What 17 owners told NHTSA about the 1988 Chevrolet Corvette

the seatbelts on my vehicle will not retract leaving the seatbelt loose on the occupants resulting a injuries if the vehicle were to be involved in a collision, I have contacted GM, they have refused to fix the vehicle due to its age.

NHTSA ODI 11556995

the seat belts will not retract leaving the driver and passenger seat belts loose while wearing them, the vehicle has an open recall for this issue, I have contacted GM about the issue and they put me in touch with a dealer, after some back and forth for several months the dealer indicated that GM will not be fixing this issue as parts are no longer available through GM, I authorized them to use aftermarket parts to get the vehicle repaired, after several supposed attempts they claim they cannot get the correct parts and they stated they will not be doing the safety recall on my vehicle. I have done the research, parts are offered by many suppliers and are readily available. GM just doesn't want to step up and take responsibility because the vehicle is 35 years old

NHTSA ODI 11534381

This vehicle is included in a seat belt recall, the seat belts do not retract. I have attempted to contact dealer for repairs, they stated they would have to do some research on the recall and get back to me. This has not happened, they vehicle is inoperable due to the faulty seat belts

NHTSA ODI 11502977

In June 2020 my mechanic ran a recall check while performing my inspection. It showed 2 outstanding recalls for left and right seat belt retractor failures. I called 3 local Chevy dealers to set up a repair, and no one wanted to touch the vehicle. They all said to call GM. For the next few months I went back and forth with GM to set up repairs. They set up a reference number-9-6244952226. In a nutshell, they finally advised that they only repair recalls for a certain amount of time and I was out of luck because they no longer had the equipment in stock for repairs. I questioned why not just remove the 1988 seat belt retractors and retrofit retractors from a later model. They did not see my reasoning. I did not pursue this in 2021 due to covid, but I am driving the vehicle now and would like to make it safe. Can you help me? The recall numbers are N910058 and N910059. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11468031

CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ON THE OPEN SEAT BELT RECALL. THEY STATED THEY NO LONGER MAKE THE SEAT BELT AND I AM ON MY OWN TO FIX THE RECALL. SEAT BELTS ARE FAILING AS PER THE RECALL AND ARE NO LONGER SAFE TO OPERATE.

NHTSA ODI 11339800

SEATBELTS ARE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. PASSENGER SIDE IS LOCKED AND WILL NOT RELEASE. DRIVER SIDE WORKS BUT WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES THE BELT DID NOT LOCK.

NHTSA ODI 11316762

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND MADE AN ABRUPT STOP. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE PUSHED FORWARD AND WERE NOT HELD IN POSITION ON THE SEATS. NEITHER THE CONTACT NOR THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 91V143000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO REBUILT THE SEAT BELT AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED HOWEVER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT OR PROVIDE RESTRAINT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 10472354

HELLO, MY CAR IS AN 88 CORVETTE. I BROUGHT IT OUT THIS WEEK TO GET IT INSPECTED. I HAS BEEN GARAGED ALL WINTER. BEFORE TAKING IT TO THE INSPECTION PLACE I TOOK IT FOR A SHORT RIDE. TAKING A SLIGHT CURVE I NOTICED IT SEEMED A FLAT TIRE. FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A BROKEN REAR LEFT TIRE ROD BAR. COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT BROKE? AFTER CHECKING ON THE INTERNET I SEE THAT WAS A PROBLEM AND IN SOME CASES ACCIDENTS OCCURRED. I E-MAILED GM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE YET TO GET AN ANSWER BACK AND MY CAR IS STILL NOT USABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10346419

1988 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT MOTOR DUE TO A SHORTED WIRE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS ONLY SMOKE THAT EMITTED FROM THE SEAT, WHICH WAS PUT OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10201488

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL 89C17 ON 08/05/2005 CONCERNING TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. AND GM WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM WITHIN 5 DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, BUT THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT, AND GM SUPPORTED THE DEALERSHIP. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER ON 8-8-05. THEY WERE UNABLE TO REVIEW HIS CAR UNTIL 8-18-05. THEY COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM UNTIL 8-30-05. THE RECALL CONCERNED A DEFECT IN THE REAR WHEEL TIRE ROD ASSEMBLY THAT MAY FATIGUE OR FRACTURE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL OR/AND CRASH. THIS HAPPENED ON 7-25-05, AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND GM WERE TELLING HIM THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. *AK

NHTSA ODI 10133507

DT: CONTACT STATES THERE WAS A MELT DOWN IN THE FUEL CELL. THERE IS A SWITCH THAT COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED BY THE LOCAL SERVICE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI 10122581

PROBLEMS WITH OIL LEAKS, DRIVER SEAT WAS BROKEN AND ELECTRIC ANTENNA STOPPED WORKING.*MR THREE WEEKS AFTER HAVING PURCHASED THE CAR THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AS WELL. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY $2500.00 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE DEALERSHIP DENIED HIM OF A WARRANTY AFTER BEING PROMISED ONE. THE CONSUMER STATED NO ONE INFORMED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED BRAKES, A NEW CLUTCH, VALVE COVERS, GASKETS, INTAKE GASKETS AND TRANSMISSION SEALS. *CB *JB

NHTSA ODI 10051889

THE PLUG ON THE HEAD LIGHT COVER THAT HIDES THE AJUSTMENT SCREW KEPT FALLING OUT. *MJS

NHTSA ODI 557927

THE SEAT BELT WAS GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RETRACTOR, CONSUMER REPLACED THE SEAT BELT AND THE PROBLEM STARTED TO HAPPEN AGAIN. *MJS

NHTSA ODI 557927

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ODI 714589

ALTERNATOR FAILED REPEATEDLY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. ALSO, ABS BRAKES FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ODI 514193

POWER SEAT FAILURE, OVERHEATING AND CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORT DUE A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE SEAT. *AK

NHTSA ODI 801745