1991 Chevrolet Caprice Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the car moving when they did not ask it to, and the brakes failing to slow it as expected. Complaints also describe cracked plastic fuel tanks that drip gasoline, and airbags that stayed stowed in frontal crashes. Mileage is missing from most sampled complaints, which were filed from the mid-1990s through the 2000s.

1. 1
   Brakes

   ABS light, lock-up and long stopping distance

   • 27 complaints (21%)
   • typically at 5.5 yrs old
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2004

   Owners describe the ABS warning light coming on, the system dropping out, and the pedal going soft or travelling to the floor when they need to stop, with the car taking much more distance to slow. Some report the brakes grabbing or locking and the pedal sticking after application. Several say pads, rotors and ABS sensors were replaced and the problem returned, and a few note the dealer could not find a cause. Reported at all speeds including highway braking; mileage is not recorded in these complaints, most of which were filed between 1995 and 2000.

   What to check: Check that the ABS light goes out after start-up, ask for any brake hydraulic or sensor service records, and make a firm stop from highway speed on an empty road during the test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The anti-lock brakes started to fail within the past 2-3 weeks. I took the car to lou grubb Chevrolet on 7/21/99 for repairs and they replased the rr anti-lock sensor then turned the rear drums and front rotors. They said that should fix the problem to the tune of $303.00. On the way home the brakes failed again. My wife drove it yesterday and could not keep the car from lurching forward at a stop light so she slammed the transmission into park. The anti-lock brakes indicator of dis-engagement came on the dash and she drove the car home. …”

   NHTSA complaint #709299, filed 1999-07

   “Anti- lock brakes failed, car skidded ten feet then rolled about twenty feet into the back of another car that had panic stopped. Air bag did not deploy. Bumper went under other car crushing my car to the windshield. Both cars were the same size so bumpers should be at same height. The other car is a early nineties lincoln town car.”

   NHTSA complaint #731505, filed 2000-09
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden unintended acceleration or engine surge

   • 14 complaints (11%)
   • median 63,000 mi at 16.3 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2007

   Complaints describe the car lurching forward or backward without the driver pressing the accelerator, sometimes while shifting into gear in a parking lot or while waiting at a light with a foot on the brake. Several owners say the brakes did not hold the car once it started to move, and a few report low-speed impacts with buildings, parked cars or a garage door. Some owners connect it to the cruise control or to a fast idle; the cause is not settled in the complaints, and no confirmed dealer fix appears. Reported mostly in parking-lot and stop-light situations; most sampled complaints list no mileage, and the ones that do are around 63,000 miles.

   What to check: At a standstill, work the throttle and cruise control and shift between drive and reverse to see whether idle or engine speed hangs; ask whether any throttle, idle or cruise-control parts have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “- the contact called regarding the 1991 Chevrolet Caprice. The contact was backing out of a parking space and heard a loud roar, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, and before the contact could apply the brakes the vehicle struck a building. The contact has pictures of the vehicle. A police report was taken . There were no injuries. The failure mileage was 63,000. The vehicle was destroyed. Alabama incident report provided. Updated 08/03/07”

   NHTSA complaint #10184966, filed 2007-03, 63,000 miles

   “Sudden unintentional acceleration while backing out from a parking lot. Tt consumer was backing up slowly from parking space and al of a sudden the vehicle took off what seemed to be 100 MPH consumer hit parked cars and ended up on the grass and a tree stopped consumer, consumer had to have transmission replaced, and also the spring on the gear shift lever.”

   NHTSA complaint #973916, filed 1995-10
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Plastic fuel tank cracks and leaks

   • 12 complaints (9%)
   • median 153,054 mi at 12.7 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 1995–2003

   Complaints describe a gasoline smell and fuel dripping from under the car, traced to a split in the plastic fuel tank, often at a seam or at the moulded depression where the retaining straps sit. Some owners say the leak starts once the tank is more than about a third full, and one describes fuel running across the pavement while the car was parked. Tanks were replaced in some cases, and one report notes a warranty request that was declined. Mileage appears in only one of these complaints, at roughly 153,000 miles; reports were filed between 1997 and 2003.

   What to check: Inspect the tank and the area under the rear of the car for wet stains or a strong fuel smell, ideally with the tank more than half full, and ask whether the tank has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Tuesday morning, august 17, 1999, I stopped and put $10.00 worth of gasoline in this vehicle, and drove to work. At lunch, I drove the vehicle to lunch, parked in the parking lot on a slight incline, and went to lunch. Upon returning, we found a small group of anxious people looking at my car from a short distance. Gasoline was leaking out from under it, and had run about 15' down the pavement, forming a puddle. The fire department had been called, and was on their way. …”

   NHTSA complaint #711298, filed 2000-04

   “Plastic fuel tank is leaking. Tank is manufactured with two cone shaped depressions in the bottom of the tank. Straps hold the tank in place. These straps almost cover these depressions, the tank leaks at the depression on the right hand side allowing fuel to escape. Contacted GM, file number 1-109-911-920, but was told that GM would not cover the cost to replace at this time since insufficient complaints had been received to date.”

   NHTSA complaint #10023217, filed 2003-06, 153,054 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbag did not deploy in a frontal crash

   • 8 complaints (6%)
   • typically at 7.4 yrs old
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2004

   Owners report that the airbag stayed stowed in a front-end collision, in one case with an occupant injured and in another with a note that the sensor wiring had been pinched by its routing. Some of these cars were declared a total loss after the impact. The complaints do not settle on one cause, and inspection findings range from an airbag fault to no fault found. Reported after frontal collisions; no mileage is given in these complaints, most of which were filed between 1995 and 2000.

   What to check: Confirm the airbag warning light comes on briefly at start-up and then goes out, and ask for any airbag, sensor or steering-column service history.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Airbag did not deploy during front end crash, vehicle hit corner of 16 ft wide shed, hit telephone post. According to inspector for chrysler, no defect in airbag. Vehicle totaled. Dup of 814630, added 0n 25-feb-98.”

   NHTSA complaint #815635, filed 1997-09

Buying note. Brakes and throttle behaviour deserve the most attention on a test drive, and the fuel tank should be checked for leaks and fumes before purchase. Ask the seller for records of any brake, ABS, throttle or cruise-control work.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 56 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.