Letters Sent Out for 2023-2024 C8 Corvettes Transmission Recalls

Getting more teething issues for the most recent Corvette, this time related to overtorqued transmission fasteners. Ouch!

The C8 Corvette represents the absolute pinnacle of GM vehicles available to most consumers. Its technology straddles the line between sports car and motorsport R&D division, being comprehensively different from its predecessor in almost every way. Generally speaking, there’s a lot of positives that come with all this fancy tech. A screaming, revvy V8 mounted just behind your head. A balanced, handsome, and relatively light chassis. And a brand-new dual-clutch transmission that shifts almost instantly.

The technology itself is generally all well-tested and proven by now; DCT’s, for example, first started really showing up in motorsports applications in the 1980s. In passenger cars, the technology’s about 20 years old now. So the transmission itself, in this case, likely isn’t at fault. The Corvette’s TR-9080, in its earliest guise, handles 590 lb/ft torque and shifts in ~100 milliseconds, according to Tremec’s product sheet. Rather, overtorqued transmission fasteners are at fault here, according to notification tickets that GM recently issued to customers. It’s not the first such letter we’ve seen, with another major hiccup being the oil issues plaguing some Z06s. But since all Corvettes share this common transmission, any and all 2023-24 owners within the affected serial number range may receive this letter. Though it’s by no means a guarantee.

GM’s Solution

Image by: improviz (Mid Engine Corvette Forum)

According to the notification, GM intends to replace all affected vehicles’ transmissions. Thankfully the warranty covers this fix through to May 31, 2026. This has certain implications attached to it, namely that a vehicle with a swapped transmission is no longer considered numbers-matching. So it’s a bit of a hit for someone where that may be a concern. However it does mean that non-swapped Corvettes of that serial number range may become a separate thing. But for the general customer, it’s essentially getting a free transmission replacement, certainly a plus in many aspects.

So far, there’s no definitive serial number range, as the fault isn’t listed on GM’s recalls. But it goes back to at least December 2022, according to this letter’s recipient from the Facebook page C8 Corvette Owners (And Friends). And we also know that it affects both Stingrays and Z06’s, thanks to a post made over on Mid Engine Corvette Forum. Which isn’t surprising given all C8 Corvette trim levels share a common transmission. Still, it’s a comprehensive fix, swapping the transmission rather than repairing or rebuilding the original. So overall a net positive for those affected by this new teething issue.

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M.C. Cuccio

I've been an automotive aficionado since I had baby teeth. My path was set when I first leaned on my grandfather's classic Porsche as I learned how to walk. One of my first memories was my mother sitting me behind the wheel of her Pontiac and talking me through the instrumentation and controls. Even though I was a mere three or four years old, I was instantly sold, and filled notebooks with technical drawings, sketches, and collections of manuals of all sorts of cars. I've actively tracked developments in automotive and motorsport technology for well over 20 years, and pride myself on being intimately familiar with the functions and history of a wide range of vehicles.