The Lemon IndexAll cars · Chevrolet Corvette · 2003
2003 Chevrolet Corvette. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 500 and 13,500 miles. Median 6,000, from 12 complaints with a mileage.
Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.
Complaints by system
| System | Share of complaints |
|---|---|
| Transmission & drivetrain | 39% |
| Steering | 17% |
| Engine | 9% |
| Suspension | 9% |
| Electrical | 9% |
One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.
Severity, all complaints
| Total | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Tows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 3
09E025000 May 2009 Exterior Lighting / Headlights
Defect. DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
09E012000 Apr 2009 Exterior Lighting
Defect. SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
04V060000 Feb 2004 Steering / Column Locking / Anti-Theft Device
Defect. 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 VEHI
Risk. 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 L
NHTSA investigations
| Status | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed | Steering column lockup | 2002 | 2004 |
Manufacturer communications 456
Chevy filed 456 service communications for this car with NHTSA.
- Engine knock or lifter noise
- Fluid leak from the rear axle side left hand side
- Using the correct lock tight product when servicing a rear axle fluid leak from the…
Safety equipment
| Electronic stability | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | No | No |
Engines and drivetrains 2
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7L 8-cyl | Manual 6-spd | RWD | 17 / 26 / 20 | Premium | $3,850 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | Auto 4-spd | RWD | 16 / 23 / 19 | Premium | $4,050 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
YouTube repair topics
195 videos about the 1997–2004 Chevrolet Corvette, 28.7M views.
| Topic | Videos | Views |
|---|---|---|
| Oil changes & service | 3 | 383K |
| Transmission & shifter | 2 | 330K |
| Heat, A/C & blend door | 2 | 134K |
| Gauges, lights & wiring | 2 | 67K |
| Timing chain & engine | 1 | 50K |
| No-start: theft light, key & ignition | 1 | 45K |
| Intake, EGR & engine sensors | 1 | 37K |
| Brakes & ABS | 1 | 34K |
Nearby model years
Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
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