Your vehicle report
1989 Chevrolet Beretta
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 51
- Received Jan 1995 to Jan 2004
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract11 complaints · 22% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Vehicle catches fire from wiring4 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving4 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #91V206000The front shoulder belt retractors may have reduced sensitivity of the lock-up feature and would not function in a sudden deceleration or crash.
- Recall #89V087000The front seat frame assembly may contain an improper, missing and/or mislocated weld that could fracture.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 5 fires, 7 people injured, 2 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 6 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 18 |
| 1996 | 7 |
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 8 |
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 51 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 11 | 22% | – | NHTSA recall #89V034000, #91V206000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 4 | 7.8% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 7.8% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 3 | 5.9% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 5.9% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 3 | 5.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #91V206000November 26, 1991722,884 vehicles affected
seat belts
The front shoulder belt retractors may have reduced sensitivity of the lock-up feature and would not function in a sudden deceleration or crash.
Failure of the shoulder belt retractor would result inthe seat occupant only being restrained by the lap belt in a crash or suddenstop, and an increased possibility of injury.
NHTSA recall #89V087000May 22, 1989642 vehicles affected
seats
The front seat frame assembly may contain an improper, missing and/or mislocated weld that could fracture.
This could cause unexpected seat movement and result inpersonal injury and/or loss of control of the car.
Remedy
Replace both front seat assemblies.
NHTSA recall #89V034000March 10, 198929,951 vehicles affected
seat belts
Front seat belt latch plates may not engage the buckle assemblies.
In event of an accident, unbelted or improperly beltedoccupants are more at risk to injury than if belts are properly buckled.
Remedy
Replace improperly functioning buckle assemblies.
NHTSA recall #88V189000December 6, 198813,095 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
A fuel tank leak could occur due to small creases on the tank underside cracking during pressure cycling which occurs during normal operation.
In presence of an ignition source, this condition couldresult in a fire.
Remedy
REPLACE FUEL TANK.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1989 Chevrolet Beretta.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN