2001 Chevrolet Corvette Fuel system Problems

Chevy / GM recalled over 100,000 Corvettes built between 1997 and 2004 for a steering column lock issue, that renders the car un drivable. The fuel supply cuts off at 2 miles per hour. Many of the dealers did a faulty job fixing the problem, causing it to recur. My 2001 Corvette (with less than 17,000 miles) repeatedly experiences this problem. GM says they will not warrant this known defective design, due to the recall expiring. According to an internet search on “Corvette Steering Column Lock”, there no telling how many unhappy Corvette owners this has created. Need your help getting this $50,000 car back on the road.

NHTSA ID

11451962

Incident

Feb 14, 2004

We purchased the car on 12/17/21. I went to Costco on 12/18/21 to get gas. I had a preset amount of $50 to put into the car. When I got to $50 I shut the pump off myself, the tank was not full enough for it to shut off automatically. As I look down on the ground I saw a fluid running out from underneath the car and rolling along the ground. I touched it with my finger and discovered it was gasoline. I put the nozzle back into the holder and I checked underneath the car and saw it was dripping from the drivers side in the area just behind the drivers door. I pulled the car over to the side to inspect it further. By now the gas had stopped dripping. Since the exhaust pipe is right next to the fuel tank I was afraid of a fire or explosion. Had some fuel vapors but they dissipated shortly after. My gas gauge was registering full at this time. Since then I have not had any gasoline leaks and or vapors present. I have not put any more gas in the car since then. (I contacted the previous owner and he said in an email response, if you overfill there is a vent hole that gas will leak out of at the top of the filler neck. It happened once when I put like 20 gallons in it.) I did some research and found that there is a problem with the Corvette gas tanks and or the crossover tube. I think this is a dangerous situation, thinking that if that gas ignited, the car and my passenger could have caught fire and possibly ignited the Costco gas station with an explosion. (This car will be going into the repair shop in January to have a diagnostic smoke test done to determine where the leak and or leaks are coming from.) I hope the NHTSA recognizes this as a very dangerous situation. All of this will be coming out of my own pocket for the repairs necessary to make this car safe to drive and not be dangerous to myself and family. I consider this a very serious dangerous situation.

NHTSA ID

11445659

Incident

Dec 18, 2021

I HAVE OWNED THIS 2001 CORVETTE SINCE IT WAS NEW IT HAS LESS THAN 7000 MILES ON IT.ON FRIDAY MAY 8TH 2020 I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER CENTURY CHEVROLET IN BROOMFIELD COLORADO.THE SERVICE COLUMN LOCK IS ON AT THE DASH AND I CANNOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IF YOU TRY TO DRIVE IT THE VEHICLE WILL STALL.I HAD RECALL 04006 PERFORMED ON THE CAR ON 10/25/2004 WITH 1912 MILES ON IT AND THIS WAS A REPROGRAMMING OF THE PCM.I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THERE HAS BEEN 2-3 UPDATES FOR THIS CONDITION AND THERE IS A RECALL 04006C AND SPECIAL POLICY #05081 FOR A NEW WIRING HARNESS TO BE INSTALLED TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION.I WAS NEVER CONTACTED BY GM ABOUT THIS AND FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A DEFECT THEY KNOW ABOUT! THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED OUT OF MY GARAGE /DRIVEWAY WE HAD TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE GARAGE ONTO A TOW TRUCK AND IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING TO HERE WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO. I DON'T THINK THEY ARE GOING TO OFFER ANY HELP NOR DID THEY WANT TO PICKUP THE TOW CHARGES AND ADD IT TO THE BILL. REGARDLESS I HAVE TO FIX THE VEHICLE AS IT DOES ME NO GOOD THE WAY IT IS.WITH THIS SAID THE ORIGINAL FIX OF THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE VEHICLE AND THE NOW KNOWN FIX SHOULD BE DONE AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER/CUSTOMER.THIS VEHICLE IS IN MINT CONDITION AND HAS NOT BEEN MODIFIED IN ANY WAY AND TAKEN CARE OF LIKE NEW SINCE OWNED. I AM REACHING OUT TO YOU BECAUSE THE RIGHT THING NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND GM SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THERE ACTIONS AND KNOWINGLY THAT THERE IS A DEFECT. I AM LUCKY I WAS NOT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AS I WAS PLANNING ON DRIVING THE MORNING THIS HAPPENED AS I COULD OF KILLED MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE.

NHTSA ID

11324054

Incident

May 8, 2020

Mileage

6,996 mi

WHEN I FILL UP MY GAS TANK THERE ARE STRONG GAS FUMES IN THE GARAGE. THE FUMES ARE NOT THERE WHEN THE TANK IS 3/4 FULL OR LESS. THIS IS A CONTINUING ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11204537

Incident

Oct 17, 2014

Mileage

35,000 mi

WHEN YOU FILL UP THE FUEL TANKS YOU GET A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GAS IN THE CAR AS WELL AS IN THE GARAGE. GENERAL MOTORS KNOWS ABOUT THIS COMPLAINT AND WILL HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS. IN FACT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST GM FOR YEAR CORVETTE 2004. IT WILL COST ABOUT $ 2,000.00 TO $ 2,500.00 TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. A LOT OF TIMES THE RIGHT TANK IS CRACKED OR THE CROSSOVER TUBE IS CRACKED . I HAVE CALLED GM AND ASKED FOR HELP AND THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS AS A WARRANTY ISSUE. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE . BY THE WAY ALL THE GM DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. CAN YOU HELP ME OUT ? YOU SMELL THE FUEL WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED.

NHTSA ID

11195338

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

59,000 mi

AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK. PARKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE AND NOTICED A FUEL LEAK ON PASSENGER SIDE UNDERNEATH FUEL TANK.

NHTSA ID

11079922

Incident

Mar 10, 2018

Mileage

93,000 mi

GASOLINE SMELL WHEN YOU FILL THE TANK. IT IS MOST PREVALENT AT REAR PASSAGE SIDE OF THE CAR. WHEN PARKED IN GARAGE THE GAS SMELL FILLS THE GARAGE.

NHTSA ID

10953687

Incident

Oct 3, 2016

GAS FUMES AFTER FILLING. FILLS THE GARAGE OVER NIGHT. HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

10864871

Incident

May 14, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

IN 2005 MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN ALEXANDRIA VA. THEY UNLOCKED THE STEERING COLUMN BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE NECESSARY PARTS. NOW THE COMPUTER READS THAT THE STEERING COLUMN IS GOING TO LOCK AND THE FUEL PUMP SHUTS OFF. WHEN THE CAR WAS INSPECTED BY WYNNGARDNER CHEVROLET THEY INFORMED ME THEN WARRANTY HAD BEEN SATISFIED. IF THE DEFECTED PARTS WERE REPLACED THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THEN SAID PARTS WERE REPLACED INITIALLY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND SAID PARTS ARE NOT THERE. THE DEALERSHIP USED THE VIN NUMBER IN 2005, NOW WHEN THE VIN NUMBER IS USED, IT SHOWS THAT THE RECALL WAS SATISFIED. THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

NHTSA ID

10862112

Incident

Mar 23, 2016

UPON FILLING MY FUEL TANK FULL OF GASOLINE, I PARKED THE CAR IN MY GARAGE AND NOTICED A VERY PREDOMINATE FUEL VAPRO SMELL THAT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE. THERE NEVER HAS BEEN ANY EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE OR POOLING ON THE FLORR BELOW THE CAR. WHEN I INADVERTENTLY FILL THE FUEL TANK FULL, I HAVE TO TAKE A DRIVE AND PUT ABOUT 30MILES ON THE CAR THEN THE FUEL VAPOR ODOR PROBLEM IS SOLVED FROM READING THE INTERNET BLOGS, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THE SYMPTOMS FOR MY CAR

NHTSA ID

10730364

Incident

Jan 1, 2014

Mileage

48,000 mi

HAD 1/2 TANK OF GAS, GAUGE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO ZERO, ENGINE CUT OUT. ABS TRACTION CONTROL WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO OR DOESN'T. *TR

NHTSA ID

10684025

Incident

Feb 4, 2015

Mileage

600,000 mi

THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. UPON DRIVING THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED PREVENTING THE CAR FROM BEING CONTROLLED AT SPEED. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE AND INVESTIGATING THE MATTER WITH CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE I FOUND THAT THIS STEERING LOCK ANTITHEFT DEVICE WAS FOUND TO BE DANGEROUS AS I DESCRIBED. THE NHTSA FORCED GM TO RECALL VEHICLES, MINE IN 2003, RECALL NUMBER 4006. SUBSEQUENTLY GM CONCLUDED THAT THIS RECALL WAS NOT EFFECTIVE AND ISSUED TWO MORE RECALLS HOWEVER CUSTOMERS WERE NEVER NOTIFIED BY MAIL. RECALL NUMBER 4006C ISSUED IN FEB 08 2006 SUPERSEDES ALL PREVIOUS RECALLS INSTRUCTING DEALERS AND SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO REMOVE THE LOCKING MECHANISM. HOWEVER GM FAILS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSURE THAT THIS LATTER RECALL IS PROVIDED TO MY VEHICLE. AFTER NUMEROUS CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE 866 790 5700 THEY WILL NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIR OF MY VEHICLE. AFTER $1700 OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES MY CAR IS STILL IN A SITUATION THAT THE STEERING COLUMN CAN LOCK WHILE BEING DRIVEN AND GM FAILS TO RESPOND. I HAVE BEEN BOUNCED AROUND TO 8 TO 9 REPRESENTATIVES IN CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM PERU , TEXAS AND DETROIT ALL WITH NO ACTION. ALL OWNERS OF 1999 TO 2004 CORVETTES WHOSE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM IS STILL IN OPERATION, MEANING THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE CAR MAY LOCK WHEN DRIVING AND CRASH. THIS IS FROM GM'S OWN SERVICE RECALL NUMBER 4006C. THESE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523114

Incident

May 25, 2013

Mileage

92,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL TANK WOULD LEAK AND EXHIBITED GASOLINE FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT FAILURE WHERE THE DEALER SEALED THE FUEL TANK TO STOP THE LEAK BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AND PUMP SEAL REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 55,000.

NHTSA ID

10448899

Incident

Jan 4, 2011

Mileage

55,000 mi

GAS TANKS LEAKING FROM THE TOP

NHTSA ID

10404651

Incident

Apr 15, 2011

Mileage

87,000 mi

TOPPED OFF GAS TANK AND DETECTED STRONG GASOLINE ODOR WITHIN VEHICLE. PARKED CAR IN GARAGE AND STRONG GASOLINE ODOR EMANATING FROM REAR HALF OF VEHICLE. UNABLE TO DETECT ANY GASOLINE LEAKS FROM VEHICLE ON THE FLOOR OR VISIBLE PARTS OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. OPENED GARAGE DOORS TO VENT OUT THE FUMES. FUMES DISSIPATED AFTER SEVERAL HOURS. I NO LONGER TOP OFF THE TANK IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID A POTENTIALLY VOLATILE SITUATION. ORIGINAL OWNER REPORTED FUEL TANK RELATED PROBLEMS AROUND 15,000 MILES BUT REFUSED TO FILL UP THE TANK DURING SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

10404767

Incident

Nov 11, 2010

Mileage

36,184 mi

FUEL TANK LEAK RIGHT SIDE TOP OF TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10396601

Incident

Apr 14, 2011

Mileage

60,000 mi

DEFECTIVE/CRACKED RIGHT FUEL TANK (WHERE FUEL PUMP CONNECTED TO FUEL TANK). STRONG FUEL SMELL NOTICED THIS PAST SUMMER, WHILE PARKED IN HOME GARAGE - SMELL WOULD ONLY BE NOTICEABLE AFTER TANK WAS FILLED. TANK REPLACED BY CARR CRAFT, INC., OF PORTAGE, MI., WITH 'ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT' TANK FROM CHEVROLET. CAR OWNER CALLED CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE AND DELIVERED TANK TO KRUM/COLE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN VICKSBURG, MI FOR INSPECTION AND CONFIRMATION OF CRACK (AT REQUEST OF CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE). CHEVROLET SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED THAT IT WAS DUE TO "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR", RATHER THAN A MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND WOULD NOT CONSIDER COMPENSATION FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TANK. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT AND IS OWNED BY ORIGINAL PURCHASER.

NHTSA ID

10396168

Incident

Nov 15, 2010

FUEL LEAK AT THE FUEL TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10393024

Incident

Mar 16, 2011

Mileage

64,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 CORVETTE THAT HAS LEAKED GAS FROM AROUND THE GAS TANK AREA AT THE REAR OF THE CAR. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE THAT OTHER CORVETTES OF THAT ERA ALSO HAVE FAULTY FUEL COMPONENTS THAT LEAK. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE? *TR

NHTSA ID

10363001

Incident

Oct 28, 2010

Mileage

32,296 mi

2001 CORVETTE GAS TANK ODOR. I READ THAT YOU HAVE OPENED A CASE ON THE 2004 CORVETTES. MY 2001 IS IDENTICAL TO THE 2004 MODEL AND HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IF THE GAS TANK IS FILLED FULL, A VERY BAD GASOLINE ODOR IS PRESENT. THE ODOR GOES AWAY AS THE GAS TANK EMPTIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330913

Incident

May 17, 2010

THE FUEL TANK LEAKS WHEN FILLED TO THE NORMAL CUTOFF POINT WHEN FILLING. THERE WAS NO EVENT LEADING TO THE FAILURE, IT OCCURS WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FILLED. THE FUEL TANK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE DEFECTIVE FUEL TANKS. GM/CHEVY DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THE DEFECTIVE TANKS AND THE COSTS ARE BORN BY THE OWNER. GM DID NOT RESPOND TO THE ISSUE WHILE IT WAS UNDER EITHER THE VEHICLE'S EXTENDED GMPP WARRANTY NOR THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY, BOTH NOW JUST EXPIRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10311069

Incident

Nov 30, 2009

Mileage

47,000 mi

IMMEDIATELY AFTER GAS FILL-UPS, CAR AND GARAGE SMELLS OF GASOLINE. CONTINUES TO SMELL UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES ARE REGISTERED ON VEHICLE. HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE OF PRE-OWNED 2001 VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007 FROM GM DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10295875

Incident

Sep 24, 2007

Mileage

46,500 mi

LEAKY GAS TANK OR CROSS OVER. WHEN TANK IS FILLED GAS LEAKS AND FUMES CAN BE SMELLED FOR DAYS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294488

Incident

Dec 2, 2009

Mileage

24,500 mi

2001 CORVETTE. 2 YEARS AGO (1)ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ALWAYS ON (2)TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ON (3)ABS WARNING LIGHTS ON (4)LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT GOES ON IF UNDER 1/2 TANK AND GAUGE DROPS TO ZERO FUEL (5)DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT WILL NOT OPEN UP (6)LIGHTS DO NOT WORK ON HEATING ,A/C DIRECTIONAL FLOW THESE COMPLAINTS FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON BLOG SITES FROM HUNDREDS OF OTHER CORVETTE OWNERS ARE VERY COMMONPLACE PROBLEM LIES IN THE FACT THAT WHEN MY WARNING LIGHTS ARE LIT UP I HAVE NO ANTILOCK BRAKES WORKING ON MY CAR NOR DO I HAVE TRACTION CONTROL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. SOME TIME THE LIGHTS WORK SOMETIMES THEY GO OFF WELL I AM IN MOTION. THIS CAN CAUSE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF I AM JUST HITTING THROTTLE AND THIS OCCURS CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND RISKING A COLLISION. THESE ARE POWERFUL CARS EVEN WHEN DRIVEN IN A SAFE MANNER. I OWN AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH THROTTLE FOR THE ENGINE TO GEAR DOWN AND ACCELERATE. I STOP AT GEN. MOTORS DEALER FREQUENTLY HOPING FOR A CAMPAIGN. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE SAME STORY ALWAYS IS THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE COMPUTER BOARD AND THAT I AM LOOKING AT APPROX $4000.00 DOLLARS TO REPAIR. READING BLOG SITE IT IS THE SAME. SOME WOULD SAY THAT IF ONE CAN AFFORD A CORVETTE THEN THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. I SAY IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. AM ONLY AN EMPLOYEE AT A DAYCARE AND SAVED FOR YEARS TO PURCHASE THIS CAR. THE OTHER COMMON COMPLAINT IS THE FUEL GAUGE BUT UNDERSTAND THAT WITH COMPUTER BOARD REPLACED THIS WILL ELIMINATE PROBLEM. POP UP HEADLIGHT COST TO REPAIR $300.00. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240953

Incident

Sep 10, 2006

Mileage

45,000 mi

2001 CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE, WITH LESS THAN 66K MILES -- DEFECT/CRACK IN GASOLINE TANK -- RESULTING IN STRONG SMELL OF FUEL AND VISIBLE LEAKING FROM UNDER REAR OF VEHICLE -- IN FRONT OF LEFT REAR WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR PROBLEM ON AUGUST 21 2006 FOR REPAIR. CUSTOMER WAS TOLD BY BOTH DEALERSHIP AND GM THAT NO 2001 GASOLINE TANK AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE REPAIR. GM AND DEALERSHIP INFORMED CUSTOMER THAT 2001 GASOLINE TANK MANUFACTURERS WERE SWITCHED -- BUT NO GAS TANKS HAVE PASSED INSPECTION, AS YET, TO ALLOW FOR CUSTOMER REPAIR. IT HAS NOW BEEN 4.5 MONTHS THAT MY 2001 CORVETTE IS STILL SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP -- AWAITING A SAFE GASOLINE TANK TO BE INSTALLED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10178242

Incident

Aug 21, 2006

Mileage

64,573 mi