1996 Chevrolet CORSICA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
68 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
95,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 13 of 68 complaints (19.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 10 | 14.7% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 8.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 2.9% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 2.9% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 13 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 6 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 5 |
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap | 3 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 13; Unknown Or Other: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling: 6; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 5; Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 1
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 63 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 3 |
| 2000 | 23 |
| 2001 | 19 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
1996: 3; 2000: 23; 2001: 19; 2002: 4; 2003: 8; 2004: 5; 2006: 1; 2007: 2; 2008: 2; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 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.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10046445 · 2003-11-05 (November 5, 2003)
THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC.*MR THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR BUMPER, TAIL LIGHT, QUARTER PANEL AND TRUNK. THE VEHICLE THAT IMPACTED THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE COMPLAINED OF BRAKE FAILURE. *PH *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10046445 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068264 · 2004-05-04 (May 4, 2004)
(1) FOR OVER A YEAR NOW MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ON 1998 CHEVROLET CORSICA HAVE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN RAINY WET CONDITIONS. I CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHEN RAINY OR WET. THE BRAKES CATCH AND RELEASE REPEATEDLY EVENTUALLY CAUSING THE CAR TO SLIDE (THIS EVEN HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING 10 MPH). AFTER THE FIRST 15 STOPS IT WILL EVENTUALLY BEGIN TO STOP WITHOUT DOING THIS. BUT IN THE CASE OF THE ACCIDENT I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 30 MINUTES AND THE CAR FAILED TO STOP. (2) I WAS DRIVING 20 MPH WITH 3-4 CAR LENGTHS BETWEEN MYSELF AND CAR IN FRONT OF M…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10068264 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10227937 · 2008-05-15 (May 15, 2008)
OUR 96 CORSICA BEGAN TO LOSE POWER OFF AND ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. SOMETIMES IT WOULD STALL. WE HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT AND FOUND AN COOLANT LEAK. COOLANT WAS LEAKING ON THE GROUND AS WELL AS INTO THE HEAD GASKET. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND ENGINE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 170,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10227937 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 560051 · 2001-03-02 (March 2, 2001)
THE VEHICLE CRANKS BUT WILL NOT START, IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS (2-20) TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE MODULE, AIR FILTER AND IGNITION BUT HE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 560051 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 711148 · 2000-04-07 (April 7, 2000)
BRAKING PROBLEMS: BRAKES WERE WEARING PREMATURELY AND RUINING ROTORS VEHICLE HAD ABNORMAL VIBRATIONS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE...FOUND THAT THE CALIPERS/BUSHINGS WERE TOO LONG SHAVED OFF 1/4 INCH AND IT CURED THE PROBLEM ...THEY WERE DRAGGING CONSTANTLY AS A RESULT...HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE THIS WAS DONE. LIGHTING: HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WHILE NIGHT DRIVING...WHEN PUTTING ON THE HIGH BEAMS I HAVE LOST ALL LIGHTING INSIDE AND OUT...ONCE U SWITCH BACK PROBLEM IS CURED THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND IT IS SHOCKING WHEN U CAN'T SEE..…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 711148 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8016733 · 2002-08-20 (August 20, 2002)
WHILE GOING UP A HILL IN TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED. THERE WAS NO WARNING. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED BATTERY/ALTERNATOR AND THE TIMING BELT. *AK THE LIGHT HAD COME ON FOR COOLANT, BUT THE THERMOMETER NEVER GAVE WARNING, THE MECHANIC BLED THE LINES TO THE COOLANT AND THE LIGHT STILL REMAINED ON. CONSUMER FELT THAT SOMETHING WAS ELECTRICALLY WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND WANTED CHEVY TO OFFER A BUY BACK IN WHICH THEY REFUSED. *SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8016733 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10070594 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, INCLUDING THE HEATING AND ELECTICAL SYSTEMS(ALTERNATOR, RADIO, ETC.)AND THE TRANSMISSION. THE MAIN ONE AT THIS POINT IS THE PEELING PAINT. THE CAR IS A VERY NICE MEDIUM BLUE, BUT IT LOOKS TERRIBLE DUE TO THE SPOTS OF GRAY WHERE THE PAINT JUST BUBBLED UP AND FLAKED OFF, VERY MUCH LIKE IT GOT A SUNBURN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER IN OCTOBER 2000 FOR SOME WORK ON THE ALIGNMENT AND ASKED TO HAVE RESEARCHED WHETHER THERE WAS A POLICY ON FIXING THE PAINT, WHICH HAD ALREADY BEGUN PEELING OFF. HE TOLD M…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10070594 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 987189 · 1996-07-23 (July 23, 1996)
AUTO TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER FLOOR COLUMN FAILS W/BUTTON NOT LOCKING. SHIFT LEVER BUMPED, ROLLING VEHICLE IN REVERSE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 987189 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 730346 · 2000-09-05 (September 5, 2000)
THE DATES I HAVE GIVEN ARE NOT EXACT - THEY WERE A ESTIMATION. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT, AND THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM HAS GIVEN ME QUIT A BIT OF FLACK ABOUT FIXING THE PROBLEMS. EVEN WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY I STILL TO THIS DAY CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. AT THIS TIME THE POWER STEERING IS GOING OUT, THERE IS A BAFFLING LOSE IN THE CATYLITIC CONVERTER - THAT CONSTANTLY CLANKS WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, THE CARS PAINT IS PEELING AND CHIPPING. WHEN I HAD THIS CHECKED OUT BY S…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 730346 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 888077 · 2001-05-11 (May 11, 2001)
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WILL MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND STEERING RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED WHICH WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES MANUFACTURER HAS HAD A LONG TIME PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF FAILURE BUT THEY ARE NOT WILIING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 888077 at NHTSA ↗