IllustrationVERY STRONG FUEL SMELL IF THE FUEL TANK IS 3/4 TO COMPLETELY FULL. I HAVE FILLED THE TANK UP AND HAVE DRIVEN IT, PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE, AND THEN THE NEXT MORNING THE GARAGE SMELLS LIKE FUEL. VERY STRONG ODOR.
2008 Chevrolet Corvette
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Corvette years
Owner complaints for the 2008 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
810–25K
12825–50K
11350–75K
5475–100K
28100–150K
10150K+
414 reports with mileage · 126 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.
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 356 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 39 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 reports2 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
540 reportsFUEL LEAKS, FUEL FUMES AND STRONG GAS ODOR DUE TO DEFECTIVE OEM FUEL SENDER UNIT INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING SEVERE ISSUE THAT PLAGUES MOST 2008 CORVETTES, AND AHEAD.
USING ACCESSORIES FUNCTION, SHORTS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OUT: WITH THE CAR ENGINE OFF, I TURN ON ACCESSORIES, PLAY THE RADIO, ETC. WHEN THE ACCESSORIES ENDS ITS CYCLE AND SHUTS-OFF THE CAR WILL NOT START. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM SHUNTS/SHORTS OUT, NOTHING OPERATES UNTIL THE BATTERY IS BLED DOWN. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUING PROBLEM
WHEN TANK IS FILLED WITH FUEL THERE IS A TREMENDOUS STRONG GAS SMELL. THIS SMELL LASTS UNTIL ABOUT HALF THE FUEL IS USED. GAS CAP IS PROPER AND UNAFFECTED. THE SMELL IS STRONG REGARDLESS IF THE VEHICLE IS SETTING STILL OR IN MOTION. SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE 2008 C6 CORVETTES.
MY 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE SMELL OF GAS VAPOR WHEN I FILL IT UP I NOTICE THE SMELL WHEN PARK IT IN THE GARAGE I NOTICE THE SMELL ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO
I OWN A 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 BASE MODEL WITH CURRENTLY ABOUT 62,000 MILES. IT HAS NOW HAD 11 STEERING RACK FAILURES SINCE I BOUGHT IT USED IN AUGUST 2013 AT 18,000 MILES. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY SINCE AUGUST 14, 2017 ' AS OF THIS WEEK THAT'S 6 MONTHS IN THE SHOP WITHOUT NORMAL USE OF THE CAR. TO HAVE…
Read full complaint
I OWN A 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C6 BASE MODEL WITH CURRENTLY ABOUT 62,000 MILES. IT HAS NOW HAD 11 STEERING RACK FAILURES SINCE I BOUGHT IT USED IN AUGUST 2013 AT 18,000 MILES. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY SINCE AUGUST 14, 2017 ' AS OF THIS WEEK THAT'S 6 MONTHS IN THE SHOP WITHOUT NORMAL USE OF THE CAR. TO HAVE THIS MANY MAJOR SAFETY-RELATED PARTS FAILURES OVER 4 YEARS AT NORMAL USE (@ 10,000 MILES / YEAR) IS INEXCUSABLE, FRUSTRATING, AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO DOCUMENT STEPS I HAVE TAKEN TO DIAGNOSE THIS ISSUE, THE ATTEMPTS TO INFORM GM OF THE ISSUE TO PREVENT FUTURE RISKS AND AGGRAVATION TO OTHER CUSTOMERS, TO REDUCE COST AND RISK TO GM, AND TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THE AGGRAVATION AND EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT AND TIME I HAVE HAD TO INVEST IN THIS ISSUE. THE 'OEM' RACK FROM GM PARTS FOR MY '08 CORVETTE IS PART #19330457 AND IS APPROXIMATELY $1200. THERE ARE SEVERAL HOURS OF LABOR TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE RACK AND REALIGN THE FRONT WHEELS EACH TIME IT IS REPLACED. THUS EACH REPLACEMENT JOB COSTS $2000 IN TOTAL. HAD I NOT BOUGHT A 3RD PARTY EXTENDED WARRANTY I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF POCKET OVER $10,000! IN REPAIRS ON JUST THE STEERING OF THIS CAR. IN SUM, OVER 4 YEARS MY WARRANTY COMPANY HAS PAID OVER $10,000, I HAVE PAID OVER $2000 OUT OF POCKET, AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR A TOTAL OF 8 MONTHS SO FAR ON ITS STEERING-RACK RELATED ISSUES.
FUEL PUMP FORMS LEAK ON TOP OF TANK CREATING HEAVY FUEL SMELL THAT FILLS GARAGE AND ENTERS HOME. FUEL BELIEVED TO ALSO LEAK DOWNWARD ONTO EXHAUST PIPES. OCCURS WHILE RUNNING AND FUMES OCCUR AS PARKED WITH MOTOR OFF.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (TRACTION CONTROL / ACTIVE HANDLING) SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ON. REF: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE08056
STRONG FUEL SMELL COMING FROM CAR AFTER FILLUP, SEEMS LIKE FUEL LEAK. IT FILLS UP GARAGE WITH VERY VERY VERY STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE COMING FROM THE GAS CAP, BUT SMELL IS STRONG. WORRIED THAT THE LEAK ONTO EXHAUST WILL CAUSE A FIRE
TOP OF FUEL TANK COVERED WITH RAW FUEL. DON'T KNOW EXACT SOURCE YET AS CAR IS IN REPAIR SHOP NOW. WILL FOLLOW UP WITH MORE LATER. DEPENDING ON FUEL LEVEL IN THE TANK, GAS FUMES ARE HEAVY OR LIGHT. POSSIBLE FIRE OR EXPLOSION IF LEFT IN CONFINED SPACE.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.