2002 Chevrolet Corvette Tires & Wheels Problems

NOTICED A SLIGHT VIBRATION COMING FROM REAR OF CAR WHEN DRIVING ON A PAVED SMOOTH ROAD AT 65 MPH. UPON LATER INSPECTION, I DISCOVERED A 2" LONG CRACKED LR WHEEL THE CRACK IS LOCATED AT THE BASE OF ONE OF 5 SLENDER SPOKES WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE BARREL OF THE WHEEL. ANY RETAILER WHO LISTS THIS 18" FORGED ALUMINUM WHEEL IS OUT OF STOCK AS THIS UPGRADED WHEEL WAS UNDER-DESIGNED FOR THE LOADING THAT HAPPENS TO A HIGH PERFORMANCE VEHICLE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE C5 CORVETTES AND COULD RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT AT HIGH INTERSTATE SPEEDS.

RUN FLAT TIRE WENT FLAT, COULD NOT FIND LEAK IN TIRE. FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS CRACKED RIM. SINCE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED, THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT. GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THIS LIABILITY, IT SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM INVOLVING THOUSANDS OF C5 CORVETTES. PROACTIVE RECALL MAY SAVE LIVES !! *TR

BOTH REAR WHEELS ARE CRACKED AND WILL NOT HOLD AIR FOR MORE THAN A DAY! AFTER CONTACTING GENERAL MOTORS ABOUT THE PROBLEM THEY STATED THAT THERE ARE NO RECALL'S ON THESE WHEELS. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR THESE WHEELS CAN BRAKE AT ANY TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPOKES ON BOTH REAR WHEELS HAD CRACKED. AS A RESULT, BOTH REAR TIRES WOULD LOSE AIR. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT REPLACED BOTH REAR WHEELS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

TL* THE OCNTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A CRACK ALONG SIDE THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WHEEL WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MIELAGES WERE 29,000.

LR TIRE BEGAN LOOSING AIR (OVERNIGHT WHILE SITTING IN MY GARAGE), I FILLED THE TIRE ONLY TO FIND IT LOW AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TIRE SHOP EXPECTING TO FIND A NAIL IN THE TREAD, NO HOLES WERE FOUND IN THE TIRE SO THE TECHNICIAN SPRAYED HIS SOLUTION ON THE RIM ONLY TO FIND AIR LEAKING FROM A CRACK IN THE CHROME RIM. FURTHER INVESTIGATION UNCOVERED MULTIPLE CRACKS ON THE RIMS AT THE REAR OF THE CAR WHERE THE SPOKES ATTACHED TO THE RIM. I THOUGHT IF THESE RIMS ARE IN THIS CONDITION THERE MUST BE MORE. THIS CAR IS IN BRAND NEW CONDITION 27,000 MILES GARAGE KEPT AND WELL CARED FOR. THE MANAGER AT PALMEN'S CHEVROLET SENT PICTURES TO CHEVROLET WITH AN EXPLANATION NO BRUISES ON THE RIM NO IDEA OF HOW IT HAPPENED. I AM GUESSING BAD HEAT TREATMENT, CHEVROLET TOLD ME I AM ON MY OWN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER?S SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT. IN ADDITION, BOTH REAR WHEELS WERE CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 27,000. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS LOSING AIR. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL SHOP, TO SEE IF THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE TIRE. THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT SEE A HOLE. HOWEVER, A CLOSER EXAMINATION REVEALED, AIR WAS LEAKING THROUGH CRACKS IN THE WHEEL, WHERE THE SPINDLE ATTACHED TOT HE RIM. MORE CRACKS WERE FOUND AND BOTH REAR RIMS WERE CRACKING IN THE SAME FASHION. UPDATED 09/06/12

TOOK MY 2002 CORVETTE INTO DEALER BECAUSE LEFT REAR TIRE KEEPS GOING FLAT. WAS SHOWN WHERE THE WHEEL HAS THREE CRACKS OF WHICH ONE WAS ALLOWING AIR TO LEEK. WAS ADVISED IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AT MY EXPENSE OF COURSE.THEY COULD NOT TELL ME HOW THIS HAPPEN. THE CAR ISN'T TAKE OUT IN RAIN OR SNOW AND HAS NOT HIT ANY WHOLES. *TR

ALUMINUM WHEELS OF SPEEDLINE MANUFACTURE AS SUPPLIED ON GM CORVETTES EXHIBIT CRACKS IN PARTS OF THE STRUCTURE SERIOUSLY COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLES. PREDOMINANT MODEL YEARS AFFECTED ARE THE 2002-2004 SERIES. THE WHEELS ARE IDENTIFIED AS THE THIN-SPOKE DESIGN. THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG CAN BE FOUND IN COMPLAINTS ON THE "CORVETTE FORUM". SOMETIMES FAILURE IS REFERENCED BY A LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE DUMB LUCK INSPECTION. MUST THERE BE DEATHS BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN? *TR

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVY CORVETTE. BOTH OF THE 18" REAR WHEELS HAVE CRACKS AT THE CORNERS OF THE FIVE SPOKES. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. THE FRONT WHEELS ARE 17", THERE ARE NO APPARENT CRACKS ON THE FRONT WHEELS. THESE ARE FACTORY WHEELS WITH ORIGINAL TIRES, NO ABUSIVE DRIVING SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. *TR

2002 CORVETTE RIGHT REAR WHEEL CRACKED. RPO CODE QF5 STYLE WHEELS. IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE STYLE WHEELS. CAR HAS APPROX 75,000 MILES ON IT WITH NO OTHER DAMAGE OR ABUSE TO CAR OR WHEEL. DISCOVERED VIA TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR INDICATING TIRE WAS FLAT. ON INSPECTION THE WHEEL WAS CRACKED THROUGH RIM WHICH RESULTED IN THE FLAT TIRE. *TR

2002 CORVETTE WHEELS CRACKING SPOKE UNDER DURESS WITH NOT EVEN 30,000 MILES ON WHEELS ALOT OF CORVETTE OWNERS HAVE THIS COMPLAINT CHEVY NEED TO RECALL BEFORE IT CAUSE A LOSS OF LIFE! *TR

WHEEL HAS A MAJOR CRACK. *TR

LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING FOR "RIGHT REAR" ON MY 2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. INSPECTION OF THE REMOVED TIRE AND "POLISHED ALUMINUM" WHEEL INDICATE A CRACK IN ONE OF THE SPOKES WHERE IT JOINS THE OUTSIDE OF THE WHEEL. A COMPLETE FAILURE COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS CONDITION INVOLVING PROPERTY DAMAGE, PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR DEATH. *TR

2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE COUPE. ORIGINAL POLISHED ALUMINUM 5-SPOKE WHEELS ARE DEVELOPING STRESS FRACTURES SEPARATING SPOKES FROM THE RIMS AND LEAKING AIR FROM TIRES. I REPLACED WITH SAME TYPE WHEELS FROM UNKNOWN YEAR'S CORVETTE. I FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT CAUSES ANY ACCIDENT. *TR

THIS CAR HAS HAD A PRIOR CRACKED RIM THAT WAS REPLACED OUT OF POCKET. NOW A SECOND RIM CRACKED. THERE ARE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE RIMS ON THE 2000-2004 CORVETTES MADE THAT HAVE NOT FOR WHAT EVER REASON SEEM TO NOT BE ADDRESSED BY THIS AGENCY BECAUSE THERE ARE NO RELATED DEATHS OR INJURIES. THERE IS LARGE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ON THE CORVETTE FORUMS AND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM AN EMAIL WHICH THE POSTER CLAIMS WAS SENT OUT BY NHTSA "CURRENTLY THERE ARE 9 REPORTS OF WHEELS CRACKING INVOLVING MODEL YEARS 2001 AND 2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE VEHICLES IN OUR DATABASE. HOWEVER, AVAILABLE DATA INDICATES THAT THE CRACKS ARE MINOR AND THAT THERE NO REPORTS OF A DRIVER LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO CRACK WHEELS. THUS, THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROBLEM. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE IS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO WARRANT OPENING A SAFETY DEFECT INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME. THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE PROVIDED HAS BEEN ENTERED INTO OUR DATABASE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND WILL TAKE FARTHER ACTION AS NECESSARY." I MYSELF NOW HAVE A SECOND RIM THAT IS CRACKED AND GM IS REFUSING TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT DUE TO NON WARRANTY. DESPITE THE TSB 070310003 FROM NHTSA ITEM NUMBER : 10021451. IS IT THE POSITION OF NHTSA AND GM THAT A CRACKED RIM IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT IS OK TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE AT POSTED SPEEDS IN TEXAS UP TO 80 MILES PER HOUR WITH CRACKED RIMS? IS IT THE POSITION OF NHTSA THAT UNTIL THERE IS A LOSS OF LIFE OR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY THAT THERE IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD OR IT IS NOT WORTH THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE AND RECALL THESE RIMS? *TR

2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE WITH LESS THAN 43,000 MILES HAS STRESS CRACKS IN REAR WHEELS. RIMS HAVE NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE & HAVE NOT BEEN IN ACCIDENT. FOUND PROBLEM DUE TO TIRE PRESSURE LOSS COMING FROM BOTH REAR RIMS. CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION(WEEKEND DRIVING). *TR

THE RIGHT REAR OEM FORGED ALUMINUM WHEEL ON THE 2002 CORVETTE HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK. DISCUSSION OF THIS CORVETTE WHEEL CRACKING ISSUE ON VARIOUS WEB FORUMS HAS INDICATED THAT MANY OF THESE SAME OEM CORVETTE WHEELS HAVE CRACKED. I CONSIDER THIS CRACKED WHEEL UNSAFE SINCE IT COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC WHEEL FAILURE AND AN ACCIDENT.*AK

VEHICLE (2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE) RIM CRACKING, NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL RIMS. *JB

RIGHT REAR STOCK RIM ON A 2002 CORVETTE COUPE IS CRACKED. CAR ONLY HAS 33,000 MILES ON IT. I WILL HAVE TO GET A NEW RIM IN ORDER TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR