Chevrolet Corvette Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Chevrolet Corvette options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Chevrolet Corvette has 572 owner complaints and 22 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is WHEELS. 2017 drew the most complaints; 2025 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Chevrolet
- Model
- Corvette
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 572
- Safety recall campaigns
- 22
- Crash-related complaints
- 8
- Fire-related complaints
- 5
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (255 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2025 (10 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- WHEELS
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Chevrolet Corvette: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe CHEVROLET CORVETTE has 572 NHTSA complaints and 22 recalls on record. 8 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 572 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 22 federal recall campaigns
- 8 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
22 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
AIR BAGS:SRS MALFUNCTION WARNING LAMP/LIGHT
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
SERVICE BRAKES
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 572 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
572 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The heated seat option burned the seat right thru. It’s a fire hazard because the wiring for the heated seats burned right through the cloth seat. so you have a wire issue under a combustible material like the clothing material in a car seat.
On 3/21/2026 @ approximately 1:45 PM I was driving down a local road @ approximately 25MPH. While approaching a stop sign, I attempted to stop the vehicle, I applied the brakes and the brake pedal dropped serval inches and became hard felt like it hit the floor of the vehicle. The vehicle continued through the intersection. **There was NO warning message before the vehicle brakes failed to function as designed** There were children attempting to cross the street at the intersection, I blew my horn to alert the children, thank God that they Stopped and did not hit by the car. After the vehicle was brought to a stop there was a message Brake system failure.
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that there was a strong chemical odor coming from the seats. The contact had experienced headaches, burning eyes, respiratory issues, and inflamed lungs. The contact stated that he had temporarily stopped driving the vehicle, and upon driving the vehicle a month later, the contact became aware that the strong chemical odor was the cause of the injuries. The contact had received medical assistance and a new inhaler. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the strong chemical odor would dissipate after some time. The contact stated that the issue could cause significant health problems in the meantime. The contact had stopped driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 25.
Intermittent drivability issue involving the transmission during takeoff from a complete stop, most noticeable in heavy traffic and stop and go conditions. Vehicle shudders and lurches when accelerating from a dead stop, with a sensation similar to being hit from behind followed by abrupt engagement. This creates unpredictable launch behavior and raises concern for safe acceleration in traffic, including potential risk when entering intersections or merging. In addition, vehicle has a recurring squeaking noise on cold start that sounds like a belt or pulley related issue. Also experiencing an HVAC airflow malfunction where the center dash vents initially blow air, but within about 30 seconds the center vents stop and airflow shifts to lower vents and or upper dash vents only, affecting normal climate control and potentially defogging or visibility depending on conditions. Issue has been reported to authorized service centers, but the transmission concern has been difficult to duplicate and remains unresolved.
Water trapped under vehicle and in the doors of the vehicle!
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V536000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called a local dealer and was advised to bring the vehicle to their location, and the vehicle could remain at the dealer until the part became available to repair the vehicle. The contact declined the suggestion. The manufacturer was not informed of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Read 14 more owner reports
When having the stock tires changed to all-season tires, the technician found a rear wheel with 2 cracks in the inside bead area. Car had about 8500 miles and an inspection of the old tires showed no damage to the tread or sidewall. No leaking had been noted.
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the Forward Collision Avoidance alert button was pressed but the Forward Collision Avoidance system failed to activate. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 10.
Please refer to Part 573 Safety Recall Report 25V536. This report seeks to bring to the attention of the NHTSA that additional General Motors, LLC Chevrolet Corvette Models NOT INCLUDED in the Recall Report are virtually identical in design and having the identical safety issue. THE ISSUE: Excess fuel spilled into the fuel filler pocket drains directly into the left-side fan equipped air intake. The air intake is equipped with a thermostatically controlled fan that remains running after engine shutdown if the engine temperature trigger threshold is met. While Safety Recall 25V536 limits the issue to those models equipped with a "radiator/fan combination", to exclude the "fan only" models (Stingray Z51 Equipped in particular) from the recall due to not containing an "ignition source" is short-sighted to state the least in my opinion. Any electric motor is an ignition source as power (typically 12VDC in an automobile) is delivered through "brushes" to an armature that excites the magnetic fields between opposing magnets. The assumption that the addition of a radiator (essentially a sealed cavity have no spark potential) creates an ignition source combination is short-sighted at the least and criminally negligent at best. I am the owner of a 2025 Stingray with a Z51 package. After reviewing 25V536, I conducted a test on my vehicle by pouring water into the fuel filler pocket and monitored where that water went. The test results made it clear to me that to exclude the Stingray is a mistake. Video test results are attached.
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that the rear glass had a one-inch gap, allowing heat to escape the vehicle, and allowing water to enter the engine compartment and inside the vehicle. While the contact was driving at undisclosed speeds in the rain, there was water entering the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and determined that the issue was not a service issue. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 700.
Noise from the rear of the vehicle. Took vehicle in to dealership. The determined that it was a left side loose axle nut. This is clearly a safety issue. It may not have been torqued properly at the factory. The vehicle is a 2021 with only 5500 miles. They did the repair/tightened the axle nut and the noise is gone.
intermittent black screen from the Rear Vision Camera (RVC) on the infotainment screen with red icons when put in reverse the backup camera may fail with a black screen there is no full mirror coverage to the rear of the car while backing up.
I cannot believe the Corvette does not show that the alternator does not show that the car is not charging. I have a thirty year old corvette that will show you when the alternator does not show the car has an under performing alternator. If you do not have it showing on the display it will not show you that the alternator is defective. You have to show it on the display you never know you have a problem. It is an issue that is not a problem unless you know. I bought a battery and it was the alternator. They need to do a software upgrade to show you when a system goes out. My 1992 Corvette show you when there is a problem. Pathtic support on the part of General Motors.
Electrical door button is getting stuck and the door is locked from the inside. The switch has been replaced by authorized dealer once already. (July 19 2023) 4,783 miles on the vehicle at the time of first issue. From checking other forums, this is a common problem for this year vehicle.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the transmission warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission filter. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired, and the contact regained possession of the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift into third gear, severely reducing motive power. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission control module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,500. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that an unknown warning light illuminated while driving at an undisclosed speed. The contact also stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was condensation seen underneath the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the gasket, bolts, and fluid were replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,192.
One week ago received a manufacturer OTA update to install in vehicle which I always download. A few days later I drove vehicle to store and turned vehicle off in parking lot for 5 minutes. Upon returning to vehicle, unable to start vehicle. Vehicle display provided message “Battery Low Start Vehicle” but vehicle would not start. Tow company attempted to jump vehicle multiple times but not successful. Vehicle had to be towed for service. My vehicle is always stored in garage and plugged into battery charger when not in use and should not be dead. Vehicle Information System displays message “Service Brake System” and “Service Transmission Unable to Shift Soon”. Vehicle unable to operate and awaiting scheduled service at dealership.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that the warning message that the front tires were low displayed. The contact added air into the tires but the warning message that the tires were low continued to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer replaced the tires but the failure reoccurred several times and the tires were replaced several times. On another occasion, while the contact was driving 65 MPH the vehicle started shaking and the vehicle collapsed on the front driver's side, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle and the vehicle struck the wall. The air bags did not deploy. The contact was seriously injured and was taken to the hospital. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed, and the vehicle was diagnosed by the manufacturer, and the diagnosis was that the front driver-side rim fractured. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer diagnosed the vehicle but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 35,000.
At under 3000 miles car started sputtering sporadically and stopped driving while in motion. We were able to get the car home. Tried to start the car back up and it violently surged. Car had no idea what gear it was in. Transmission service now light came on and car sent me an email stating to take it to the dealership. Had car towed to dealer and used tow company they requested me to use.. Dealer says valve body flooded and replaced it. Still not working correctly and dealer says transmission is being flooded. Gm engineers not sure why. Car has been at dealer over a month and have no clue when it can be fixed. When you shifted from park to reverse car would lunge violently like you threw the transmission into park while the car was moving down the street. Car is not safe to drive as it just started to have issues during regular use. Dealer has confirmed and recreated the problem. I was told if valve body didn’t fix it that gm would overnight a new transmission. Now I’m being told they want to continue to debug the issue and they have no clue on what the issue is or when it can be fixed. I’m out a vehicle I count on and am still paying for a car that I can’t have use of. Dealer is dodging my calls now. Here is my open case with Chevrolet asking about lemon law protections since it may be another month before I get my car back. [SR:9-7132169239 Car has under 3200 miles on it and is their flagship product.
At approximately 700 miles, my check engine light came on and the car produced an error message that said "Idle Creep Temporarily Disabled". Soon after that the car would lurch, buck on acceleration, and would only drive in even numbered gears. I felt the car was extremely dangerous and unpredictable to drive in this state since the car was unpredictably bucking and lurching forward and not shifting smoothly as usual. The dealer ran an OBDII poll and found five codes relating to transmission issues. GM has admitted to me that my vehicle is one of several that have "Assembly Debris" in the TREMEC supplied DCT. This "Assembly Debris" made the transmission filter completely black in appearance at 750 miles in addition to triggering the check engine light and dangerous driving behavior.
Showing 20 of 572 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Chevrolet Corvette
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Chevrolet Corvette, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Chevrolet Corvette has 572 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Chevrolet Corvette has 22 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 8 of the Chevrolet Corvette's 572 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Chevrolet Corvette vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Chevrolet Corvette vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Chevrolet Corvette has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
Compare
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How does the Chevrolet Corvette stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.
By state
Check a Chevrolet Corvette by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Chevrolet Corvette.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
Chevrolet Corvette reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Chevrolet Corvette reliable?
Poor. The Chevrolet Corvette has 572 NHTSA owner complaints and 22 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is WHEELS. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Chevrolet Corvette years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (255 complaints), 2019 (147 complaints), 2018 (51 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Chevrolet Corvette problems?
Top reported issues: WHEELS (398 complaints); POWER TRAIN (40 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (29 complaints).
Does the Chevrolet Corvette have recalls?
Yes — 22 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Chevrolet Corvette. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.