There are 8 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Corvettein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CABIN AREA AND IN THE TRUNK AFTER FILLING THE CORVETTE WITH GASOLINE. THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE WAS AT IT'S STRONGEST SCENT WHEN THE DECK LID WAS OPEN. I STOOD ON THE REAR RIGHT OF THE CORVETTE WITH MY HEAD BARELY INSIDE THE TRUNK. SO BASICALLY REAR RIGHT SECTOR OF THE CORVETTE, JUST PASSED THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL WELL. THE CORVETTE WAS PARKED ON A LEVEL CONCRETE PAD AT THE GAS STATION. I DID NOT OVERFILL. PUMP NOZZLE STOPPED. APPROXIMATELY 14.6 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS PUMPED INTO THE CORVETTE.
MY CAR HAS 45,000 MILES. THERE IS A FUEL SMELL COMING FROM THE CAR. I ALWAYS FILL THE TANK FULL WHEN I PLAN ON NOT DRIVING IT FOR A WHILE. IF I LEAVE IT PARKED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND DON'T DRIVE IT, THE FUEL TANK WILL BE EMPTY WHEN I START IT UP. THE FUEL SMELL APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. I WILL ONLY PARK THE VEHICLE IN OPEN AREAS AND WON'T PARK IT IN A GARAGE DUE TO FEAR OF BUILD UP OF GAS FUMES.
I INHERITED MY FATHERS 2003 CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE IN JANUARY OF 2017, I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT MUCH AND IT ONLY HAS 14000 MILES ON IT. I RECENTLY FILLED IT UP AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR LONG DRIVE. THE DAY AND WEEKS FOLLOWING MY GARAGE HAS SMELLED HEAVILY OF GAS FUMES. I RECENTLY BEGAN DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THIS TOPIC AND FOUND THAT APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR MODEL CORVETTE. THE ONLINE FORUMS I HAVE READ POINT OUT THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE WHILE DRIVING AS WELL AS CREATE A EXPLOSION HAZARD IN YOUR GARAGE. ONE EVEN SUGGESTED THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND NO SUCH RECALL. I AM FEARFUL THAT IF THIS PROBLEM IS A COMMON PROBLEM SOMEONE WILL OR MAY HAVE ALREADY DIED DUE TO THIS ISSUE.
STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE AFTER FILLING THE FUEL TANK. I DO NOT SEE ANY DRIPS OR PUDDLES, BUT THE ODOR IS VERY STRONG. I DO NOT NOTICE THE ODOR WHILE DRIVING. I CAN ONLY DETECT IT IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. I HAD THE CAR PARKED IN THE GARAGE THE DAY BEFORE WITH A NEARLY EMPTY TANK, AND THERE WAS NO ODOR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH LATER VIN 2003 CORVETTE AND ALL 2004 CORVETTES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THERE WAS A STRONG FUEL ODOR PRESENT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,996.
AFTER FILLING MY GAS TANK I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND UPON WAKING IN THE MORNING THERE WERE GAS FUMES IN THE GARAGE. I STOPPED AFTER THE FIRST CLICK SO THERE WAS NO OVERFILL SITUATION. THIS IS ALSO NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED BUT THE FIRST TIME I KNEW OF THIS FORUM. *TR
I FILLED MY CAR UP WITH GAS YESTERDAY. WHEN I GOT HOME AND PARKED THE CAR, I STILL NOTICED A DISTINCT ODOR OF GASOLINE. *TR
STARTED WITH GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM 03 CORVETTE. TOOK TO DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ONE OF THE 2 GAS TANKS. UNABLE TO KNOW FOR SURE WITHOUT DROPPING THE WHOLE DRIVE TRAIN. THIS WAS DONE AND THE PLASTIC GAS TANK HAD DEVELOPED A LEAK. WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A FLAW WITH SOME PRODUCTION CORVETTES. A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR BUT ONE THAT MUST BE DONE. CANNOT HAVE GAS VAPORS ESCAPING INTO THE AIR OR CONFINED IN A GARAGE. I HAVE ALREADY HAD 1 HOUSE FIRE, DON'T NEED ANOTHER ONE. IF GM KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED IT. BUYERS SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN HARMS WAY. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026