1991 Chevrolet Caprice problems & reliability
131 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 Chevrolet Caprice. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
12 complaints report injuries (14 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1991 Chevrolet Caprice vehicles were involved in 5 fatal crashes with 4 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 31 | 24% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 16 | 12% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 9% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 12 | 9% |
| Seat Belts | 12 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 8 | 6% |
| Steering | 6 | 5% |
| Visibility | 6 | 5% |
| Seats | 5 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Cpsc: this is a problem with all horn buttons on the 91-93 chevy caprice, horn buttons are defective and don't work! *bf updated 10/16/2017*js”
Unknown OR Other · filed Oct 12, 2017
“I am tired of passing vehicles on a two lane blacktop in the rain that have headlights badly positioned or too bright. Are you not suppose to test new vehicles for compliance. All this new stuff only helps that vehicles driver and blinds the rest of us. Also you should make these vehicles with truck size tires that…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Dec 28, 2013
“1991 chevrolet caprice vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment. *bf the consumer stated he had just purchased the vehicle and was driving it home. He further stated the vehicle had overheated and he stopped to let it cool down prior to the fire. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0151-90) *jb updated 05/13/10 *bf”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Apr 13, 2010
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- LWR BALL JOINT ASSEM.FAILS
Preliminary Evaluation PE93098 · opened Nov 30, 1993 · closed Mar 30, 1994
- R SEAT BELT WEBBING LENGTH
Preliminary Evaluation PE92079 · opened Sep 9, 1992 · closed Jan 19, 1993
- STEEL WHEEL FAILURES
Preliminary Evaluation PE92051 · opened Jun 4, 1992 · closed Jul 2, 1992 · led to recall 92V089000
- FUEL TANK LEAKAGE
Preliminary Evaluation PE92033 · opened Mar 26, 1992 · closed Jul 31, 1992
Technical service bulletins
3 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 Chevrolet Caprice.
Diagnosis of cracked or broken transmission case. *tt 2006 and prior cars and light duty trucks. *tt
020730024A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2005
UNKNOWN
438206A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 1995
Wiper chatter during cold weather. *tw
438206 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1994
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1991 Chevrolet Caprice in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1991 Chevrolet Caprice?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.