1990 Chevrolet Beretta

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

75/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about the 1990 Chevrolet Beretta, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Electrical system	11	22%
Seat belts	7	14%
Engine and engine cooling	5	10%
Service brakes	5	10%
Vehicle speed control	4	8%
Unknown or other	3	6%
Steering	3	6%
Wheels	2	4%
Structure	2	4%
Exterior lighting	2	4%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

ELECTRONIC EGR VALVE IS SPRING-LOADED CLOSED. EXHAUST PRESSURE OVERCOMES SPRING PRESSURE, CAUSING UNDERHOOD EXHAUST LEAK. NOTICED PROBLEM BY SMELLING EXHAUST INSIDE CAR. SNAPPED THROTTLE OPEN AND SAW PUFF OF EXHAUST G
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

BRAKE LINE PUNCTURED, RESULTING IN AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

CLIP ON SEAT BELT BROKE OFF,SEAT BELT VERY EASILY RELEASED UNINTENTIONALLY FROM CLASP. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts

BRAKING SYSTEM IN THE FRONT AND REAR/ HUB ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED CONTINUOUSLY. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES. DEFECT KEPT OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S WHEEL FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE, DUE TO POSSIBLE LUG NUT FAILURE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS
NHTSA complaint: Wheels

SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE HAS COME APART. ALSO, EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE BUTTON TO ACTIVATE HAS COME APART. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Parking brake

THE STEERING BRACKET AND BOLTS ATTACHED TO THE FIREWALL SHEARED OFF WHICH CAUSED STEERING DIFFICULTIES AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Steering

STEERING COLUMN COUPLING BROKE, CAUSING STEERING COLUMN TO FALL OFF. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Steering

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1990 Chevrolet Beretta. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Seat belts:rear/other 90V065000

OWNER'S MANUALS WERE PRINTED WITH REAR CENTER SEAT BELT INFORMATION OMITTED.

Risk: THIS WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 209.

Fix: INSERT MISSING INFORMATION INTO OWNERS MANUAL.

Seat belts 91V206000

THE FRONT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTORS MAY HAVE REDUCED SENSITIVITY OF THE LOCK-UP FEATURE AND WOULD NOT FUNCTION IN A SUDDEN DECELERATION OR CRASH.

Risk: 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.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	91	excellent
Longevity est.	83	excellent
Maintenance	89	excellent
Depreciation	57	average
Performance	47	below average
Efficiency	45	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 68% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 82% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 82% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 31% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 91: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 83: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1990 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 89: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1990 Chevrolet Beretta?

Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 11 of them (22%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1990 Chevrolet Beretta reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 91/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1990 Chevrolet Beretta last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 83/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1990 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1990 Chevrolet Beretta?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 75/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.