Problems · by component

1998 Chevrolet Corvette electrical system problems

32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette cite electrical system, 8% of all 399 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
32
8% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY. PROCEED TO START VEHICLE. STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP. HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. I AM THE THIRD OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. IN RESEARCHING INFORMATION REGARDING PAST RECALLS APPARENTLY HEDRICK'S DEALERSHIP OF FRESNO, CA COMPLETED WORK BUT IN ASKING WHAT THEY COMPLETED, I WAS INFORMED THAT ALL PAST COMPUTER DATA WAS PURGED FROM THEIR FILES SO THEY CANNOT TELL ME WHAT WAS COMPLETED. I THEN CALLED GM TO GET INFORMATION BUT AFTER TALKING TO THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE I WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHAT WAS COMPLETED. I REFERENCED A GM REPORT ENTITLED "04006C - PRODUCT SAFETY RECALL - FEBRUARY 8, 2006" IN TALKING WITH THE GM REPRESENTATIVES AND I WAS TOLD THE REPORT DIDN'T EXIST. THE REPORT WAS FOUND AT HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV. THIS REPORT REPLACED BULLETIN 04006B - NOVEMBER 23, 2004. IN READING ON NHTSA, SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME VEHICLE ISSUES WITH STEERING COLUMN. PLUS, WITH WORK BEING COMPLETED BUT STILL HAVING SAME ISSUES. CAN YOU ASSIST ME IN OBTAINING THE RECALL WORK COMPLETION REPORT ON MY VEHICLE? HEDRICK'S INDICATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC REVIEW AT THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 2, 2020Steering, Electrical systemODI 11377500
“HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. HAD A SERVICE COLUMN LOCK DISPLAY. TOOK IT IN ON A RECALL. THEY FIXED IT AND 6 MONTHS LATER LEFT ME STRANDED AGAIN WITH SAME CODE. CHARGED ME 1000 DOLLARS TO TELL ME THE WHEEL LOCK BROKE. WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. 2 WEEKS LATER HAVE A SERVICE POWER TRAIN WITH NUMEROUS CODES. HAVE TO RESET ALL CODES TO DRIVE CAR. THEY COME BACK WITH SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM AND HEATER BLOWS HOT ON ONE SIDE AND COLD ON OTHER. THEN NEXT DAY IT'S THE OPPOSITE. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS THE ONLY CORVETTE THAT I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH AND ACCORDING TO THE REVIEWS. THE C5 CORVETTE HAS MANY DRIVE TRAIN ISSUES. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND RECALLED IF THEY WANT BUYERS TO CHEVROLET VEHICLES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 1, 2017Power train, Electrical systemODI 10969843
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR TORN MUSCLES IN HIS NECK, ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HEAD THREE INCHES ABOVE THE EAR, ONE RIB ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS FRACTURED, AND TORN MUSCLES IN THE LOWER BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2017Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Traction control systemCrash reportedODI 10945796
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE COLUMN LOCK FAILURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HARNESS KIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2016Steering, Electrical systemODI 10899726
“I HAVE OWNED MY 1998 CORVETTE FOR TWO YEARS. THE PULL KEY AND WAIT 10 SECONDS AND THE SERVICE STEERING COLUMN LOCK ERRORS ARE CRIPPLING ME ENJOYMENT OF THE CAR. I HAVE INSTALLED AN LMC5 MODULE LAST YEAR AND THE PROBLEMS WILL NOT GO AWAY. THE RECALL ON THE SERVICE COLUMN LOCK WAS PERFORMED ON THE CAR WHICH REMOVED THE ACTUAL LOCKING MECHANISM ON THE STEERING COLUMN. BUT THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE OVER TWO MILES PER HOUR WITH THE ERROR MESSAGE AND I HAVE FOUND NO FIXED THAT HELP ME. WHAT IS GM DOING ABOUT THE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE PROBLEM ON THEIR MOST DISTINGUISHED CAR MODEL.... ? ALL INSTANCES HAPPEN WHEN FIRST STARITING THE CAR NO MATTER HOW LONG IT HAS SAT. BATTERY IS PERFECT. I VERY RARELY DIVE THE CAR, BUT WHEN I DO I HAVE THIS HORRIBLE PROBLEM AND IT IS GETTING WORSE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 7, 2016Steering, Electrical system, EngineODI 10883365
“THE DIC SHOWED "SERVICE STEERING WHEEL LOCK", REMOVE KEY AND WAIT 10 SECONDS. THERE WAS A RECALL ON 97-2004 CORVETTES FOR THIS. MY VIN DOES NOT SHOW UP BUT GM SERVICE BULLETIN LOUIEINLI #04006CC (ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK) COVERS VEHICLE VINS FROM W5100001 TO W5131069. MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP COMING OUT OF MY GARAGE. I HAVE LESS THAN 37,000 ON IT. WHY WAS MY VIN OMITTED FROM YOUR RECALL?? IT HAS COST BE $600 FOR REPAIRS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2016Electrical systemODI 10819483

Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

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

Other 1998 Corvette problem areas