2020 Chevrolet Corvette Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure1027.0%
- Powertrain (other)616.2%
- Engine513.5%
- Visibility410.8%
- Electrical38.1%
- Brakes38.1%
- Suspension25.4%
- Driver assistance12.7%
- Other / unspecified12.7%
- Fuel system12.7%
- Exterior lighting12.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT HOOD/TRUMP FLEW OPEN @ 20 MPH WHEN DRIVING THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD. BENT THE LATCHES, DAMAGED THE HOOD AND QUARTER PANEL. LATCH IS FLIMSY AND LACKS BETTER LOCKING MECHANISM TO PROTECT IT FROM OPENING.
WHILE DRIVING AT 20-30 MPH, THE FRONT HOOD RELEASED AND THE HOOD OPENED TO A NEAR VERTICAL POSITION. AFTER STOPPING I CLOSED THE HOOD BUT IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT. WHEN CLOSED THE HOOD NOW IS RECESSED NEAR THE HINGES AND THERE IS SOME PAINT DAMAGE TO THE EDGES OF THE HOOD AND FENDERS. IT APPEARS THAT THE HINGES ARE DAMAGED. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY ARE TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE WITH CHEVY ENGINEERING. THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY RE-OCCURE.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
My left rear axel/rear differential/ control arm snapped with normal driving and breaking. It is available for inspection. This mechanical failure made me loose control of my vehicle on the busy freeway and threw me across a lane into the freeway center divider. Nearly caused a pile up accident and killed me.. The dealership service department checked it in today. I filed a claim today with the manufacture but nobody looked at it yet. There were no warning lamps and i believe there is still no warning lamps
The dual clutch transmission on my 2020 C8 Corvette has a diagnostic code of p1955. This was determined after the service light on the vehicle illuminated and it was taken to service at the dealership. Other codes that stored included p0868 and p0869 which indicate low hydraulic pressure and high hydraulic pressure respectively. The p1955 code is an internal fault that requires complete replacement of the transmission according to GM service bulletins. This bulletin also advises that no repair attempts are to be made except for complete replacement. The vehicle has not shown any symptoms currently. Gears shift normally, there are no vibrations, etc. However, the dealership advised the transmission can go into limp mode, fail completely, or damage other components of the power train at any point. This issue is known to GM. They have investigated the matter since 2021 or earlier. There have been no recalls on the transmission despite the safety risks of sudden loss of power, being stranded, or catastrophic destructive failure without warning. These pose risks to occupants inside the vehicle and other vehicles or people on the road. My repeated questioning of this matter to the dealership and GM customer service have been ignored. They only advise the cost to replace is with the owner of the vehicle despite the root cause being at the level of engineering of the part. They are unwilling to admit this failure is at the level of a manufacturing/engineering defect as a financial cost mitigation strategy. The Issue with sudden failure of the transmission in these vehicles are widely known, investigated, and occurring at a high rate, especially in early model C8 Corvettes.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
See attached document for complaint.
CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH REMOTE START. ON APRIL 20TH I PARKED IN THE GARAGE, PUT GROCERIES AWAY INCLUDING SOME THAT WENT IN THE FRIDGE IN THE GARAGE. THE CORVETTE KEYS WERE IN MY POCKET. I SET A TIMER FOR ONE HOUR FOR ITEMS I HAD PUT IN THE GARAGE FREEZER TO CHILL. WHEN I WENT BACK AT THE ONE HOUR ALARM, THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING IN THE CLOSED GARAGE. TO USE REMOTE START THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE LOCKED FIRST AND I NEVER LOCK THE VEHICLE IN A CLOSED GARAGE. CHANCE MOTION OF THOSE KEYS IN MY POCKET HAD LOCKED THE VEHICLE AND INITIATED REMOTE ENGINE START. I HAD JUST LAID DOWN TO NAP WHEN THE ONE HOUR ALARM WENT OFF. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD I NOT USED MY ALARM FOR THOSE FOOD ITEMS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
We have a water leak that was coming in both windows and onto the floor. Since reported it the car will slow down while driving because of codes issues about the doors are not closed and it is. I feel it's due to the water leak that is coming into the car. Took the car to a Chevrolet Dealer in Columbia South Carolina and they said it was coming from the roof weather stripping. They said it wasn't a recall for the 2020 C8 Corvette corvette yet. Also called GM Customer care to see if I can get some help to get it fixed. No luck.
THE 2020 CHEVROLET CORVETTE COUPE WITH THE 1LT TRIM PACKAGE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE 20 DEGREE MINIMUM HORIZONTAL FIELD OF VIEW REQUIREMENT AS OUTLINED IN US DOT TP-111V-01. THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ESSENTIALLY USELESS GIVEN THE SMALL SIZE OF THE REAR HATCH GLASS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE 1LT TRIM PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CAMERA AUGMENTED REAR VIEW MIRROR FOUND IN THE 2LT AND 3LT TRIM PACKAGES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Backup camera is intermittent. I have ain’t it to the dealership 3 times and they can replicate the issue consistently. They have scan the car for codes and seen the issue in person
The contact's son owns a 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while her son was driving 65 MPH, the oil temperature and check engine warning lights illuminated; however, the driver was able to safely drive to the destination. Upon leaving and attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the main wiring harness. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the replacement part was on a national backorder. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
GM REFUSES TO REPLACE THE BRAKE MODULE DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS HAS BEEN KNOWN SINCE SEPTEMBER 2020. THE REMEDY "IS INCOMPLETE"AND PARTS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE. IT IS LUDICROUS TO ASSUME THAT PARTS ON A CURRENTLY PRODUCED CAR ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THEY ARE INSTALLING THIS MODULE DAILY. THESE ARE BRAKES THAT CAN FAIL AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHEN THEY DO FAIL.
ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2020, CHEVROLET ISSUED A RECALL FOR A POSSIBLE CONTAMINATED BRAKE BOOSTER MODULE ON NUMEROUS 2020 VEHICLES. THIS TO ME IS A SERIOUS MATTER WHEN IT DEALS WITH THE VEHICLES BRAKING SYSTEM. THERE HAVE BEEN CUSTOMERS ONLINE WHO HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE, WITH ONE CUSTOMER STATED THAT HIS BRAKES DID FAIL AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO STOP. I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS CALLS TO GM AND NO ONE COULD GIVE ME ANY ACCURATE INFORMATION. I HAVE NOT BEEN DRIVING MY NEW 2020 CORVETTE VERY OFTEN BECAUSE OF FEAR OF BRAKE FAILURE. I WAS TOLD BY A GM REP THAT IF MODULE DID GO OUT THAT YOUR BRAKES WOULD STILL WORK. HE STATED THAT YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO USE MORE FOOT PRESSURE ON BRAKES. IT HAS NOW BEEN OVER 90 DAYS AND I AM REQUESTING THAT THIS ISSUE GET RESOLVED FOR ALL NEW CAR OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS RECALL. GM IS TOO LARGE OF A COMPANY TO LET THIS JUST LINGER AS IF ITS NO BIG DEAL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I replaced the battery in my C8 Corvette after three years of ownership. Upon removing the plastic cover from the frunk to access the battery, I discovered the two front strut mounts. To my dismay, I noticed excessive corrosion on both strut mounts, with the left side near an AC compressor line being considerably worse. I immediately took the car to the dealership, where they took pictures and agreed it was a design defect. They submitted a warranty claim to GM, which was denied multiple times. Despite having purchased an extended warranty when I bought the car, which still shows corrosion coverage until 2026 and over 100,000 miles, both the dealership and GM refused to repair my car. I explained that if my garage-kept car, which was never driven in the rain, had such severe corrosion at only 13,703 miles, one could only imagine the condition of a daily driver with the same defect. I then began noticing videos on YouTube exposing the problem and selling aftermarket strut covers (not OEM or from a dealership). This issue poses a significant safety hazard, as a strut could eventually fail due to corrosion. At high speeds of 70 mph on the interstate, this failure could potentially endanger the driver, passengers, and other motorists. However, the dealership and GM Customer Service continue to insist that it is a maintenance issue, despite it clearly being a design flaw. I voiced my concerns about the safety implications, but they offered no explanation or comment other than reiterating that it's a maintenance issue. I warned them that when someone dies as a result of this problem, they will eventually have to pay for the strut mounts and face additional lawsuits. They informed me that the conversation was being recorded, and I hope someone with authority will listen to it. It's not a matter of if, but when these strut mounts fail, endangering the safety and lives of others on the road. respectfully [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2020 CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO RUSTING SHOCK TOWER HOUSING.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Backup camera is intermittent. I have ain’t it to the dealership 3 times and they can replicate the issue consistently. They have scan the car for codes and seen the issue in person
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I replaced the battery in my C8 Corvette after three years of ownership. Upon removing the plastic cover from the frunk to access the battery, I discovered the two front strut mounts. To my dismay, I noticed excessive corrosion on both strut mounts, with the left side near an AC compressor line being considerably worse. I immediately took the car to the dealership, where they took pictures and agreed it was a design defect. They submitted a warranty claim to GM, which was denied multiple times. Despite having purchased an extended warranty when I bought the car, which still shows corrosion coverage until 2026 and over 100,000 miles, both the dealership and GM refused to repair my car. I explained that if my garage-kept car, which was never driven in the rain, had such severe corrosion at only 13,703 miles, one could only imagine the condition of a daily driver with the same defect. I then began noticing videos on YouTube exposing the problem and selling aftermarket strut covers (not OEM or from a dealership). This issue poses a significant safety hazard, as a strut could eventually fail due to corrosion. At high speeds of 70 mph on the interstate, this failure could potentially endanger the driver, passengers, and other motorists. However, the dealership and GM Customer Service continue to insist that it is a maintenance issue, despite it clearly being a design flaw. I voiced my concerns about the safety implications, but they offered no explanation or comment other than reiterating that it's a maintenance issue. I warned them that when someone dies as a result of this problem, they will eventually have to pay for the strut mounts and face additional lawsuits. They informed me that the conversation was being recorded, and I hope someone with authority will listen to it. It's not a matter of if, but when these strut mounts fail, endangering the safety and lives of others on the road. respectfully [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE TRUNK. THE SMELL IS STRONGER WHEN THE GAS TANK IS RECENTLY FILLED OR FULL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DAYTIME DRIVING LIGHT WHICH IS ALSO THE TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT WORK. IT HASN'T WORKED FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS AND CHEVY DOES NOT STOCK ANY HEADLIGHTS FOR THIS CAR. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR WAY TOO LONG AND I DON'T THINK THAT THEIR STATEMENT SEEMS ACCURATE ABOUT DRIVING WITHOUT THE LIGHT/TURN SIGNAL. EVEN THOUGH GM STATES IT OK TO DRIVE I FEEL IT'S NOT THAT SAFE AND HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT MUCH THESE PAST 3 MONTHS. THIS IS A NEW MODEL AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE ALL PARTS AVAILABLE FOR A NEW CAR BUT A HEADLIGHT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS IN STOCK IN THEIR WAREHOUSE PRIOR TO SHIPPING THESE CARS TO THE PUBLIC.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .