2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED DECREASING THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

C6 CORVETTES HAVE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DOORS SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN A DOOR WHEN THE BATTERY IS DEAD. HAVING A DEAD BATTERY, I PLACED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY TO JUMP START IT. AS I WENT TO MY TRUCK TO START IT AND CONNECT THE JUMPER CABLES THE CORVETTE BEGAN TO SLOWLY ROLL BACKWARDS - APPARENTLY THE HAND BRAKE WAS NOT QUITE SET ENOUGH (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR TO APPLY THE BRAKES OR HANDBRAKE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF BATTERY POWER. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL BACKWARDS, ACCELERATING, WITH ME UNABLE TO HOLD OR STOP IT. IT ROLLED ACROSS THE STREET, DOWN MY NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, AND THROUGH HIS CLOSED GARAGE DOOR COMING TO A STOP AT THE REAR OF HIS GARAGE WITH A HEAVY IMPACT (OVER $11 THOUSAND IN DAMAGES). MY NEIGHBOR'S 2 SMALL GIRLS OFTEN PLAY IN THAT GARAGE WITH THE DOORS CLOSED OR IN THE DRIVEWAY. IF THEY HAD BEEN PLAYING OR ANYONE OR ANY VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE STREET AT THAT TIME THERE WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN ONE OR MORE FATALITIES DUE TO THE RUNAWAY DRIVER-LESS VEHICLE. ONLY LUCK PREVENTED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH POSSIBLE FATALITIES OR SERIOUS INJURIES. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN UNACCEPTABLE AND UNNECESSARY DESIGN DEFECT FOR C6 CORVETTES (AND POSSIBLY OTHER VEHICLES WITH KEY-LESS ENTRY AND ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DOORS). I BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND ADD A MECHANICAL WAY TO QUICKLY OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE IN EVENT OF A RUNAWAY SITUATION (THERE IS A MECHANICAL BACKUP IF ONE IS IN THE CAR OR IF ONE HAS THE TIME TO MANUALLY OPEN THE TRUNK - A SLOW PROCEDURE). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED, THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE UBEC HOUSING FAILED AND CAUSED THE LOW BEAM RELAY CONTROL CIRCUIT TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,200. UPDATED 12/2/14*CN

THIS IS MY 3RD COMPLAINT. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL ON THE HEAD LIGHTS FOR THE YEARS 2005-2007. AND FOR THE YEARS 2008-2013 IT WILL BE COVERED UNDER UPCOMING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 14203. WHEN I CALLED GM THEY SAID MY VIN # IS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT PROGRAM YET MY CORVETTE IS A 2008 MODEL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS INCIDENTS WHERE PEOPLE GET VERY MAD BECAUSE I AM DRIVING WITH HIGH BEAMS ON. ONE TIME ANOTHER VEHICLE SWERVED AT ME TRYING TO RUN ME OFF ROAD. *TR

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NHTSA PREVIOUSLY OPENED AN INVESTIGATION IN 2013 REGARDING C6 CORVETTE HEADLIGHT (LOW BEAM) FAILURES FOR YEARS 2005-07. I FILE THIS CLAIM BECAUSE THE PRODUCTION YEARS ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE YEARS REFERENCED. HENCE, MY 2008 IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM - LOW BEAM FAILURES ON ROADWAYS AT NIGHT. I UNDERSTAND NOW FROM NEW RESEARCH OF MY OWN THAT LATTER YEARS ARE ALSO IMPACTED BY THE SAME ISSUE. ALTHOUGH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE UNAFFECTED, THEY DO NOT PROVIDE APPROPRIATE NIGHTTIME ILLUMINATION. USING HIGH BEAMS ARE AN UNDESIRABLE ALTERNATIVE. CONSIDERING GM'S LONG AND PERVASIVE HISTORY OF SHUNNING SERIOUS VEHICULAR ISSUES AND COMPLAINTS ONLY UNTIL THEY REACH A NATIONAL SCALE (VIA NATIONAL MEDIA OR ACT OF CONGRESS), AND AFTER CONTACTING A LOCAL DEALER LAST WEEK, THEY HAVE NOT ACCEPTED ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO REMEDIED WHETHER IT BE UNDER SAFETY, TECHNICAL BULLETIN, OR RECALL. HAVING NO TRUST WHATSOEVER OF GM OR OTHERS LIKE NISSAN, BEING TOO BIG TO CARE, I AM PLACING MY TRUST IN THE NHTSA. THANK YOU. *TR

SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLIBG SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON AFTER HAVING NEW BRAKES INSTALLED. HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL SENSOR REPLACED. AFTER ABOUT 1 MONTH THE LIGHT STARTED COMING BACK ON AND SHIFTER STARTED LOCKING UP IN PARK. AFTER 1 MONTH HAD SHIFTER ASSYEMBLY REPLACED, STARTED TO LOCK UP AGAIN, THEY REPLACED SHIFTER ASSEMBLY SAYING IT WAS A BAD PART. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER MONTH THE SHIFTER STARTED LOCKING UP AGAIN. GOING TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE BRAKING SENSOR AGAIN AS THEY FORGOT TO CHECK THE OTHER DAY FORGETING THEY REPLACED IT. I AM 60, GOING TO RADIATION APPOINTMENTS AND THIS IS VERY UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE CALLIBER OF A CORVETTE. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. *TR

DRIVING ALONG AT 45MPH AND THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. IT HAS BEEN COMING ON INTERMEDIATELY FOR A WHILE NOW... *TR

WHEN FUEL TANKS ARE FULL THERE IS A STRONG FUEL SMELL THAT FILLS THE GARAGE AND LEAKS INTO MY HOUSE. IF THE FUEL VAPORS GET HIGH ENOUGH THEY COULD CREATE A FIRE HAZARD AS WELL AS AN INHALATION AND RESPIRATORY ISSUES. *TR

STARTING ON OR AROUND AUGUST 2011 MY AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON. IT HAS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THEN. THE FIX IS TO JIGGLE THE CONNECTOR UNDER THE SEAT AND THEN ZIP TIE IT. THAT NORMALLY LAST ABOUT 6 MONTHS OR MORE BUT IT ALWAYS COMES BACK. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A SEVERE FRONTAL IMPACT. THE DEALER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SAYS IT IS SOMETHING I AM GOING LIVE WITH. THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THAT IS I AM AFRAID IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING I AM GOING TO HAVE TO DIE WITH. *TR

AFTER FUELING MY 2008 CORVETTE, I NOTICED THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE PRESENT ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. I DIDN'T GIVE IT MUCH THOUGHT AS THE SMELL WENT AWAY AS I DROVE. BUT, THE NEXT TIME I GOT INTO THE CAR, THE SMELL WAS THERE AGAIN. EACH SUBSEQUENT TIME I GOT INTO THE CAR, THE SMELL WAS PRESENT UNTIL THE TANK WAS HALF EMPTY. AT THAT POINT THE SMELL WENT AWAY, UNTIL I FILLED THE TANK AGAIN AND THE PROCESS BEGAN ANEW. I HAVE BLOGGED WITH MANY OTHER OWNERS OF VARIOUS YEARS CORVETTE MODELS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID THE FUMES THAT CREATE THE SMELL COULD ULTIMATELY IGNITE AND CAUSE A SERIOUS FIRE. AS MENTIONED, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR