Problems · by component

1997 Chevrolet Corvette steering problems

94 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette cite steering, 61% of all 153 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
94
61% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the steering

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE IN REVERSE, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2014Steering, EngineODI 10643827
“THE CHEVROLET CORVETTE WAS STARTED IN THE COURTHOUSE PARKING LOT MOVING IN REVERSE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN PLACE NARROWING AVOIDING PEDESTRIANS. THE VEHICLE COULD BE MOVED IN EITHER DIRECTION, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED AND SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSPORTED TO PRINCETON CHEVROLET [FORMERLY KNOWN AS SUPERIOR CHEVROLET] IN LAWRENCEVILLE, NEW JERSEY FOR REPAIR. DURING PREVIOUS SERVICE, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR RECALLS INCLUDING THE STEERING DEFECT WITH THE MANAGER STATING THAT ALL RECALLS WERE COMPLETE. THE JUNE 26, 2013 DEALER STEERING REPAIR INVOICE MAKES NO MENTION OF THE SERVICE RECALL, THE MANAGER EXPLAINING THE JUNE 25, 2013 INCIDENT WAS UNRELATED TO THE STEERING DEFECT AND SAFETY RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR RESPOND TO OUR INQUIRIES REFERENCING THE "ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEM" PRODUCT SAFETY RECALL [04006C] WHICH STATES;" GENERAL MOTORS HAS DECIDED THAT A DEFECT, WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, EXISTS IN CERTAIN 1997-2004 MODEL YEAR CHEVROLET CORVETTE VEHICLES.WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, IT UNLOCKS THE STEERING. TWO CONDITIONS CAN PREVENT STEERING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING: ... IF ONE OF THESE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 28, 2014SteeringODI 10594470
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STEERING LOCK BOX WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CONTROL STEERING LOCK WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER PREVIOUSLY FOR REPAIRS UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE). THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO EXPLAINED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS ONLY REQUIRED TO PAY FOR RECALL REPAIRS ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 268,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 6, 2012SteeringODI 10474064
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V060000 (STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT IS NOW EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE STATED IN THE RECALL. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO BACK OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. ALSO, A WARNING MESSAGED APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, STATING THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING BOX MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SAME FAILURE HAS BEEN REPAIRED FIVE TIMES PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2008SteeringODI 10239775
“SERVICE BULLETIN 05081 JUST PERFORMED ON MY CORVETTE TO FIX A STEERING COLUMN LOCK PROBLEM. AFTER WORK PERFORMED I GET A MESSAGE TO REMOVE KEY AND WAIT 10 SEC. TGM COMPLETED A SERVICE BULLETIN ON MY CAR THAT LEAVES ME WITH A CAR THAT STALLS IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING. IN THE MANY YEARS I OWNED THE CAR I HAD ONLY GOTTEN THE MESSAGE ONCE, WHICH RELATED TO THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK. NOW SINCE THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM I GET THE MESSAGE EVERY OTHER TIME I START THE CAR. I FEEL AS THOUGH THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE I HAVE ALREADY HAD ONE OCCASION WHERE I DID NOT SEE THE INFO MESSAGE. I PROCEEDED TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPACE ONLY TO HAVE THE CAR STALL AND ALMOST GET HIT BY A TRUCK. FORTUNATELY THE TRUCK WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE A COLLISION OCCURRED. THE TRUCK DRIVER WAS NOT VERY PATIENT AND PROCEEDED TO GIVE ME A FEW CHOICE WORDS WHILE I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE FAMOUS 10 SECOND DRILL 2 TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR TO RUN. WHAT I REALLY EXPECT IS A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT FIXES A PROBLEM NOT CAUSES ONE I NOW HAVE AN UNSAFE CAR. MY WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE IT FOR FEAR IT WILL STALL WHEN MOVING FROM A PARKED POSITION INTO TRAFFIC. THIS NEEDS TO BE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2008SteeringODI 10219613
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 2 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN AND THE STEERING COLUMN SERVICE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER, HOWEVER, IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V060000 (STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE) TWO YEARS AGO. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 29,191.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2007SteeringODI 10202819

Showing 6 of 94 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Steering: anti-theft device

Free remedy

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 .

SteeringReported Feb 9, 2004NHTSA 04V060000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.