2004 Chevrolet Corvette Complaint Log

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

2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE POWER WINDOW REGULATORS KEEP FAILING. WINDOW WILL EITHER NOT ROLL DOWN AT ALL, OR SOMETIMES THE REGULATOR CABLE WILL FRAY AND WINDOW WILL PARTIALLY GO DOWN. I HAVE HAD TWO REGULATORS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE CURRENT ONE NO LONGER WORKS. AND I HAVE JUST INSTALLED THE THIRD ONE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 48,000 MILE ON IT AND IT IS BABIED. YET THESE PARTS KEEP FAILING AND THE REPAIR COST IS $550.00 PER INCIDENT. 5 REGULATORS IN UNDER 50,000 MILES SEEMS LIKE A PROBLEM TO ME SINCE I HAVE OWNED 20 CARS IN MY LIFE AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM UNTIL NOW. *TR

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.

STEERING COLUMN LOCK RECALL: DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND REPROGRAMMED AND PERFORMANCE TEST. DATE ACCOMPLISHED - AUGUST 31, 2004. APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO, THIS VEHICLE BEGAN DISPLAYING COLUMN LOCK ERROR MESSAGE "REMOVE KEY FOR 10 SECONDS" WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL IF YOU SHOULD TRY TO START IT. THE VEHICLE WILL START WITHOUT HAVING REMOVED THE KEY FOR 10 SECONDS,HOWEVER, IT WILL STALL UPON BEGINNING DRIVING. THIS MESSAGE OCCURS EVERY TIME VEHICLE IS STARTED AND MAY RECUR SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE CAR CAN BE DRIVEN. DEALER INFORMS US THAT GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOT PERFORM NECESSARY REPAIR AT THEIR COST. WE STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THIS AS IT IS A RECURRING RECALLED SAFETY CONDITION. PLEASE ADVISE ON NHTSA'S POSITION WITH REGARD TO THIS MATTER. *TR

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

I OWN A 2004 CORVETTE AND AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MANY REPORTS OF A MFG. DEFECT IN THE FUEL TANK CROSSOVER QUICK CONNECT, CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POTENTIAL FIRE, LOSS OF LIFE. "THE CROSSOVER QUICK CONNECT IS AN INJECTION MOLDED COMPONENT MOLDED AT VIKING PLASTICS USING A MATERIAL PROVIDED BY POLYONE CORP. DURING THE COMPOUNDING PROCESS AT POLYONE CORP. ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2003, POLYONE CORP. MIS-PROCESSED A 3,000 POUND BATCH OF THE CROSSOVER QUICK CONNECT MATERIAL WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY DEGRADED THE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF THE GLASS FILLED OLEFIN MATERIAL AND ULTIMATELY THE FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF THE QUICK CONNECT." "POLYONE ALSO KNOWINGLY REPORTED INCORRECT PELLET SIZE ON THE MATERIAL CERTS." SUSPECT THAT COMPONENTS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SCRAPPED, WERE RE-INTRODUCED INTO PRODUCTION ON AT LEAST TWO OTHER OCCASIONS." THIS IS FROM A GM LETTER FROM TERRY M. STONE TO DAVE REEK ON 10/08//2004 SUBJECT: FUEL LEAKS-ROOT CAUSE. ALSO IN ANOTHER LETTER PE 10-015 N100150 RESPONSE DATED JUNE 30, 2010 ON PAGE 13: "FUEL TANKS WITH SUSPECT QUICK CONNECTORS USING MATERIAL COMPOUNDED ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2003 AND JANUARY 7, 2004 WERE INSTALLED IN VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 22, 2003 THROUGH MARCH 19, 2004." "GM DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT REPRESENTS AN UNREASONABLE RISK TO VEHICLE SAFETY." I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH GM'S STATEMENT. ANY FUEL LEAK CAUSED BY A MFG. DEFECT POSES A MAJOR RISK TO VEHICLE SAFETY DUE TO THE POTENTIAL OF FIRE FROM LEAKING GAS. ONCE AGAIN, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY REPORTS OF THIS DEFECT AND I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT MY CAR COULD HAVE A DEFECTIVE GAS TANK WHICH SHOULD BE REPLACED BY GM IF A LEAK OCCURS. I ENCOURAGE THE NHTSA TO ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL OF THESE DEFECTIVE TANKS ON 2003/2004 CORVETTES/CADILLAC XLR VEHICLES BEFORE THERE IS A FIRE OR LOSS OF LIFE. UPDATED IVOQ 11/02/10 *TR

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

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 REPAIR IT THEN ONE DAY IT SUDDENLY LEAKS FAST AND I AM IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION THEN I'M REAL STUPID. WE ARE CAUGHT IN A BAD SITUATION THE FACTS ARE OUT THERE. MOST OWNERS WOULD PROBABLY BE GLAD TO SIGN A RELEASE NOT TO HOLD GM RESPONSIBLE IF OUR CAR IS STOLEN IF THEY REMOVE OUR LOCKING PLATES I KNOW I WOULD. REMEMBER THEY DID FOR THE AUTOMATICS ,THEY NEVER WOULD IF THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM . MY BIGGEST CONCERN CONTINUES TO BE CAN THIS [XXX] THING LOCK UP AT SPEED. REMEMBER MURPHY'S LAW. PLEASE HELP US . *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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

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

I HAVE A 2004 CORVETTE COUPE AND I AM HAVING A GAS SMELL OR LEAK FROM MY CROSSOVER CONNECTOR ON MY GAS TANK. AFTER READING MANY ARTICLES FROM OTHER CORVETTE OWNERS I KNOW THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS THE GAS TANK AND LEAK COMES RIGHT OVER MY DUAL EXHAUST AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING. RIGHT SIDE FUEL TANK LEAKING. *TR

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

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

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