Chevrolet Corvette Problems

Last Updated: November 2024

Chevrolet Corvette Problems, CA Lemon Law Attorney, FREE Lemon Law Services

If you are the owner of a new Chevrolet Corvette and you have taken your vehicle to a Chevrolet dealership multiple times for warranty repairs, please call or email us to see if we can assist you with a lemon law case. It is always better to speak with a lemon law attorney before you contact the automobile manufacturer on your own as lemon law attorneys can almost always negotiate a better deal for you than you can obtain on your own.

Introduced in 1953, the Chevrolet Corvette is an iconic 2 seater sports car, is Chevrolet’s flagship vehicle. Designed to be both a head turner, and a performance vehicle, the Chevrolet Corvette is often referred to as “America’s Sports Car”. In August of 2019, Chevrolet introduced the eighth version of this vehicle, the mid engine C8 Corvette.

Corvette C8

All new for the Corvette C8 is the Tremec TR9080 M1L 8-Speed, dual clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters. No manual transmission is offered. This very sophisticated transmission and 32-bit transmission control unit were developed to deliver manual transmission acceleration with the ease of use of an automatic transmission. Some C8 transmissions are prone to leaking fluid, due to gasket failures, while others are giving error codes on the dashboard, telling the drive to place the car in park and have it towed to nearest service department.

These transmission issues are so frequent and early on, that GM did an internal investigation. The results of this investigation are available in an NHTSA filing. Supposedly the issue is that there is debris from the park position sensor magnet contaminating the transmission fluid. Just prior to transmission failure, some C8 owners are complaining of a rough idle or missed shifts, the day before.

The Tremec M1L transmission requires a fluid and filter replacement at 7,500 miles, and again at 22,500 miles. Do not miss the extremely early transmission maintenance that this transmission requires, or else you risk voiding your transmission warranty.

C8 LT-2 Engine

Also new is the LT2 490 hp 465lb/ft of torque, small block v8 engine with active fuel management. The Active Fuel Management system shuts down 4 of the pistons during highway use to achieve better fuel mileage. This high output motor gets a combined EPA fuel economy rating of 19 MPG. This high performance and decent fuel mileage is only possible due to GM creating a very high tech engine and engine management system. Unfortunately,
one only has to briefly browse the Corvette forums to see engine failures at very low miles. The most likely reason for engine failures on your C8 is oil pump failure, causing bearing or valve train damage. In some cases the car my idle rough or, hesitate before engine failure. If your C8
engine does fail, please bring it to the dealership immediately for warranty repairs, and call us.

C8 Z06

Chevrolet makes a performance version of the C8, known as the Z06. This car has the all new LT6 5.5 liter v8 producing 670 HP and 460 lb ft of torque. IN order to make all this power without the aid of a turbo, GM opted for solid valve lifters. These lifters can make a lot of noise. The Corvette Z06 shares the Tremec M1L transmission with the base model, so it shares the same transmission issues explained above. Another common problem with the C8 Z06 is a flickering digital dash that actually creates duplicates of the digital gauges. If your engine, transmission, or dashboard are not functioning properly, please bring your C8 Corvette back to a Chevrolet dealership for warranty repairs and call us.

Common Corvette Engine Problems

Clunking or grinding sound
Some engine issues can be detected early on by identifying either a clunking, or grinding sound. Ordinarily a grinding noise can be attributed to a part with bearings that are worn out. These parts include water pumps, power steering pumps, alternators, and A/C compressors. Chevrolet Corvettes have been known to consume these parts during the warranty period. Do not wait for the problem to get worse. Bring your car to the dealership immediately for warranty repairs.

Ticking Sound:
A ticking sound similar to the sound opening and closing a ball-point pen may be heard under the hood, either at idle or under acceleration. Usually, this is a symptom of low engine oil, or low engine oil pressure, but may also be, worn or broken valve springs, worn wrist pins, or an exhaust leak. Do not wait for the problem to get worse. Bring your car to the dealership immediately for warranty repairs.

Low Oil Light:
The ticking sound described above may be accompanied by a low oil light. A low oil light at idle may mean that either the oil pressure is low, or there is not enough oil in the engine reservoir. Either way, bring your car in to the dealership, and make sure the dealer not only adds additional oil, but performs an engine oil consumption test. This test will require you bring the car back in 1000 miles and oil consumption levels can be calculated.

Engine Misfire / Rough Idle:
There are several reasons why your engine may have a rough idle, or accelerate roughly. Your Corvette’s Lt-2 engine has coil packs that occasionally fail. This can lead to engine misfires, causing a rough idle, poor acceleration, and poor fuel economy. Rough idles and misfires may be accompanied by a Check Engine Light. Other causes of a rough idle or misfire could be a failed fuel pump, fuel leak, or clogged fuel line. Do not wait for the problem to get worse. Bring your car to the dealership immediately for warranty repairs.

Fluid Dripping Underneath the Car:
Be sure to check the garage floor, or parking space for fluid leaks. Corvettes have been known to leak engine oil, engine coolant, transmission fluid, and even gasoline on occasion. If your car is leaking fluids, bring the car to the dealership immediately.

Common Corvette Transmission Problems

Engine Revs but the vehicles does not move:
Your Corvette may have problems that prevent the transmission from engaging. When you press the gas, the car may rev but it does not immediately go into gear. This can be a result of a defective torque converter, low transmission fluid, or internal transmission failure. Do not wait for the problem to get worse. Bring your car to the dealership immediately for warranty repairs.

Transmission struggles to find a gear:
Your Corvette may have problems selecting or staying in gear. This could also be due to a transmission fluid leak, loss of communications to the TCM or computer. In some instances, this hard shifting may be accompanied by a burning smell and a humming noise coming from the transmission housing. This may be evidence of worn bearings, low transmission fluid quality, or worn internal gears. Please, bring the car to the dealership immediately for repairs, and save all correspondence with the dealer.

Lemon Law Case Checklist

Remember to bring your car to the dealership as soon as a problem is detected, and to ask that the car not be returned until the problem has been repaired.
When picking up the car from the dealership, make sure to verify that the repair invoice accurately reflects the actual dates, times, and work performed.
Save all repair invoices. If you think you may be missing a repair invoice, ask for duplicates from the cashier, while at the dealership.
The strength of a lemon law case is determined both by how many times your car was brought to the dealership for each issue, and how long the car has spent in the dealership. Do not let the dealership try and convince you that a serious problem is ‘normal’ and that there is no reason to bring the car back for further repairs if the problem persists.
You do not have to bring your car back to the same dealership where it was purchased. If you feel you are not getting good service, or that your home dealership is not taking your concerns seriously, please take the car to another dealership. Many times a new dealership will try and win your loyalty by being extra helpful.
Please do not leave your repair invoices or purchase contract in the car. If all of your paperwork is stored in a file in you home or office, we can evaluate the case even while the car is in the dealership.