1999 Chevrolet CORVETTE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
278 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
45,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 133 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering:Column Locking:Anti-Theft Device is the most frequently named component, appearing in 64 of 278 complaints (23.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 166 | 59.7% |
| Braking behavior | 33 | 11.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 20 | 7.2% |
| Engine operation | 15 | 5.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 3.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 1.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering:Column Locking:Anti-Theft Device | 64 |
| Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 61 |
| Steering | 52 |
| Electrical System | 14 |
| Seats | 10 |
| Service Brakes | 10 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 9 |
| Steering:Column | 9 |
Steering:Column Locking:Anti-Theft Device: 64; Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar: 61; Steering: 52; Electrical System: 14; Seats: 10; Service Brakes: 10; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 9; Steering:Column: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 23 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 57 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 22 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 17 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 13 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 23; 25,000 to 49,999: 57; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 1
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (57). 145 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 70 |
| 2001 | 29 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 31 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 11 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 8 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2000: 70; 2001: 29; 2002: 11; 2003: 31; 2004: 20; 2005: 10; 2006: 8; 2007: 3; 2008: 10; 2009: 7; 2010: 7; 2011: 11; 2012: 5; 2013: 9; 2014: 8; 2015: 11; 2016: 9; 2017: 3; 2018: 7; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2021: 3; 2022: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Steering:Column Locking:Anti-Theft Device leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 166 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 33 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 20 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001459 · 2002-12-24 (December 24, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. CONSUMER HAD TO FORCEFULLY BREAK STEERING WHEEL LOOSE AND DROVE TO THE NEAREST CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001459 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002658 · 2003-01-14 (January 14, 2003)
THE STEERING COLUMN ON MY 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE LOCKED AFTER STARTING IT AND THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE. REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS
Owner-reported narrative. 17,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002658 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005776 · 2003-02-13 (February 13, 2003)
1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE COUPE STEERING COLUMN LOCK PROBLEMS: TWICE IN TWO YEARS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I FOLLOWED ALL PROCEEDURES SHARED BY FELLOW CORVETTE OWNERS AND THE MANUAL, I HAD TO REPEAT THIS PROCEDURE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD UNLOCK. I THEN TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK SYSTEM BUT TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO OFFICAL RECALL ON THIS. ONE YEAR LATER, SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN, I TRIED AND TRIED TO GET THE STEERING COLUMN TO UNLOCK. IT WOULD NOT, CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY WANTED THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005776 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007821 · 2003-02-19 (February 19, 2003)
PURCHASED USED 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE COUPE (C5) IN FEBRUARY 2002 FROM DEALER. IN APRIL OF 2002, I GOT IN THE CAR, STARTED IT AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE OFF. NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP AND I COULDN'T STEER THE VEHICLE. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE UPON THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE STEERING LOCK TO ALLOW THE CAR TO BE STEERABLE. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT AFTER READING AN ARTICLE IN THE FEBRUARY 2003 ISSUE OF CORVETTE FEVER, I THOUGHT IT BEST TO LET NHTSA KNOW OF THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT. I WAS NOT HURT OR INJUR…
Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007821 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007883 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)
I HAVE A 1999 CORVETTE COUPE. I WAS DRIVING ON FOLSOM BLVD. (AT WATT AVENUE) IN SACRAMENTO, CA DURING RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC (4:50 P.M.). I PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND MY CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD. LUCKILY, NO ONE REAR-ENDED ME. I WAS ABLE TO RE-START MY CAR BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AND A "STEERING COLUMN" LOCKED MESSAGE ON MY COMPUTER READ OUT INSTRUCTED ME TO WAIT 10 SECONDS THEN REMOVE THE KEY. SO I COMPLIED. I THEN AGAIN STARTED MY CAR, BUT THE "STEERING COLUMN" LOCKED MESSAGE CAME ON AND MY STEERING COLUMN WAS, INDEED, LOCKED.…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007883 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10013974 · 2003-04-04 (April 4, 2003)
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE DELIVERY, COMPUTER SHUTS GAS LEVEL TO EMPTY AND THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 18,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013974 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016529 · 2003-04-26 (April 26, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING MY 1999 CHEVROLET CORVETTE I TURNED OFF THE HIGHWAY & INTO THE PARKING LOT OF A STORE UPON DOING SO MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY WARNINGS IN MY DIC ABOUT STEERING PROBLEMS I ALSO HAD THIS REPLACEMENT PART PER A RECALL NOTICE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO & AT THAT TIME FOUND OUT IT HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO THAT. THE DEALERSHIP TOWED THE CAR IN & INFORMED US THAT THEY HAD FIXED IT AGAIN! THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS VEHICLE! THE NOTES I READ ON YOUR SITE EVEN 1997 THROUGH 2002 MODELS WITH THIS PROBLEM NONE OF THE RE…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016601 · 2003-04-27 (April 27, 2003)
I HAVE A 1999 CORVETTE THAT AT 13,000 MILES. THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. IT HAS 40,000 MILES NOW AND IT HAS LOCKED UP AGAIN ALMOST CAUSING US TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *NLM REF. IN EA02-031 *CJS
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016601 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
00V111000 · Seat Belts:Front
Reported: 2000-04-17 (April 17, 2000)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LAP BELT WEBBING CAN TWIST ALLOWING THE WEBBING TO BECOME JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR.
Consequence: WHEN THE BELT WEBBING BECOMES JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR, THE SEAT BELT MAY BE UNUSABLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL INSERTS TO THE BELT WEB GUIDE OF EACH LAP BELT RETRACTOR.
NHTSA campaign record ↗04V060000 · Steering:Column Locking:Anti-Theft Device
Reported: 2004-02-09 (February 9, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEMS (ECL), WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO "LOCK," THE ECL SYSTEM PREVENTS TURNING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE ECL UNLOCKS THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED SO THAT IF THE COLUMN FAILS TO UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED AND THE CUSTOMER TRIES TO DRIVE, THE FUEL SUPPLY WILL BE SHUT OFF SO THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT MOVE WHEN THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE STEERED. IF VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, HOWEVER, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR AND THE VEHICLE CAN BE ACCELERATED WHILE THE STEERING SYSTEM IS LOCKED. ALSO WHEN THE CONTROL SYSTEM SHOWS THAT THE ECL IS UNLOCKED AND THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE LOCK PIN LOCATION CAN VARY. DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE LOCK PLATE RELATIVE TO THE SWITCH TRANSITION POINT, THERE COULD THEN BE CONTACT BETWEEN THE LOCK PLATE AND PIN CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING .
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL DISABLE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK BY REMOVING THE COLUMN LOCK PLATE. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WILL LOCK BUT THE STEERING COLUMN WILL NOT LOCK. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, PERFORM A DIMENSIONAL CHECK OF THE COLUMN LOCK AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE LOCK PLATE. THE STEERING COLUMN ON THESE VEHICLES WILL CONTINUE TO LOCK WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED. OWNER NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS OF 1997 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2004. OWNERS OF 1998 THROUGH 2004 VEHICLES (EXCEPT 1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED BEGINNING ON AUGUST 2, 2004. THE REMAINING OWNERS (1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED LATER IN 2004, WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
NHTSA campaign record ↗