CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

C6 Corvette: Total Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins

Even though your C6 Corvette is a monster, things are bound to go wrong. We'll show you the usual suspects.

By Tom Cavanagh - January 30, 2015

This article applies to the C6 Corvette (2005-2013).

If you are reading this, chances are that you have a Corvette that you madly love or you want to find out more about this legendary vehicle. In either cases, you care. A Corvette can have, depending on model year, about 30,000 parts—counting all the screws, clamps, clips, wires, and hoses. If any one of these parts fail, driving your car could become unsafe. This article will discuss some of the Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins issued for 2005-2013 (C6) Corvettes.

In 1966, Congress passed The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. This act created the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA. Consumers were able to write to NHTSA about perceived safety issues with their vehicles. NHTSA would review the data, and, if warranted, would issue a Recall. By law, the manufacturer has to do one of three things for owners of the affected models: repair the faulty problem, replace the faulty equipment, or refund the purchaser's money.

Manufacturers can also issue their own Technical Service Bulletin (TSB), sent to the dealers of the affected vehicle. The customer bringing in a vehicle to the dealer will be alerted to any issues. A TSB does not have to necessarily pertain to a safety-related issue.

Recalls

There have been five NHTSA recalls on the C6 Corvette:

2005-2006 Roof Panels Coming Off
2005-2007 (Z06) Roof Panels Coming Off
2005-2006 Steering Column Causing Handling System Problem
2011-2012 Rear Hatch May Disengage During A Crash
2005-2007 Wiring Problem Causing Low Beam Loss

Three of the major issues reported in the NHTSA recalls were:

  • Low Beam Headlight Failure
  • sRoof Hatch Separation While Driving
  • Loose Steering Column Causing Handling Failure

Low Beam Headlight Failure

Figure 1. One recall dealt with low beam headlights.

When the engine gets warm, the electrical master housing might expand, which comes into contact with the wire going to headlight low beam and bending it. As this happens repeatedly, the wire may break and suddenly cutting off power to the low beams. Not something that you want to happen when you're driving in the dark.

Roof Hatch Separation While Driving

Figure 2. In some cases the roof hatch was partially separated, while others were completely separated.

2005 through 2007 Corvettes (and 2006 and 2007 Z06 models) equipped with a removable roof had a problem with the adhesive between the roof panel and the frame, which caused the roof to loosen. Partial separation meant a noisy ride. Total separation meant that the panel could become airborne while driving, causing some concern to the drivers behind you.

Steering Column Causing Handling Problems

Figure 3. Failure on the steering wheel caused light brake pressure on the car.

Continual adjustment of the available telescoping and tilting steering wheel on the 2005 and 2006 Corvettes could cause the electrical sensor, which powers the ESC (Electronic Stability Control), to come loose. When this happens, the ESC reads that the vehicle is turning and applies light brake pressure and slows the car down. This could cause the vehicle to suddenly pull to one side. This could be dangerous while driving along a crowded road. The ESC will remain disabled until the engine is turned off and then restarted.

Technical Service Bulletins

Chevrolet has issued a number of Technical Service Bulletins covering the C6. For an extremely comprehensive list of all C6 Technical Service Bulletins to date, click here.

Another excellent resource for C6 recalls and Technical Service Bulletins is found on the Corvette Forum:

  • 07-10-9 05/28/2007 Drivetrain - Highway Speed Vibration
  • 06-26-1 01/08/2007 M/T - Mercon(R) V ATF Usage Information
  • 06-19-16 10/02/2006 Drivetrain - Vibration On Hard Acceleration
  • 06-11-12 06/12/2006 Frame - L/H Front Differential Bracket Frame/Separation
  • 06-9-8 05/15/2006 Drivetrain - ESOF System Inoperative/DTC P1867
  • 06-8-15 05/01/2006 Axle - Intermittent Noise, 4 X 4 Inop. DTC's 1979/1980
  • 06-7-1 04/17/2006 Vehicle - Tow Capability/Service Kit Requirements
  • 05-21-18 10/31/2005 A/T - Shift Cable Repair or Replacement
  • 14-0100 05/09/2014 A/T - Squawk Noise on 5-3 Downshift
  • 14-0090 05/01/2014 Drivetrain - Click/Snap Noise on Initial Acceleration
  • 13-6-8 06/07/2013 A/T - High Start From a Stop, Wrench Lamp ON, Possible DTC's
  • 13-4-9 04/18/2013 A/T - High Gear Engagement From A Stop, MIL, DTC P0720/P0722
  • 12C23S1 05/30/2012 Recall - A/T Range Sensor Inspection/Replacement

Pro Tip

Because Corvette TSBs go to the service and parts departments of Chevrolet dealers and not to consumers, there are ways to find them:

  • Corvette Owners Forums
  • NHTSA - Enter the model year on their SaferCar.gov website
  • Repair Shops - Many auto repair facilities receive TSBs
  • Your Dealership - Ask at the Service Department
  • Independent Online Sources - There are websites that will sell you TSBs

Related Discussion