2003 Chevrolet Corvette

IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.

The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while reversing from the driveway, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V060000 (Steering). The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who replaced the relay and wiring harness kit. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 5,111.

NHTSA ID

11751111

Incident

Apr 7, 2026

Mileage

5,111 mi

Vehicle was part of mandatory recall for problems with steering column lock. The same identified and inherent problem happened so that the steering column lock is engaged and will not disengage. GM was contacted and refuses support and stated that I would have to take care of the problem and I would have to pay for the cost of the repair. Chevrolet created the problem, is well aware of the inherent problem and yet Chevrolet and it's local dealer will profit from the forcing the customer to pay and for customers safety. The steering column can lock up while the vehicle is moving which puts the operator and others including vehicles, pedestrians and structures in harms way.

NHTSA ID

11673703

Incident

Jul 1, 2025

Gm refuse to repurchase below is a overview. they are refusing engineering assitance to the dealership to fix the problem. Next week the car will be there a month again. This is the 7th time on this repair which was a recall by your org. The last repair last 153 days. This problem make the car unsafe to drive the dealer also agrees it is unsafe to drive. My car is back at the dealership for the same recall situation. The corvette has been rendered undrivable due to the number of recall repairs that have failed. They are again waiting for a GM engineer. A new case has been opened at the CEO’s office. It was submitted last year for repurchase they not to. The dealership says they should I agree. Gm decline yesterday to repurchase the car. The dealer ship feels it is unsafe to drive Saul Saldano who run the repair shop at Mission Bay chevy. Owned by his family Saldana auto group. When I emailed the CEO and she referred it to their exec team you can who I worked with to get an engineer on site at the dealership last year. I will describe more in my overview below. Overview: I purchased the car in 2013 black on black corvette convertible 6 speed on the floor fully loaded. The car worked perfectly until August 2011 that work order is attached. The dealer performed a recall repair on the steering harness and column lock. They left the lock nut for the steering column off it was found later under the driver’s side seat. The steering came off in my wife’s hands while driving on 4hth st downtown San Diego. The car sustained damage lucky no one was hurt this occurred in 12/01/2011 that work order is attached. The harness failed several times afterwards however I only have records back to 2014. The dealership purged records before 2014. Since 2014 the car has consistently had to return to the dealership to have another lock and harness installed. I can send those work orders on another email. What happens when the steering lock engages is you cannot drive the car. It kill

NHTSA ID

11491331

Incident

Dec 15, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY CEASED AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LATER UNLOCKED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER HALL CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 3412 WESTERN BRANCH BLVD, CHESAPEAKE, VA 23321, WHO DIAGNOSED THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK PLATE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE LOCK PLATE WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING) HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

NHTSA ID

11349884

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

Mileage

56,000 mi

A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN AREA AND IN THE TRUNK AFTER FILLING THE CORVETTE WITH GASOLINE. THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE WAS AT IT'S STRONGEST SCENT WHEN THE DECK LID WAS OPEN. I STOOD ON THE REAR RIGHT OF THE CORVETTE WITH MY HEAD BARELY INSIDE THE TRUNK. SO BASICALLY REAR RIGHT SECTOR OF THE CORVETTE, JUST PASSED THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL WELL. THE CORVETTE WAS PARKED ON A LEVEL CONCRETE PAD AT THE GAS STATION. I DID NOT OVERFILL. PUMP NOZZLE STOPPED. APPROXIMATELY 14.6 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS PUMPED INTO THE CORVETTE.

NHTSA ID

11270918

Incident

Oct 24, 2019

MY CAR HAS 45,000 MILES. THERE IS A FUEL SMELL COMING FROM THE CAR. I ALWAYS FILL THE TANK FULL WHEN I PLAN ON NOT DRIVING IT FOR A WHILE. IF I LEAVE IT PARKED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND DON'T DRIVE IT, THE FUEL TANK WILL BE EMPTY WHEN I START IT UP. THE FUEL SMELL APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. I WILL ONLY PARK THE VEHICLE IN OPEN AREAS AND WON'T PARK IT IN A GARAGE DUE TO FEAR OF BUILD UP OF GAS FUMES.

NHTSA ID

11253274

Incident

Sep 3, 2019

Mileage

45,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING CEASED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN AND REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING) BY AN UNKNOWN DEALER. AFTER THE RECENT FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FIVE STAR CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (495 WATSON BLVD, WARNER ROBINS, GA 31093, 478-273-8277) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER RECALL. THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT SHE WOULD BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIRS REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER AND HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

NHTSA ID

11246026

Incident

Jul 15, 2019

Mileage

115,000 mi

THE CAR HAS DEVELOPED A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILS TO UNLOCK THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. A MESSAGE APPEARS IN THE DIC DISPLAY TELLING YOU TO PULL THE KEY AND WAIT 10 SECONDS. IT SHUTS OFF THE FUEL SUPPLY IF YOU ATTEMPT TO DRIVE IT. CHEVROLET ACKNOWLEDGED THIS CONDITION EXISTED IN 2006 VIA A LETTER. THE CAR ONLY HAD A LITTLE OVER 5K MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND NOW HAS ONLY 43K ON THE ODOMETER. PER MY PHONE CALL WITH THEM TODAY THEY FEEL THEY ARE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I HAD BACKED INTO THE ROAD AND THE CAR DIED LEAVING ME IN DIRE JEAPORDY. CAN ANYTHING BE DONE TO MAKE THEM HONOR THIS DEFECT IN THIS VERY EXPENSIVE AUTOMOBILE? NOTE....THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2018 INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID

11182604

Incident

Jan 29, 2019

Mileage

42,000 mi

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.