Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1983 Chevette.
The 1983 Chevrolet Chevette takes 4 quarts of oil with recommended viscosities spanning 20W-20, 20W-40, and 20W-50, reflecting the era's lubrication flexibility. Reliability data shows just two total owner complaints, with interior lighting emerging as the top concern, and a single recall on record — a notably quiet footprint that suggests this model year sits on the more dependable end of the Chevette's production run.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 161.8 in |
| Overall width | 61.8 in |
| Overall height | 52.8 in |
| Wheelbase | 94.1 in |
| Curb weight | 2086 lb |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Chevette of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Diesel 5-door Hatchback 1.8L Diesel I-4 | 21.13 sec | 21.48 sec | 51 hp | RWD |
| 1977 | 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-4 | 15.00 sec | 19.80 sec | 52 hp | RWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 4 qt of 20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Differential Gear Oil | 80W-90 · GL-5 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 1.7 qt |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 20W-20 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4 qt |
| Engine Oil | API · 15W-30 · 10W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 6 qt |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1983 Chevrolet Chevette dominate in one area — the interior lighting, 2 of 2 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the interior lighting, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the interior lighting pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 2 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER BUTTON MECHANISM MAY WEAR TO THE POINT THAT THE BUTTON ON THE SHIFT LEVER NO LONGER NEEDS TO BE DEPRESSED TO SHIFT GEARS. Remedy: A NEWLY DESIGNED TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER WILL BE INSTALLED ON ALL VEHICLES.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
4 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, 20W-40, 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.