Illustration2002 CHEVY CORVETTE WITH DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATING. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SUSPENSION AND BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. SHE ALSO STATES THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED ENGAGED AND SHE COULD NOT DISENGAGE IT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED ALL THREE PROBLEMS SHE EXPERIENCED WERE RELATED.
2002 Chevrolet Corvette
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Corvette years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Corvette are substantially higher than the model-year median of 29.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Corvette years →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
320–25K
4425–50K
3650–75K
1175–100K
4100–150K
3150K+
130 reports with mileage · 27 unknown
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.
- Steering. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Wheels. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
157 reportsMY STEERING LOCKS UP ON MY 2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ! GMC REFUSES TO REIMBURSE ME ON THE REPAIRS. *TR
2002 CHEVY CORVETTE ACTIVE HANDLING PROBLEMS. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE BRAKES REALLY HARD WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH. HE STATES HE HAS SEEN OTHER CASES LIKE THIS BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE STEERING SENSOR IN THE COLUMN. *KB UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE …
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2002 CHEVY CORVETTE ACTIVE HANDLING PROBLEMS. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE BRAKES REALLY HARD WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH. HE STATES HE HAS SEEN OTHER CASES LIKE THIS BE FIXED BY REPLACING THE STEERING SENSOR IN THE COLUMN. *KB UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND THE MECHANIC FOUND MOISTURE IN THE RIGHT WHEEL SENSOR AND PUT GREASE IN THE CONNECTOR. *TR UPDATED 12/12/07. *JB
VEHICLE (2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE) RIM CRACKING, NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL RIMS. *JB
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 ACCID…
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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
EBCM ISSUES ON THE C5 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. GETTING ABS/AH/TC ERRORS ON DISK. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR SAFTEY REASON. *AK SEE THE LONG LIST AT CORVETTE FORUM HTTP://FORUMS.CORVETTEFORUM.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1387486
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE ELECTRONIC POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED ON A DAILY BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM A PRIVATE PARTY. THE PURCHASE DATE AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 23,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,500.
ABS MODULE FAILED WITH 33K MILES IN 02 CORVETTE THERE ARE MANY OTHER WHO HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM BUT WITH BRAKES THAT LOCK UP WITHOUT TOUCHING THE PEDAL. 18 PAGES OF PEOPLE ON CORVETTEFORUM.COM WITH EBCM (ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE) THAT ALSO SHUTS OFF TRACTION CONTROL. PARTS FAILING ON A RANGE OF MODEL YEAR CORVETTES. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 C5 CORVETTE, THE REAR RIM HAS A CRACK IN THE SPOKE. I WENT ON CORVETTE FORUM TO SEE IF OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THERE WHERE SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE. SEVERAL HAD TAKEN THERE CARS TO THE DEALERS, SOME UNDER WARRANTY SOME NOT AND GM WOULD NOT REPLACE THE RIMS. THIS LINK WAS ACTUALLY ON THE C…
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I HAVE A 2002 C5 CORVETTE, THE REAR RIM HAS A CRACK IN THE SPOKE. I WENT ON CORVETTE FORUM TO SEE IF OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THERE WHERE SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE. SEVERAL HAD TAKEN THERE CARS TO THE DEALERS, SOME UNDER WARRANTY SOME NOT AND GM WOULD NOT REPLACE THE RIMS. THIS LINK WAS ACTUALLY ON THE CORVETTE FORUM ASKING PEOPLE TO WRITE TO YOU AND POSSIBLY GET A SAFETY RECALL STARTED. I ONLY HAVE 39000 MILES 0N THE CAR. I FEEL THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE, I DIDN'T NOTICE IT UNTIL I HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME. THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE SHOULD THE RIMS COME APART ON THE HIGHWAY. CAN YOU PLEASE SEE IF OTHERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES FOR A RECALL TO BE ISSUED, BUT I FEEL OBLIGATED TO REPORT IT. *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
Official recalls
104V060000 · Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device
Feb 9, 2004
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.
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
1EA02031 · Steering Column Lockup
Opened Nov 15, 2002 · Closed Mar 11, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:column; 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.
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.