THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT JAMMED FOR AT LEAST THE FIFTH TIME AFTER THE DEALER INSTALLED THE CLIP REQUIRED BY THE RECALL. AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE LAST JAM. MY PASSENGER WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN INJURED WITH MORE THAN A BRUISE ON HER LEG AND A BUMP ON HER HEAD. WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR I…
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THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT JAMMED FOR AT LEAST THE FIFTH TIME AFTER THE DEALER INSTALLED THE CLIP REQUIRED BY THE RECALL. AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE LAST JAM. MY PASSENGER WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN INJURED WITH MORE THAN A BRUISE ON HER LEG AND A BUMP ON HER HEAD. WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST GEAR INTO SECOND AT ABOUT 35 MPH (ENGINE SPEED AT ABOUT 3300 RPM), THE REAR END CAME AROUND TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE CAR TO DO A 180. THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM NEVER INTERVENED AS IT HAS DONE MANY TIMES IN MUCH LESS SEVERE SITUATIONS. THE CAR THEN WENT SIDEWAYS ACROSS TRAFFIC INTO A CURB AND THEN OVER THE CURB INTO A FENCE ON THE EDGE OF AN OVERPASS. A POLICE OFFICER WAS A FEW CARS BEHIND ME AND SAW THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. IN HIS POLICE REPORT HE ESTIMATED MY SPEED AT 35 MPH. *AK
NHTSA ODI #737402
Mileage unknown · May 31, 2000
Power Train
I FIND THAT THE GEARS GRIND BETWEEN SHIFTS AT EITHER HIGH SPEED OR HIGH RPM'S. AT THE BEGINNING ONLY 5 GEAR HAD GRINDED NOW I FIND THAT GEAR 4 AND 6 GRIND. THE GRINDING OCCURS OCCURS AS THE RPM'S APPROACH 4,500 AND HIGHER. ALSO THE GEARS ALSO GRIND WHEN SPEEDS EXCEED 140KM/H OR 88 MILES/H. I HAVE ALREADY HAD 3 PRIOR MECHANIC…
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I FIND THAT THE GEARS GRIND BETWEEN SHIFTS AT EITHER HIGH SPEED OR HIGH RPM'S. AT THE BEGINNING ONLY 5 GEAR HAD GRINDED NOW I FIND THAT GEAR 4 AND 6 GRIND. THE GRINDING OCCURS OCCURS AS THE RPM'S APPROACH 4,500 AND HIGHER. ALSO THE GEARS ALSO GRIND WHEN SPEEDS EXCEED 140KM/H OR 88 MILES/H. I HAVE ALREADY HAD 3 PRIOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH MY 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. THE FIRST WAS A TRANSMISSION LINK FAILURE. THE SECOND WAS A TRANSMISSION LEAK. THE THIRD WAS A BROKEN SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TWICE DUE TO THE INCIDENTS. I FOUND COUNTLESS OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AT WWW.C5-CORVETTE.COM IT SEEMS TO BE A SYNCRO PROBLEM. NO DEALER HAS BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE MY PROBLEM TO DATE. I HAVE BEEN TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR A TOTAL OF 5 TRIPS, NO CORRECTION HAS BEEN MADE THUS FAR. *AK
NHTSA ODI #723403
Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 1999
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
NHTSA ODI #609473
Mileage unknown · May 12, 1999
Power TrainSuspension
DEALER CONTACTED TWICE, NOTHING DONE.. LETTER TO GM, TOLD TO GO BACK TO DEALER. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #706432
Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 1999
Power TrainSeat Belts
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKS (SERVICED 4 TIMES WITH MANY COMPONENTS REPLACED), PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR FAILS TO RETRACT (DEALER REPLACED)
NHTSA ODI #704442
Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 1999
Power TrainSeat Belts
PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY. ALSO, GEAR SHIFT IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 4TH, LEADING TO AN UNPREDICTABLE SLOWING OF THE VEHICLE. *AK *ML
NHTSA ODI #833776
Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 1998
Power TrainVisibility
TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. ALSO PASSENGER'S WINDOW LEAKED.
NHTSA ODI #534293
Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 1998
Power Train
AS CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HE BEGAN TO HEAR A CLICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE OR SOME WHERE UNDERNEATH. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING BROKE THAT WAS RATTLING AROUND IN THE DRIVETRAIN. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM, AND WOULD NOT RELEA…
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AS CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HE BEGAN TO HEAR A CLICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE OR SOME WHERE UNDERNEATH. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING BROKE THAT WAS RATTLING AROUND IN THE DRIVETRAIN. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM, AND WOULD NOT RELEASE VEHICLE UNTIL REPAIRS ARE MADE. DEALERSHIP CURTIOUS CHEVROLET---713-686-7777. *AK
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEMS (ECL), WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO "LOCK," THE ECL SYSTEM 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. IF VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, HOWEVER, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR AND THE VEHICLE CAN BE ACCELERATED WHILE THE STEERING SYSTEM IS LOCKED. ALSO WHEN THE CONTROL SYSTEM SHOWS THAT THE ECL IS UNLOCKED AND THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE LOCK PIN LOCATION CAN VARY. DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE LOCK PLATE RELATIVE TO THE SWITCH TRANSITION POINT, THERE COULD THEN BE CONTACT BETWEEN THE LOCK PLATE AND PIN CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING .
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL DISABLE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK BY REMOVING THE COLUMN LOCK PLATE. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WILL LOCK BUT THE STEERING COLUMN WILL NOT LOCK. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, PERFORM A DIMENSIONAL CHECK OF THE COLUMN LOCK AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE LOCK PLATE. THE STEERING COLUMN ON THESE VEHICLES WILL CONTINUE TO LOCK WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED. OWNER NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS OF 1997 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2004. OWNERS OF 1998 THROUGH 2004 VEHICLES (EXCEPT 1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED BEGINNING ON AUGUST 2, 2004. THE REMAINING OWNERS (1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED LATER IN 2004, WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Steering:column
IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device
IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
Steering
IN 2001, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ISSUED CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 1044 AND 1044A TO ADDRESS A CONDITION WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FAIL TO UNLOCK DURING THE INITIAL KEY-IN AND START-UP IN CERTAIN MY 1998-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI CONTINUED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING STEERING COLUMN LOCKUP ON CORVETTE VEHICLES.AS A RESULT, PE02-054 WAS OPENED AND LATER UPGRADED TO EA02-031 FOR MY 1997-2001 SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI'S ANALYSIS IDENTIFIED CONCERNS WITH POST-REPAIR FAILURES IN VEHICLES SERVICED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS, FAILURES IN MY 1997-2003 SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAMPAIGNS.(NOTE: THE MANUFACTURER FAILURE DATA ABOVE IS LIMITED TO MY 1997-2003 VEHICLES THROUGH 10/17/2003.)ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004, GM NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY 1997-2004 CORVETTE VEHCLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND MY 1997-2000 CORVETTE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS.THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT IF THE VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE FUEL SUPPLY WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO UNLOCK AND THE CUSTOMER TRIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR.AS A RESULT, THE CUSTOMER COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND THE ELECTRIC COLUMN LOCK DISABLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLES.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.
PE02054 · Steering Column Lockup
Opened Jul 1, 2002 · Closed Nov 15, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
SEE RESUME IN REPOSITORY.
EA00009 · Front Lap Belt Malfunction
Opened Mar 16, 2000 · Closed Apr 18, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
ODI OPENED THIS EA00-009 ON MARCH 16, 2000, TO CONTINUE ANALYSES BEGUN UNDER PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE99-076.THE ALLEGED DEFECT: LAP BELT WEBBING IN BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TENDS TO FOLD OVER WHILE ENTERING THE RETRACTOR OPENING.THESE FOLDS FREQUENTLY IMPEDE PROPER WEBBING RETRACTION.IF THE RETRACTOR HAS BEEN INADVERTENTLY TOGGLED INTO AUTOMATIC LOCK RETRACTOR (ALR) MODE BY BEING EXTENDED TO ITS FULL LENGTH, IT MAY FAIL TO RESET ITSELF TO THE NORMAL EMERGENCY LOCK RETRACTOR (ELR) MODE.SUCH A CONDITION HAS BEEN SHOWN TO RENDER THE ACTIVE RESTRAINT UNUSABLE.CONCLUSION: GM WILL REMEDY THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN 71,569 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO AUGUST 1999 BY ADDING WEBBING GUIDE INSERTS TO THE LAP RETRACTOR OPENINGS OF BOTH SEATING POSITIONS TO PREVENT THE ADMISSION OF FOLDED WEBBING ONTO THE RETRACTOR SPOOL.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN CLOSED.
PE99076 · Front Lap Belt Malfunction
Opened Dec 10, 1999 · Closed Mar 16, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE99066 · Steering Column Lock Module
Opened Nov 8, 1999 · Closed Jul 21, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
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