1999 Chevrolet Corvette Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V060000 (Steering) in 2019. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the message "Service - Steering Column Lock" was displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who informed the contact that he needed to pay for a diagnostic test to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would follow up with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 37,300.

NHTSA ID

11574197

Incident

Feb 23, 2024

Mileage

37,300 mi

Something is wrong where it will stall out when you start driving. Soon as I put the car in gear and start rolling forward it dies. And I’ve looked online and it’s quite common.

NHTSA ID

11541907

Incident

Jul 12, 2023

Almost every C5 (1997-2004) Corvette is affected by a faulty electronic brake control module. When this module fails, the car illuminates the ABS and traction control light. And displays service abs and service traction control messages. This is a serious safety issue as when this happens, the abs brakes no longer work nor does the traction control. It blows my mind how this has never been recalled especially on a rear drive sports car.

NHTSA ID

11460530

Incident

Apr 12, 2022

Still having a problem with the steering column locking on my 1999 Corvette after the first recall was performed. Chevrolet issued a second recall but I never received a notification. the dealer indicated both recalls were closed and I had to pay $600+ to fix the problem. I contacted GM Customer Care for assistance but pretty much got the same feedback that the recall was closed and that there was no financial assistance they would provide, 100% of the cost would be my responsibility. I don't understand how a safety recall can be closed until it is repaired? I'm not sure why consumers have to pay for a design issue that has the potential of causing an accident due to the potential of the steering column locking up while driving! I had no choice but to direct the dealer to perform the repairs so I can drive the car with confidents it won't lockup in the future. Not expecting anything to happen as it seems these types of reported issues fall in favor of businesses and no longer the consumers. Just wanted to post this complaint out of frustration!

NHTSA ID

11434762

Incident

Sep 14, 2021

Steering column lock warning light on vehicle which was recalled in 2004 and GM says my vehicle was not involved with recall and will not repair vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11427162

Incident

Jul 22, 2021

MY CORVETTE AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS FROM 97-04 SUFFER FROM THE ACTIVE HANDLING ABS/TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM GOING BAD. THE PART IS KNOWN AS THE EBCM. WHEN IT GOES BAD (IF CRUISE IS ENGAGED) THE CAR WILL DISABLE CRUISE CONTROL SUDDENLY CAUSING CAR TO SLOW DOWN. ALSO, WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILS WHILE MOVING IT CAUSE CAUSE UNEVEN BRAKE FEELING AND YOU LOOSE THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS . GM HAS DISCONTINUED THE PARTS REQUIRED TO REPAIR THIS AND THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN MAJOR SAFETY CONCERNS FOR MANY YEARS NOW AFFECTING MANY 97-04 CORVETTES. ALSO A PART OF THIS SYSTEM IS THE STEELING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR WHICH IS ALSO DISCONTINUED. SWPS CAN SEND WRONG INFO TO THE OTHER COMPUTERS AND THE CAR WILL MAKE ERRONEOUS 'CORRECTIONS' THAT CAN LEAD TO BRAKES BEING APPLIED AT ANY MOMENT WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11416521

Incident

May 13, 2021

Mileage

51,000 mi

AFTER PARKING AND TRYING TO RESTART THE ENGINE THE MESSAGE "STEERING COLUMN MAINTAINANCE NEEDED" THE ENGINE STARTED BUT WHEN I PUT IT IN GEAR THE ENGINE STOPPED. AFTER TRYING TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND AGAIN THE SAME RESULT. I CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUEL AND FOUND NO SUCH ITEM. AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES THE CAT DID START AND I GOT HOME.

NHTSA ID

11342425

Incident

Jul 29, 2020

Mileage

43,000 mi

FUEL LEAK FROM THE PASSENGER FUEL TANK. THIS IS CREATING A FUEL VAPOR SMELL INSIDE THE CAR AND THE GARAGE WHERE PARKED. THIS IS A FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD!

NHTSA ID

11287766

Incident

Feb 4, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

GAS LEAKING ON TOP OF EXHAUST ON DRIVERS SIDE OF VEHICLE. NOTICED DRIP ON FLOOR OF GARAGE WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT. PARKED CAR FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. HAVE NOT DRIVEN SINCE.

NHTSA ID

11218960

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

THE CAR WAS IN THE CHEVROLET DEALERS FOR REAR BRAKE LIGHTS THE WERE NOT WORKING. THEY CALLED AND SAID THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCKED AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED ORIGINALLY THE COST WAS $230 NOW IT'S OVER $1100

NHTSA ID

11156068

Incident

Dec 4, 2018

Mileage

113,000 mi

I AM THE THIRD OWNER OF THIS CAR AND IT HAS 24,500 ORIGINAL MILES. AT 19,000 (4/19/2004) THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK RECALL WAS PERFORMED. THEN IN 2006 IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT EVEN THOSE INITIAL RECALL REPAIRS WERE FAILING AND IT WAS SUGGESTED TO HAVE THE LOCKING PIN REMOVED ALTOGETHER WHICH NEVER WAS DONE TO MY CAR. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS A LOCKED PIN AND THE DEALER SAYS THEY WILL NOT DO THE REPAIR OR REMOVE THE PIN FOR FREE UNLESS I FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTA.

NHTSA ID

11139068

Incident

Oct 4, 2018

Mileage

24,500 mi

MY STEERING COLUMN FAILED IN "LOCKED" POSITION. CAR CAN NOT BE DRIVEN. I CALLED CHEVY GLOBAL AND TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED IN RECALL NUMBER 04006C. I CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FIXED IN 2004, TWO YEARS BEFORE THE 2006 RECALL. I ASKED HOW COULD THE COLUMN LOCK IF THE ORIGINAL LOCK PLATE WAS REMOVED? NO ONE CAN ANSWER THAT. THEY PROCEEDED TO REMOVE THE LOCK PLATE AND CHARGE ME $300. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION OF THIS RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN BACK IN 2006.

NHTSA ID

11114633

Incident

Jul 23, 2018

Mileage

88,000 mi

WHILE TURNING A CORNER AT A NORMAL RATE OF SPEED, ACTIVE HANDLING TURNED ON AND TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE VEHICLE, PUTTING ME ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH THE CAR IN THE OPPOSITE LANE. IT WOULD HAVE FORCED CROSSING OVER THE LANE HAD I NOT REACTED QUICKLY. REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED AS FAILED STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR; A PART GM CHOSE TO DISCONTINUE YEARS AGO EVEN THOUGH IT IS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11114292

Incident

Jul 10, 2017

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (APPLE CHEVROLET, 8585 159TH ST, TINLEY PARK, IL 60487, 866-399-5963) AND WAS INFORMED THAT DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

NHTSA ID

11113931

Incident

May 1, 2018

Mileage

31,000 mi

SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING

NHTSA ID

11102739

Incident

Jun 15, 2018

Mileage

123,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING 1 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE COLUMN LOCK INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE "PULL KEY TEN SECONDS" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHOWING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS INDICATED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING). THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,300.

NHTSA ID

11064957

Incident

Jan 24, 2018

Mileage

30,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. AFTER THE KEY WAS PLACED IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE CRANKED. HOWEVER, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN A LOCKED POSITION AND THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. A FEW HOURS LATER, THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

NHTSA ID

11022687

Incident

Sep 4, 2017

Mileage

27,000 mi

SERVICE COLUMN LOCK DID NOT DISENGAGE WHEN CAR STARTED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OUT OF PARKING SPOT BEFORE REALIZING I COULD NOT STEER MY VEHICLE! LUCKILY I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING.

NHTSA ID

11005625

Incident

Jul 10, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. IT IS EXTENDED ALL THE WAY OUT. THEREFORE, IT WILL NOT FIT NOR WILL IT PROTECT ANYONE FROM INJURY. I FIND THIS TO BE A SEATBELT DEFECT AND A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ID

10969522

Incident

Jan 8, 2017

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE ECBM (ABS MODULE) GOES OUT ON A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THESE CARS FROM 1997 - 1999 AND YOU LOSE ABS WITH YOUR BRAKING WHICH IS DANGEROUS AND YOU ALSO LOOSE TRACTION CONTROL WHICH IS ALSO DANGEROUS. THE EARLY C5 CORVETTES HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THE ECBM GOING OUT AND NOBODY WILL FIX IT NOR ARE THERE ANY PARTS AVAILABLE. CHEVROLET SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE AS IT GREATLY AFFECTS SAFETY IN THEIR FLAGSHIP VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10924186

Incident

Nov 1, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ID

10916850

Incident

Oct 17, 2016

Mileage

36,000 mi

MY 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE HAS BEEN INTO A DEALER 8 TIMES FOR THE SAME "COLUMN LOCK" SECURITY MESSAGE WHICH SHUTS DOWN THE FUEL LINE AND IMMOBILIZES THE VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN 3 GENERAL MOTORS RECALLS AND NONE HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. THIS SHUT DOWN CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN AT ANY MOMENT IN TIME POTENTIALLY CAUSING A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR ME, MY FAMILY, OR SOMEONE ELSE. THE PROBLEM BEGINS WITH A MESSAGE "PULL KEY WAIT TEN SECONDS". AFTER THIS OCCURS A FEW TIMES THE "COLUMN LOCK" MESSAGE COMES ON AND THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN RIGHT ON THE SPOT. ALL 7 OF THE 8 VISITS HAVE RESULTED IN "BAND AID" FIXES. GM HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. IF YOU LOOK ON LINE YOU WILL SEE SOME TEMPORARY FIXES AND IDENTIFY THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. GM HAS APPARENTLY "WRITTEN OFF" THIS PROBLEM WHICH DATES BACK TO THE FIRST RECALL IN 1999. THIS ACTION CAN OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE VEHICLE WHEN YOU RELEASE THE CLUTCH. IMMEDIATELY UPON RELEASING THE CLUTCH THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF BECAUSE THE FUEL LINE IS SHUT DOWN. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FIRST STARTED AS WELL. PERSONALLY I HAVE INCURRED TWO TOWING EXPENSES. MY CURRENT CHEVROLET DEALER HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNDERSTANDING AND NOT CHARGED ME FOR "BAND AID" FIX. HOWEVER, THE LAST TIME HE INDICATED THAT THERE WILL NO MORE "GOODWILL" FIXES. MY CONCERN IS A FATAL ACCIDENT IF THE VEHICLE WAS TO STOP ON THE HIGHWAY OR WHILE MAKING A TURN OR ON A HIGHWAY. PLEASE HELP US OWNERS BY DEMANDING THAT GM FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER "IGNITION" COVER UP OVER THE YEARS. I DO NOT WANT ANYONE IN MY FAMILY OR OTHER PERSON TO DIE BECAUSE OF GMS NEGLIGENCE.

NHTSA ID

10876254

Incident

Jun 15, 2016

Mileage

32,803 mi

HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS RECALLED ON MANY OTHER GM VEHICLES INCLUDING THE C6 MODEL, BUT HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE ON MY 1999 C5, WHICH IS A LOW-MILEAGE, ALWAYS GARAGED VEHICLE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE, AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY OTHER COMPLAINTS. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE AND THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10865367

Incident

May 16, 2016

Mileage

47,950 mi

MY 1999 CORVETTE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR QUIT WORKING 2 DAYS AGO . MY WIFE WAS UNABLE TO FASTEN THE SEAT BELT AFTER SEVERAL TRIES. I REMOVED BOTH RETRACTORS TO INSPECT AND COULD FIND NO VISIBLE DAMAGE. THERE CAR IS IN SHOWROOM CONDITION. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH FOR INFO AND FOUND A RECALL CAMPAIGN : NHTSA CAMPAIGN I'D NUMBER 00V111000 APR 6 2000. I CALLED MY CHEVY DEALER [XXX] AND THEY SAID A RECALL HAD BEEN DONE IN 2000 FOR A PLASTIC PART TO STOP BELT TWISTING AND NO FURTHER RECALL WOULD BE HONORED. BUT THIS IS NOT THE PROBLEM! THE RATCHETING MECHANISM IS FAULTY. I NEED THIS FIXED ASAP FROM THE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. THIS RESULTS IN A VEHICLE I NOW CANNOT LEGALLY AND SAFELY DRIVE. PLEASE HELP. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10864927

Incident

May 12, 2016

Mileage

92,300 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" MY TRACTION CONTROL COMES ON ALL THE TIME AND I SOMETIMES HAVE A PULL ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THE CAR IS IN MOTION. STREET.THIS HAPPENS CONTINUOUSLY. THIS STARTED AROUND EARLY PART OF 2013.I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TYPE OF PHOTO YOU WANT.

NHTSA ID

10863160

Incident

May 4, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi