What 103 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette

Experiencing sudden loss of power steering while driving - unsafe condition. Experiencing sudden loss of electric power steering assist while driving. Loss of power steering persists until ignition recycling (stop, put car in park, turn ignition off, turn ignition back on), which seems to clear it. Problem re-occurs intermittently on subsequent drives. Issue has been experienced at multiple MPH (0 to 65 MPH) across more than a month of time. I believe my vehicle is experiencing the recall noted earlier this year (N182182760 in 2025) for power steering unit failures in Corvettes manufactured in my car's timeframe. The recall is still expanding the list of cars associated due to its nascent nature, and I believe mine is one of them. My car was manufactured in 2016 and the manufacturing defect in the power steering unit circuitry was not corrected until 2017. The recall investigation only occurred a few months ago, earlier this year in 2025. Request my vehicle be added to recall N182182760 to correct this unsafe condition. Thank you. REFERENCES: 1) https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a64272254/chevrolet-camaro-corvette-recall-steering-failure/ 2) chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RCSB-19V086-8145.pdf

NHTSA ODI 11702924

Experiencing sudden loss of power steering while driving - unsafe condition. Experiencing sudden loss of electric power steering assist while driving. Loss of power steering persists until ignition recycling (stop, put car in park, turn ignition off, turn ignition back on), which seems to clear it. Problem re-occurs intermittently on subsequent drives. Issue has been experienced at multiple MPH (0 to 65 MPH) across more than a month of time. I believe my vehicle is experiencing the recall noted earlier this year for power steering unit failures in Corvettes manufactured in my car's timeframe (safety recall N252497020 in 2025, expanding on N182182760 from 2019). The recall is still expanding the list of cars associated due to its nascent nature, and I believe mine is one of them. My car was manufactured in 2016 and the manufacturing defect in the power steering unit circuitry was not corrected until 2017. The recall investigation only occurred a few months ago, earlier this year in 2025. Request my vehicle be added to recall N252497020 / N182182760 to correct this unsafe condition. Thank you. REFERENCES: 1 – My request to Chevrolet through the dealership for a “good will extension” of the 2025 recall (N252497020 – Loss of Power Steering Assist) to this VIN. Includes a detailed description of the issue. 2 – Safety Recall N252497020 – Loss of Power Steering Assist 3 – Safety Recall N182182760 – Loss of Power Steering Assist 4 – Photo of my vehicle DIC with associated power steering failure error message. 5 – Article from 2025 detailing the nascent power steering failure recall, noting the defective part manufacturing timeline affects my VIN. 6 – Additional article from 2025 acknowledging the recall issue.

NHTSA ODI 11702949

I would be driving and get a notification in the panel that says power steering is out and to drive with care. It is extremely difficult to drive my vehicle, with no power steering. I would just be driving, and I would get the notification that power steering is out. The problem has been recently confirmed by a dealership. The mechanic at the dealership confirmed it was the same issue reported for the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette (N182182760). The first appearance of the issue was at 3800 miles on my 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. I was sitting at a red light, and the notification came on and said I didn't have power steering. The second time I was driving down the interstate at 70mph and it went out, not good. I was able to get it safely back to my sister's home and did not move it again until I took it straight to the dealership today, in which time it went out again. All this with 4085 total miles on my car at this time. I believe this should be covered under the same recall as the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette. My vehicle is available for inspection if someone would like to come out.

NHTSA ODI 11693203

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while shifting from second gear to third gear. The transmission was skipping a gear. The contact believed that the vehicle was not working properly. The vehicle was not responding as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with torque converter failure. The dealer contacted the surveyor for the protection plan approval. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact called the attorney general and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 33,025.

NHTSA ODI 11689471

My vehicle is covered by GM Special Warranty 17469 which relates to cracks and fuel leaks at the primary fuel pump module flange. It caught fire while driving at a high performance driver’s education event at Barber Motorsports Park and was denied coverage due to it having modifications. GM case number 9-15085163081. There were no warning messages displayed at any time during the incident. GM had the vehicle inspected by a “neutral” third party which turned out to be a retired GM service center instructor. None of the modifications on the vehicle affect the fuel pump module flange. This is in violation of the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act. The basic facts regarding the incident are as follows: the fire was a fuel fire, the vehicle had normal fuel pressure until I shut the engine off 2 minutes into the incident, the fuel line fittings are melted in the normal seated position, the fuel tank flange is cracked and fire damaged, the most significant fire damage is at the top of the driver’s side fuel tank (the location of the warrantied and currently cracked flange), the fire was not from any of the pressurized fuel lines. I have video from the vehicle of the incident prior to engine shutdown, pictures during and after the incident of all affected areas and components, and data logs of all vehicle parameters up to engine shutdown. These facts point strongly to the initial source of the fuel fire coming from the affected flange at the top of the driver’s side fuel tank. It is completely unacceptable that GM issued an extended warranty (and then denies coverage) for this known fire hazard vs issuing a recall. This is extremely unsafe and will lead to a loss of life if not corrected.

NHTSA ODI 11661069

I left my car at Vandergriff Chevrolet in Arlington, TX for diagnosis and repair of a transmission sensor failure. They took nearly 6 weeks to fix the issue. When I went to pick up the car, there was a new noise in the engine so I left the vehicle for diagnosis. Now, they are telling me it's a known issue that is considered 'crucial' to repair but is not a recall and they are so far unwilling to cover the repair since it seems to have happened while they had the vehicle. I've attached their service bulletin indicating the known issue and repair.

NHTSA ODI 11656223

Overview: Beginning sometime in 2020, the coating of the rearview inside mirror began to degrade and lose its reflective capability. By [XXX] visibility through the mirror was so bad that I had to have it replaced by the local Chevy dealership. Because it was out of warranty, I had to pay $453.93 out of pocket. The vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the mirror's degraded condition. 1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Rearview interior mirror 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I could not see clearly in the rearview mirror. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Many other drivers have reported the same issue with this model on the Corvette forum (see [XXX] ) Also, Sunrise Chevrolet in Collierville, TN confirmed the mirror was defective and replaced it at my expense. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11639504

Overview - November 2022, my 2016 Covette Stingray vibrated badly at highway speeds, that I took it into the Sunrise Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership in Collierville, TN to investigate the cause. They made videos showing 3 of the 4 wheels (not tires) were warped. This is my second car (rarely driven), so I was quite surprised. Chevy was out of stock and the vehicle was out of warranty, so I had to replace all 4 wheels using after-market parts that had to be shipped to the dealership at total cost of $3,400.58. A few weeks after the wheels were replaced, I noticed the vibration was still occurring at highway speeds, so I returned it to the same dealership on Jan 3rd, 2023. The dealership said that the transmission fluid had to be replaced with a "new design" to prevent the shaking at my expense for a total of $1,066.10. The problem is so well-known, that it's called the "Chevy Shake" on the Corvette forum. I feel that Chevrolet has put my safety at risk twice in 2022 with a faulty mirror (I files a separate complaint for that), the faulty tires, and the faulty transmission fluid.

NHTSA ODI 11639515

Transmission is very erratic to shift, especially when cold. Sometime, when pressing the accelerator, the car hesitates before moving forward. This can be dangerous at intersections with oncoming traffic. The transmission was inspected by a Chevy dealer right after the car was purchased (09/2017) and parts replaced. The symptoms still happen. It was inspected again 01/2023 by a Chevy dealer and the transmission fluid flushed. The symptoms still happen regularly. GM is aware of this dangerous issue, yet nothing has been done to correct the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11618325

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the structure of the dashboard had started to detach from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,027.

NHTSA ODI 11616652

Normal driving - about 69,000 miles. Rear wheel rim developed cracks in inner bead lip causing complete loss of inflation.

NHTSA ODI 11555794

Rear rims have cracks. Which is causing the car to lose air and it also lose traction.

NHTSA ODI 11549396

The transmission has a shudder issue at speeds between 60 and 80 mph. Gives the feeling of driving over rumble strips. Vehicle milage is 6200 miles. The dealership verified the issue associated with the transmission and indicated that a repair bulletin was issued by GM to correct the issue

NHTSA ODI 11548197

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while driving from a stop, after engaging the clutch, the vehicle started to shudder and vibrate and nearly stalled. The contact pulled over into a parking lot. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the valve spring had fractured in half within cylinder #5. Further diagnostic test determined that the failure had caused damage to the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000.

NHTSA ODI 11546359

Fuel smells after filling up seems like there is a leak, received a letters from manufacturer but miss placed it, when we found it it was over the mileage limit. Now they will not fix the safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11540043

Wheels are defective and cracked at approx 22k miles normal use. Inside of driver wheel cracked and does not hold air.

NHTSA ODI 11516202

Attempted to start my Corvette. My Corvette was in the my garage Battery was dead. Called for a jump start. When mechanic arrived, I got into the driver's seat. When he applied electric power to the car battery, interior lights flickered, radio came on, tach needle and other needles cycled and my electric power adjustable seat went full forward and the electric power adjustable steering wheel went full down. This happened in seconds. The engine was not running. I thought I was going to be crushed by the steering wheel. I have a small frame. If I were a bigger person, I would have sustained a crushing chest injury or death. With the seat full forward and the steering wheel full down with great difficult I wiggled my way out of my Corvette. My Corvette is scheduled for diagnostic / repair on 11 Apr 23 at Criswell Chevrolet in Thurmont, MD. I have notified GM customer support and provided this narrative to them on 6 Apr 23.

NHTSA ODI 11515883

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that the wheels were cracking from the inside. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the wheels needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 11497475

Started loosing tire pressure on L/R tire, local tire shop informed and showed me that my left rear rim has a crack which causes loos of air. This is a known issue that GM wants to blame on drivers but issue stems from GM using cheaper cast aluminum materials instead of forged materials which are better suited due to the amount of torque that the ZO6 models generated. *Note* GM used forged material on their ZR1 models!!

NHTSA ODI 11491451

Since the vehicle was new, it has exhibited a transmission shake or shudder that is especially noticeable when the Active Fuel Management is active. The vehicle was serviced by Chevrolet under warranty on Dec. 5, 2017, for a transmission shake and/or shudder repair using the flush methods described in Bulletin No. 18-NA-355, but it has continued to exhibit a transmission shake or shudder. My local Chevrolet dealership has now diagnosed the vehicle as having a torque converter with excessive slippage and recommended a replacement torque converter at a cost of $3,450 including parts and labor, or a total transmission replacement at a cost of $8,100. My vehicle currently has 24,473 miles on the odometer. A major transmission component should not fail in less than 25,000 miles on a modern flagship vehicle used for light, non-everyday driving from a leading U.S. auto manufacturer.

NHTSA ODI 11486165

Transmission shudder a low acceleration. Requires Triple Transmission flush. Vehicle is 2016 Model with 10500 miles GM refused any responsibility. GM was aware they had an issue with the transmission fluid. It has gone through two reformulations to correct the issue.

NHTSA ODI 11467156

Vehicle has less than 8k miles and right rear wheel has a stress fracture on inside of wheel. Zero signs of damage to the tire or anything indicating cause of fracture was from a road hazard. Fracture causes a slow air leak. Hundreds if not 1000s of corvette owners 2015-2019 have had this issue.

NHTSA ODI 11459678

Rear rims (20 by 12, cast aluminum) have both cracked with no trauma to the rim other than simply driving the car on the street. Right rear has been repaired multiple times and has now cracked right beside the repaired cracks. The left rear has cracked on the inside by the bead and with two wheels cracked and leaking air, I have ended up ordering two new rims from GM. I put some tire sealant in the left rear and that slowed down the slow leak while the new rims were being delivered. I have talked about this many times with the dealer and with GM, and they say I must have caused the cracks by my driving, which doesn't make sense to me. They say sue me and point out that you, the NTHSA, haven't ordered the rims recalled. These are now the seventh and eighth cracks that have developed on my rear rims, three different rims. One original lasted 27,000 miles before the first crack. The replacement original for that first rim lasted about 7,000 miles before the first crack. The last original rim of the same size on the back lasted 37,500 miles before the first crack appeared. I bought a 1978 Corvette new with forged aluminum rims and drove it some 150,000 miles with no rim cracking problems and I drove a 2001 Corvette Z06 that I bought used for over 100,000 miles over the same roads I've now driving my 2016 Corvette on and had not a single rim cracking problem (again, forged aluminum rims on that). I have had no cracking problems with the front 19 by 10 cast aluminum rims, so it sure appears to be the rear rim cracks are because of defects in the casting process. GM make the choice to go with cast aluminum rims instead of the stronger forged aluminum, and I don't take exception to their design choice as long as the rims hold up to everyday driving stresses. The rim cracks historically expand over time and ignoring them could, in the dealer's estimation, result in catastrophic rim failure resulting in a serious accident and potential driver fatality.

NHTSA ODI 11456523

Rear rim (20 inch by 12 inch, cast aluminum) cracked in two places. These are the fifth and sixth cracks I've had in two rear rims. Reported it to the dealer and they effectively said "sue GM", won't help me. When the rim cracks, the tire looses air pressure and the car's sensors tell me the air pressure is low. These cracks appear on the inside of the rear wheels without any trauma to the rim. I do have the rim available for inspection upon request. Obviously a cracked rim could result in the rim coming apart while I'm driving resulting in an uncontrollable car and an accident that could be life threatening. Mileage at the moment is 37,201. Pictures of the original cracking were sent to a metalurgy professor who opined the rim was obviously defective. GM refuses to acknowledge the cracking issue with these Z06 rims and now won't even find me a replacement rim.

NHTSA ODI 11441072

All 4 rims were all bent when tires were replaced a few months ago and Americas tire found that there were several cracks in the rims with only 25,000 miles on the car. Looking through the corvette forum, thousands of people have had the same problem. This is a huge safety concern with this fast of a car.

NHTSA ODI 11437735