2005 Chevrolet CORVETTE: complaints, problems and recalls

(1) PURCHASED CAR 10/23/2004. (2) ON 10/24/2004, LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR, THE CRANK PULLEY "CAME LOOSE" AND THE CAR THREW ITS SERPENTINE BELT (LEARNED AFTER THE INCIDENT) WHILE DRIVING ON A CROWDED INTERSTATE. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CONSOLE (DIC) DISPLAYED A MALFUNCTION WITH THE VEHICLES CHARGING SYSTEM THAT NEEDED SERVICE. VOLTAGE DISPLAYED ON DIC DROPPED QUICKLY IN .1 VOLT INCREMENTS UNTIL ROUGHLY 11 VOLTS WERE DISPLAYED. THEN, THE CAR BECAME INCREASINGLY UNRESPONSIVE TO DRIVER IN…

Owner-reported narrative. 120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100656 at NHTSA ↗

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. MY 3 DAY OLD CORVETTE SHREDDED ITS SERPENTINE BELT, OVERHEATED, AND LOST ITS STEERING. CAR HAD 300 MILES ON IT. FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING ON 'CORVETTE FORUM THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT BUT HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN TOO MANY NEW CORVETTES. THIS PROBLEM COULD AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AS IT NOT ONLY AFFECTED THE COOLING SYSTEM BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE STEERING AND BRAKING. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THE REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM WAS FAILING ON MANY CARS, AND THEY WERE EXPERIENCING IT FOR THE SECOND AND THIR…

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10101798 at NHTSA ↗

EQUIPPED WITH THE Z51 OPTION, THE C6 CORVETTES BRAKING SYSTEM SQUEAKS AND SQUEALS VERY LOUDLY.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 18 miles reported. Look up ODI 10108058 at NHTSA ↗

SEVEN TO EIGHT THOUSAND CHEVROLET CORVETTES BUILT IN LATE 2004 ARE IN A BATCH BEING WATCHED BY GM BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS OF INSTANCES OF THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BELT BACKING OUT AND ALLOWING THE PULLEY TO LOOSEN OR FALL OFF. WHEN THAT HAPPENS THE CAR LOOSES POWER STEERING AND THE REST OF THE FUNCTIONS RUN OFF THE BELTS. THE BELT AND PULLEY CAN ALSO CAUSE OTHER DAMAGE UNDER THE HOOD. PRODUCTION NUBER CORVETTES FROM OVER THREE THOUSAND TO OVER ELEVEN THOUSAND ARE IN THE GROUP IDENTIFIED AS PROBLEMATIC. CHEVROLET HAS REALEASE A TEC…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10114536 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING NEW 2005 CORVETTE (1486 TOTAL MILES ON CAR) IN SHOPPING DISTRICT AT 35MPH. HEARD "SLAPPING" SOUND FROM UNDER THE HOOD. PULLED OVER AND FOUND THAT ONE OF THE UNDERHOOD ENGINE BELTS WAS SHREDDING. WAS AWARE OF A MANUFACTURERS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (05-06-01-001A - FEB 8, 2005), THEREFORE THOUGHT IMMEDIATELY THAT THE PROBLEM THIS TSB ADDRESSES WAS THE PROBLEM. THE OCCURRANCE WAS UNEVENTFULL, AS I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOWLY, HOWEVER IF IT HAD BEEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND BROKEN FLUID LINES UNDER T…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,486 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114543 at NHTSA ↗

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. WHILE DRIVING HOME ,THE CRANK BOLT WHICH HOLDS THE ENGINE PULLEY, CAME UNTREATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS DISINTEGRATED ALL THREE BELTS, AND I LOST THE POWER STEERING. AT 65 MPH, THIS IS RATHER AN UN-NERVING EXPERIENCE! HAD THIS HAPPENED TO A SMALL WOMAN, SHE MIGHT HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IN THE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 10 INSTANCES OF THE CRANK BOLT COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10115441 at NHTSA ↗

A BRAKE LINE RUPTURED ON MY VEHICLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT AT 55 MPG. I NEEDED TO EXIT AN INTERSTATE, AND THE CAR CAME TO A HALT VERY SLOWLY, THE REMAINING BRAKE LINE WORKING MUCH LESS EFFECTIVELY, OF COURSE. NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER I STOPPED, CLOUDS OF PURE WHITE SMOKE BILLOWED FROM THE HOOD, AND INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I ASSUME THIS WAS BRAKE FLUID CONTACTING A HOT SURFACE. I USED ONSTAR TO CALL FOR A TOW TO MY DEALER, CRISWELL CHEVROLET IN GAITHERSBURG, MD. CRISWELL DIAGNOSED THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURE. THERE IS SOME …

Owner-reported narrative. 5,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125331 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THERE IS A WARNING SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKES. OWNER IS UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH IF THE CAR NEEDS BRAKES OR IF THIS WARNING SOUND FEATURE IS JUST FAILING. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND PUT ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND DEALER REPORTED THERE WERE NO VISIBLE PROBLEMS. ONWER CONTACTED GM SERVICE (#13433611303) IS THE SERVICE REQUEST #. GM BASICALLY STATES THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, THERE IS NO FIX. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10126322 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-11-03 (November 3, 2004)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH ONE OR BOTH REAR BRAKE HYDRAULIC LINES THAT CAN COME IN CONTACT WITH OR BE AFFECTED BY HEAT FROM THE LEFT ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND THE LEFT EXHAUST PIPE. THE BRAKE FLUID COULD REACH ELEVATED TEMPERATURES AND BOIL.

Consequence: IF THE BRAKE FLUID BOILS IN A REAR BRAKE LINE, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD BE REDUCED WHICH COULD RESULT IN A BRAKE LINE LEAK AND LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. IF ENOUGH FLUID LEAKS FROM THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM SO THAT BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION CAN NO LONGER BUILD PRESSURE TO THE REAR BRAKES. THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE WILL EXPERIENCE LIMITED BRAKING WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL (1) INSPECT THE LEFT ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CLIP FOR PROPER ALIGNMENT AND PLACEMENT ON THE BODY-MOUNTED STUD. IF INCORRECT, THEY WILL REPOSITION THE CLIP ON THE BRAKE LINES AND REINSTALL THE CLIP ON THE STUD; (2) THE DEALER WILL VERIFY THAT BOTH REAR BRAKE LINES HAVE THE PROPER CLEARANCE TO THE LEFT EXHAUST PIPE. THEY WILL REPOSITION THE LINES BY BENDING AS NECESSARY; (3) DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE MACHINING TAB FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING. ALSO, DEALERS ARE TO INSPECT THE BRAKE LINES FOR WEAR IN THESE RELATED AREAS AND REPAIR OR REPLACE IF THERE IS ANY SIGN OF WEAR-THROUGH ON THE NYLON OVERCOATING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 18, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2239 OR CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Reported: 2005-10-05 (October 5, 2005)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A POWER STEERING HOSE THAT IS NOT TO SPECIFICATION. UNDER EXTREME STEERING MANEUVERS, SUCH AS TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL FULLY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE BRAKING, THE HOSE MAY FRACTURE AND LEAK FLUID.

Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, POWER STEERING ASSIST WOULD BE LOST AND INCREASED STEERING EFFORT WOULD BE REQUIRED. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRO-BOOST POWER BRAKES, IT COULD ALSO RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST AND INCREASED BRAKING EFFORT WOULD BE REQUIRED. IF THE POWER STEERING FLUID SPRAY WERE TO SPRAY ONTO HOT ENGINE PARTS, AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POWER STEERING HOSE(S) FOR TWO SUSPECT DATE CODES AND REPLACE THEM IF REQUIRED. THE RECALL WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727, OR HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493.

Reported: 2006-05-24 (May 24, 2006)

ON CERTAIN 2005-2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTES EQUIPPED WITH PAINTED ROOFS, THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE ROOF PANEL AND THE FRAME MAY SEPARATE.

Consequence: IF THERE IS A COMPLETE SEPARATION, THE ROOF PANEL MAY DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE AND IT COULD STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE AND CAUSE INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE FOR POTENTIAL ROOF PANEL-TO- FRAME SEPARATION AND ADD THE SPECIFIED ADHESIVE FOAM OR REPLACE THE ROOF WITH ONE HAVING ADHESIVE FOAM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 19, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Reported: 2009-12-23 (December 23, 2009)

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2007 CORVETTE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A REMOVABLE ROOF AND MODEL YEAR 2006 AND 2007 CORVETTE Z06 VEHICLES. THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE ROOF PANEL AND THE FRAME MAY SEPARATE. IF THERE IS A PARTIAL SEPARATION, THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE ONE OR MORE SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS A SNAPPING NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, WIND NOISE, POOR ROOF PANEL FIT, ROOF PANEL MOVEMENT/BOUNCE WHEN A DOOR OR HATCH IS CLOSED, OR A WATER LEAK IN THE HEADLINER.

Consequence: IF THERE IS A COMPLETE SEPARATION, THE ROOF PANEL MAY DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, IT COULD STRIKE A FOLLOWING VEHICLE AND CAUSE INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN ROOF PANEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Reported: 2010-04-26 (April 26, 2010)

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005 AND 2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTE PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 2004 AND JANUARY 2006 EQUIPPED WITH A TILT AND TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN (RPO N37). IN RARE CASES, REPEATED MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING COLUMN MAY CAUSE A SIGNAL INTERRUPTION WITHIN THE COLUMN. IF THIS OCCURS, THE MESSAGE, "SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM" WILL APPEAR IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER, AND ONE OR MORE OF THE BRAKES MAY APPLY, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT.

Consequence: IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE CHANGE IN VEHICLE MOVEMENT, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 30, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Reported: 2014-05-14 (May 14, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Corvette vehicles manufactured March 29, 2004, through June 22, 2007. In the affected vehicles, the underhood bussed electrical center (UBEC) housing can expand and cause the headlamp low beam relay control circuit wire to bend. If the wire is repeatedly bent, it may fracture causing a loss of low beam headlamp illumination.

Consequence: The loss of low beam headlamp illumination will decrease the driver's visibility, as well as the vehicle's conspicuity to other motorists, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a jumper wire to correct this condition, free of charge. The recall began January 2, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 13146. Note: Model year 2008-2013 Chevrolet Corvettes will be covered under customer satisfaction program number 14203 for the same issue.