36 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Chevrolet Corvette cite steering, 17% of all 217 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.
“The contact's friend owns a 2004 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while his friend was starting the vehicle, the steering wheel seized. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that they were unable to assist due to the age of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V060000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.”
“WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT AROUND 80 MPH ON A STRAIGHT FLAT SURFACE, THE CORVETTE SHARPLY VEERED TO THE SIDE AS I HEARD A LOUD SCREECH FROM ONE OF THE BRAKES IT LASTED FOR ABOUT A SECOND. THE TURN WAS SO ABRUPT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO ROLL BUT AFTER FISHTAILING WAS ABLE TO GET THINGS GOING STRAIGHT. IMMEDIATELY A SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM MESSAGE POPPED UP. HAPPENED ABOUT A WEEK LATER GOING ABOUT 60 MPH NOT QUITE AS ABRUPT. THIS CONDITION COULD HAVE LEAD TO A FATALITY.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE GARAGE AND THE IGNITION WAS STARTED, THE CLUTCH WAS RELEASED AND THE VEHICLE SEIZED. ALSO, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT CALLED MAGUIRE CHEVROLET CADILLAC OF ITHACA (LOCATED AT 35 CINEMA DR, ITHACA, NY 14850, (607) 272-9292) AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,890. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE LOCKING PIN FOR THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE FOR THE STEERING COLUMN WAS NOT WORKING AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,200.”
“TAKATA RECALL VISIBLE GASOLINE LEAKAGE AFTER VEHICLE HASN'T BEEN PARKED OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS. THEN I BEGAN TO TAKE NOTES OF WHAT , WHEN , WHERE THIS LEAK WAS OCCURRING, I WOULD FILL THE TANK, PARK THE AUTO IN THE GARAGE . THE NEXT TIME I USED THE VEHICLE, A NOTICEABLE GAS ODOR, SPOT ON THE GARAGE FLOOR WAS NOTED. I STARTED TO PLACE A CARDBOARD UNDER THE FRONT END TO MORE READILY BE ABLE TO OBSERVE THE SUBSTANCE LEAKING. THE ODOR WAS UNMISTAKABLE. SEVERAL OCCURRENCES N SPOTTING IS EVIDENT AFTER HAVING PARKED IN MY GARAGE . THE AUTO WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN MY GARAGE. I AM LISTING THE LATEST CALENDAR DATE AND PHOTO. I HAVE OTHER DATES IN MY NOTEPAD. 2) MY SEATBELT OCCASIONALLY WILL NOT LOCK. I HEAR THE CLICK OF A SEATBELT LOCK THEN UPON DRIVING AWAY FROM MY HOME ~ ,25 MILES ~ MY SEATBELT UNLOCKED THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN. 3) AIRBAG CANNOT BE CHECKED FOR EFFECTIVENESS .”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GALLES CHEVROLET (2801 UNIVERSITY BLVD NE, ALBUQUERQUE, MN 87107) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Showing 6 of 36 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL STUD NUT/WASHER ASSEMBLIES WITH WASHERS WERE MADE OF THE WRONG MATERIAL. THE WASHERS MAY FRACTURE AND BECOME LOOSE OR FALL AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE, REDUCING CLAMP LOAD. SEPARATION OF THE CONTROL ARM BALL STUD AND STEERING KNUCKLE, DUE TO DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TAPERED ATTACHMENT AND RETAINING NUT, IS POSSIBLE.
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 .
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.