLOW WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. *AK
REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE MAP SENSOR & THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, PROBLEM STILL EXIST DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *YC
WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING . THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. COMSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE VERY SLOW WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. *AK
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
0Unavailable
No examples available for this selection.
114.3%ODI 546486
REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE TO THE MAP SENSOR & THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, PROBLEM STILL EXIST DUE TO POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *YC
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
No usable records for this analysis.
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1984: 1 complaints · 1988: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
1984
1
1
1
1988
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
1984
4
2
1
1988
1
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING . THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. COMSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE VERY SLOW WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. *AK
WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING . THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. COMSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE VERY SLOW WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. *AK
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
1 patterns with matching reports.
Steering assistance concerns
1 mentions · 33.3% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 828856
WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING . THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. COMSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE VERY SLOW WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. *AK