CONSUMER DISSATISFIED WITH RECALL REPAIRS. 2004 CORVETTE STEERING COLUMN WOULD MAKE A HUMMING NOISE WHEN TURNING AFTER ENGINE WAS WARM. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH HIS VEHICLE UNTIL AFTER SHE TOOK IN TO TO BE SERVICED FOR THE RECALL. *JB
2004 Chevrolet Corvette complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2004 record →
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT AT 10 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS MANUALLY ADJUSTED TO A STRAIGHT POSITION, IT CONTINUED TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE THEN MADE A 270 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR POLICE REPORT TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE STEERING LINKAGE FAILED AT THE KNUCKLE. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER READ THE BLACK BOX AND DETERMINED THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE IMPACT WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V273000, REGARDING THE STEERING LINKAGES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
ENGINE OIL LEAK L/H FRONT OF OIL PAN LEAKING OIL. GM VOIDED WARRANTY. *NM
SHIFTER POPS-OUT OF REVERSE WHEN FULLY ENGAGED IN REVERSE THE SHIFTER POPS OUT. THIS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND HAS TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND NOT THE SHIFTER, ALTHOUGH IT IS SLOPPY ALSO. *NM
CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AFTER HIGH OR LOW RPM THE CLUTCH REMAINED ENGAGED. WAS ABLE TO WORK IT LOOSE AFTER RECYLING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. *NM
THE SO-CALLED "FIX" GM HAS FOR THE 1997-2004 CORVETTE COLUMN LOCK PROBLEM DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. IT MERELY PUTS A BAND-AID ON THE PROBLEM TO PROTECT THEM FROM LAWSUITS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN BE ALLOWED BY LAW. I HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO AN AFTERMARKET PART TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND CHOSE TO IGNORE THE RECALL DUE TO THIS SITUATION. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THIS. GM SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AND I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PROPER REPAIR I EXECUTED TO THE CAR. *JB
PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD MY CAR ON A HILL IN NEUTRAL. MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER HAD FOUR ATTEMPTS BUT IS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER THEN SAID THAT THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT INTENDED TO HOLD THE CAR BUT ONLY TO ASSIST. SAM DANIEL FROM THE NHTSA TOLD ME TO PUT IN A COMPLAINT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE STANDARD FOR PARKING BRAKES IS TO HOLD ON A 30 DEGREE HILL FOR 5 MINUTES.*JB
THIS IS STATED ON MY WORK ORDER AS "GENERIC RECALL".ON DATE BELOW I TOOK MY 04 CORVETTE TO THE DEALER FOR THIS WORK TO BE DONE. THE C-5 GENERATION HAS HAD CHRONIC PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUING TO BE LOCKED AFTER INSERTING THE KEY. MANY MOTORISTS HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN BAD SITUATIONS WITH THIS FEATURE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE AUTO. TRANS. THAT REMOVED THE PLATE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN SO THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NO LONGER LOCK. THE WISDOM BEING THE VEHICLE WOULD BE IN PARK ANYWAY AND NOT EASY TO STEAL. WHAT THEY DID FOR US WITH STRAIGHT SHIFTS WAS REPROGRAM IT SO IF THE COLUMN LOCKED UP THE FUEL WOULD BE SHUT OFF. I WANT TO STATE AT THIS POINT MY CAR HAS NOT LOCKED UP 13,00 MILES BUT I DON'T LIKE THE ODDS BEING AGAINST ME. WE ARE DEALING WITH A RELAY AND A SLIDING PIN THAT HAS A HISTORY OVER TIME BEING PROBLEMATIC. THERE ARE PRODUCTS ON THE AFTER MARKET THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE PURCHASED BUT I AM RELUCTANT TO BUY ONE MY SELF BECAUSE I'VE HEARD 1 THEY WON'T WORK IF YOU HAVE LET THE DEALER DO THE REPROGRAMMING 2 THEY COULD SCREW UP THE COMPUTER AT BIG$$$$ OR 3 IF THIS [XXX] THING EVER LOCKS UP WITH ME AT SPEED I WANT G M TOTALLY ON THE HOOK .GM WANTS TO SAY THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE BUT IF THERE IS SOMETHING WITH A CAR THAT OVER TIME HAS PROVED TO STRAND PEOPLE IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT SAFE TO BE STRANDED IN THE TIMES WE LIVE IN YOUR SAFETY IS INVOLVED. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW I LOOK AT THIS. LETS SAY I KNOWINGLY HAVE A TIRE THAT HAS A SLOW LEAK AND I DON'T
DT: ELECTRIC SEAT SHOVED CONSUMER INTO STEERING WHEEL. THE SEAT'S MOTOR CONTINUED TO PUSH THE CONSUMER FORWARD EVEN AFTER THE SEAT HAD GOTTEN TO END OF IT'S TRACK. IT WAS HARD TO UNHOOK THE FUSE IN ORDER TO STOP SEAT MOTOR. ON JULY 2, 2005 THE CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE COMPUTER WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
1) I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET RECALL INFORMATION PROCESSING CENTER ON MAY 13, 2004. THE RECALL IS # 04006 - ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEM. THIS RECALL WAS STARTED ON FEB. 9, 2004 ACCORDING TO YOUR SITE. 2) I PURCHASE THE 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE COUP ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2004. I QUESTION CHEVROLET'S COMMITMENT TO SAFETY. ISSUEING A RECALL IN FEB. OF 2004 AND NOT BOTHERING TO REPAIR THE DEFECT WELL THE CAR WAS IN THEIR TOTAL CONTROL FOR 8 MONTHS, THEN SELLING ME THE CAR KNOWING FULL WELL THE DEFECT HAD NOT BE FIX, THEN WAITING ANOTHER 9 MONTHS TO NOTIFY ME. I CONTACED THE DEALER ON MAY 16, 2005, TO SEE IF THE CAR HAD THE RECALL DEFECT REPAIRED. IT HAD NOT. SO CHEVROLET HAS WAITED A TOTAL OF 17 MONTHS. NOT EXACTLY A CONSUMER ADVOCATE FOR SAFETY TO THE DRIVING PUBLIC. 3)ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS WORK CAN ONLY BE DONE DURING THE WEEK, NOT A WEEKEND. SO NOW, I HAVE TO MISS A DAY OF WORK FOR A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE I EVEN PURCHASED THE CAR. NOW I KNOW WHY CHEVROLET ALWAYS SENDS OUT A SATIFSFACTION QUESTIONAIRE 30 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW MOST OF THEIR VEHICLES SHOULD LAST THAT LONG. I'M SURE I WILL NOT GET ONE AFTER A YEAR HAS PASTED.
I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 ZO6 CORVETTE IN NOVEMBER OF 2003. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 1510 MILES ON IT AND I AM AFRAID OF THE SAFETY OF THE CAR TO DRIVE IT SINCE THE 2 EPISODES OF A SAFETY DEFECT AS DESCRIBED BELOW.*AK WAS NOTIFIED BY GENERAL MOTORS OF A RECALL NOTICE, 04006 ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK SYSTEM, ONCE IN APRIL AND ONCE IN SEPTEMBER. CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE RECALL FIXED BOTH TIME AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TOOL TO INSTALL THE PART THAT FIXES THE PROBLEM IS ON BACK ORDER UNTIL JANUARY 2005. TWICE WHILE DRIVNG THE CAR THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING NARROWLY AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS ABOUT THE SITUATION AND MY CONCERN OF THE CAR EVER BEING SAFE AND MY INABILITY TO TRUST DRIVING THE CAR AT ANY SPEED SINCE BEING SUBJECT TO THIS TYPE OF PERFORMANCE. THEY DISCUSSED BUYING THE CAR BACK WITH REGIONAL MANAGERS OF WHICH THEY DECLINED TO DO SO. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR SINCE APRIL OF 2004 TO PRESENT DAY BECAUSE OF THE 2 EPISODES OF THE LOCKING STEERING COLUMN. I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR COULD NOT CONSCIENELY SELL OR TRADE IT WITHOUT WONDERING IF ANYTHING RESULTED IN HARM OR DEATH TO AN INNOCENT PERSON. I FEEL GM SHOULD BUY THE CAR BACK AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
GAS TANK LEAK .. BRAND NEW CAR 2004 CORVETTE... GAS WAS LEAKING FROM THE CROSSOVER PIPE ( WHAT DEALER SAID ) NEEDED TO REPLACE THIS AND THE LEFT SIDE GAS TANK. TOOK 25 DAYS TO FIX NO PARTS. BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON. THIS LEAKED ABOUT A GALLON OR MORE ON MY GARAGE FLOOR COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS I HAVE A GAS HOT WATER HEATER AND THERE IS A PILOT LIGHT. FUMES WERE CONSIDERABLE WHEN DISCOVERED. ALSO LEAKED GAS WHILE DRIVING WITH DRIPPING AND NOTICEABLE GAS. *AK
THE PRESENT SAFETY RECALL OF LATE MODEL CORVETTES TO RECTIFIY A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC STEERING LOCK WHILE TRAVELLING DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE SAFETY RISK IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. GM'S SOLUTION FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES IS TO SHUT OFF GAS TO THE ENGINE INSTEAD OF REMOVING THE COLUMN LOCK PLATE (AS IN THE RECALL FOR THE AUTOMATICS). THE STEERING ON CARS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS CAN STILL LOCK UP WHILE TRAVELLING AT HIGH SPEED - EVEN AFTER THE GM RECALL FIX. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE - THIS IS STILL A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS CONDITION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BY THE RECALL.*AK
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE GAS TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
SMELL GAS ODOR OUTSIDE THE CAR, MOSTLY ON THE DRIVER SIDE. GAS LEAKS FOUND BY THE DEALERSHIP ON THE DRIVERSIDE FUEL TANK, SEAL ON THE FUEL PUMP, AND THE INTERCONNCTING HOSES FOR BOTH TANK. ALL PARTS REPLACED.*AK
THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL# 04V060000 WHICH STATES THAT ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEMS (ECL), WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO ?LOCK,? THE ECL 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. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NM
I HAVE A BRAND NEW 2004 CORVETTE 1 1/2 MONTHS OLD WITH ONLY 1341 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING HOME IN RUSH HOUR DALLAS TRAFFIC ON A VERY BUSY FAST MOVING ROAD, MY ENGINE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR & WAS IN A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION RISKING THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING REAR ENDED. LUCKILY A POLICEMAN CAME BY AND PARKED BEHIND ME TO SHIELD ME FROM THE TRAFFIC. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE GM DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (RAY HUFFINES CHEVROLET OF PLANO) IS ACTING LIKE IT IS NO BIG DEAL. THEY SAID IT IS THE FUEL PUMP & THEY WILL REPLACE IT WHEN THEY CAN GET A FUEL PUMP AND IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, TO BRING IT BACK. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN & I WOULD BE ON THE FREEWAY, I MORE THAN LIKELY WOULD NOT BE ALIVE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK IN. I DRIVE 50+ MILES A DAY TO & FROM WORK MOSTLY FREEWAY DRIVING. I FEEL THE DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO PUT MY LIFE IN JEOPARDY. I WANT MY MONEY BACK AND OUT OF THIS CAR. IN RESEARCHING, I HAVE FOUND THAT 127,000 2004 CORVETTES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR STEERING PROBLEMS. I WAS NEVER ADVISED OF THIS WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR OR OF ANY FUEL PUMP ISSUES. I HAVE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW CAR EVERY 3 YEARS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS & I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH A BRAND NEW $50,000 CAR AND I HAVE OWNED 280ZX, 300ZX, RX7, SUPRA, AND LEXUS. I NEED HELP FROM GM OR SOMEONE TO RESOLVE THIS. *JB
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2004 Chevrolet Corvette → · Every Corvette year → · How the figures are calculated →