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1996 Chevrolet Corvette

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet Corvette do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 5 of 44 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports4 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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100,000 miles · Feb 23, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT HEARD A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION AND HER HOME BEGAN TO SHAKE. SHE FOUND THE VEHICLE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED PRIOR TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ARRIVAL. A POLI…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT HEARD A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION AND HER HOME BEGAN TO SHAKE. SHE FOUND THE VEHICLE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED PRIOR TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ARRIVAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REGULATOR EXPLODED DUE TO PRESSURE BUILD-UP. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. UPDATED 03/17/09. *LJ THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. UPDATED 03/18/09. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10259661

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY THERE WAS A BANGING NOISE IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE OIL FILTER POPPING OUT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, ALMOST CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH FUEL LEAKAGE OR FUEL PRESSURE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #810226

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

RQ03001 · Power Rack And Pinion Steering Failure

Opened Jan 2, 2003 · Closed Sep 15, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:rack And Pinion

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Steering

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.

Steering:rack And Pinion

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.

DP96006 · Brake Pull

Opened May 14, 1996 · Closed Oct 18, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE PETITIONS STATED THAT:WE REPRESENT THE OWNER OF A 1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE WHICH, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, SUDDENTLY, VIOLENTLY, AND UNEXPECTEDLY PULLS TO THE LEFT.THIS IS A INTERMITTENT DEFECT WHICH DOES NOT OCCUR WITH AN REGULARITY.