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2003 Chevrolet Corvette

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Corvette do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.

About this comparison →
85Owner complaints

Model-year median: 29

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
277
2000203
2001157
200285
2003217
2004532
2005365
2006
Compare all Corvette years →

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

What owners reported most

Steering
32Electrical System
15Power Train
11Electronic Stability Control (esc)
10Fuel/propulsion System
8
All reported categories
Structure
6Engine And Engine Cooling
5Seat Belts
4Service Brakes
4Suspension
4Air Bags
3Service Brakes, Hydraulic
3Exterior Lighting
2Fuel System, Gasoline
2Seats
2Traction Control System
2Unknown Or Other
2Wheels
2Engine
1Equipment
1Fuel System, Other
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Tires
1Vehicle Speed Control
1Visibility
1

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

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

66 reports with mileage · 19 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 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

2 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2017
Electrical SystemService BrakesUnknown Or Other

I BOUGHT THIS CORVETTE TO CELEBRATE THE DEFEAT OF BEAT CANCER. I DREAMED OF OWNING A CORVETTE SINCE I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, I'VE EXPERIENCED SO MUCH HEARTACHE, I FIGURED, I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY GOOD YEARS LEFT, I MIGHT AS WELL, GIVE MY DREAM A CHANCE, HA!! NO, INSTEAD IT HAS BEEN A NIGHT MARE, IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZIER THAN I W…

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I BOUGHT THIS CORVETTE TO CELEBRATE THE DEFEAT OF BEAT CANCER. I DREAMED OF OWNING A CORVETTE SINCE I WAS 10 YEARS OLD, I'VE EXPERIENCED SO MUCH HEARTACHE, I FIGURED, I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY GOOD YEARS LEFT, I MIGHT AS WELL, GIVE MY DREAM A CHANCE, HA!! NO, INSTEAD IT HAS BEEN A NIGHT MARE, IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZIER THAN I WAS, ABOUT TO CAUSE ME A DIVORCE, HAD ELECTRICAL ISSUES SINCE DAY ONE!! HAS BEEN WORKED ON NUMEROUS TIMES BY ALLEN, THE CROOK I BOUGHT IT FROM, A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO DIDN'T WANT TO "GET INVOLVED", A DEALER IN OWENSBORO KY, WHO DIDN'T WANT ME TO DRIVE IT HOME FOR SAFETY REASONS, HOWEVER, THAT'S OVER 2 HOURS FROM HOME AND I HAD NO CHOICE, BUT, A TRUE GM DEALERSHIP, AND 1 OF THE BIGGEST GM DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA IN BENTON KY, TWICE, THE FIRST TIME WHEN I PICKED IT UP, I WENT STRAIGHT TO MY BANK PTFCU, AND IT DIED THERE AND I HAD TO HAVE A WRECKER TAKE IT BACK!! BUT MIKE REID AT COUNTRY CHEVROLET, AS WELL AS LARRY STOVESAND IN PADUCAH KY, BOTH, KNOW BEYOND THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT THE CAR WAS WATER DAMAGE, ALL 3 DEALERS HAVE WITHHELD THAT DOCUMENTATION FROM ME, BUT MIKE REID DID TELL MY HUSBAND HE CAME OUT OF HIS OFFICE TO LOOK FOR HIMSELF AND YES, THERE WAS WATER DAMAGE. HOWEVER, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, THEY DON'T WANT TO "GET INVOLVED" !! JIMMY ALLEN HAS CAUSED ME ALLOT OF MONEY I DIDN'T HAVE BECAUSE A LAWYER TOOK MY MONEY, MAILED JIMMY ALLENS ATTORNEY BEFORE HE DID ME A LETTER SAYING I NO LONGER HAD REPRESENTATION, WHEN ALLEN WAS SUPPOSED TO BUY IT BACK MONTHS AGO. I HAD TO GO TO CHUCK HUTTON IN MEMPHIS TN, TO EVEN GET A REAL CARFAX, THE SERVICE DEPT TOLD ME THEY GOT RID OF IT AFTER 1 DAY BECAUSE OF SO MANY PROBLEMS, AND THAT IT HAD BEEN PAID OFF IN A SETTLEMENT, TWICE!! THE CAR IS THE DEVIL, I'M CONVINCED, AND IT'S BEEN WRECKED IN FRONT LEFT AND REAR LEFT WITH ODOMETER FRAUD.

NHTSA ODI #10960181

56,592 miles · Dec 29, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingSteeringStructureCrash

ACCIDENT ON 8/9/2008 FRONT IMPACT HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN VIRGINA, 2/2/2011 ACCIDENT LEFT SIDE IMPACT HIT A CURB, AND AN OBJECT. 12/15/2011 CONSUMER BOUGHT. FOUND OUT THAT COOLING FAN HAS BEEN GLUED, COOLING FAN HAS BEEN WIRED WHICH MAKES THE FAN TO BE ALWAYS ON, AIR FILTER MISSING BOLTS, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND CAR GIVES ERROR …

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ACCIDENT ON 8/9/2008 FRONT IMPACT HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN VIRGINA, 2/2/2011 ACCIDENT LEFT SIDE IMPACT HIT A CURB, AND AN OBJECT. 12/15/2011 CONSUMER BOUGHT. FOUND OUT THAT COOLING FAN HAS BEEN GLUED, COOLING FAN HAS BEEN WIRED WHICH MAKES THE FAN TO BE ALWAYS ON, AIR FILTER MISSING BOLTS, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND CAR GIVES ERROR MESSAGE AND THEN JUST STOPS, INFORMED DEALER AND THEY STATED JUST TO DOUBLE CLICK UNLOCK B/C IS JUST A SECURITY ISSUE. CAR WAS SOLD WITH BROKEN RACK AND PINION. DEALER STATED THAT IS WHY YOU BOUGHT A 18K CAR AND NOT A 60K CAR, YOU GET IT AS IS. THEY ARE USING A BBB AWARD AND ON WEBSITE THEY ARE RATED AND F. HAD ONE OF THEIR APPLICATION PROCESSORS CHECK THE CAR AND STATED EVERYTHING WAS FINE, HE DOES NOT HAVE CERTIFIED MECHANIC LICENSE AND WAS TOLD THAT ON 12/28/2011. MORE ISSUES... *KB

NHTSA ODI #10441578

Official recalls

1

04V060000 · 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

1

EA02031 · 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.