2008 Chevrolet Corvette Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, WHEN "DISABLE RIDE SERVICE CONTROL" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SPUN AROUND AND COLLIDING WITH A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEFT THE GROUND AS THERE WAS NO VISIBLE SKID MARKS ON THE ROADWAY. THE AIR BAGS DID DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT MENTION THAT PREVIOUSLY THE 'SERVICE RIDE CONTROL' MESSAGE DISPLAYED AS WELL AS 'IGNITION SWITCH' AS VEHICLE LAST ALL POWER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LOWER BACK, WHOLE LEFT SIDE AND RIGHT KNEE WAS INJURED WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,902.

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.

I JUST HAD MY MANDATED 08 C6 EMISSIONS RECALL DONE. NOW WHILE IN DRIVE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES, ALONG WITH PARTS OF THE DRIVERS DOOR AND THE CENTER CONSOLE. IT IS THE NEW RESONANCE FROM THE MID CATS AND RPM IDLE CHANGE. PLUS I DROVE IT 60 MILES, THEN TOOK TEMP READINGS WITH A LASER TEMP GUN...MY RIGHT PANT LEG WAS AT 95 DEGREES, AND THE SEAT BELT PLASTIC ATTACHMENT WAS AT 115 DEGREES. I THEN MEASURED THE TEMP INSIDE THE CENTER CONSOLE...140 DEGREES. ALSO ON AVERAGE, THE ENGINE IS RUNNING 10 TO 15 DEGREES HOTTER(DUE TO MORE BACK PRESSURE AND THE LEANING OF THE AIR FUEL MIXTURE) WHEN I PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE AND GOT OUT...YOU COULD FEEL A STRONG WAVE OF HEAT COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP THAT I TOOK IT TO AGREES WITH MY CONCLUSIONS. HOWEVER, GM CORPORATE IS NOT HELPING ME TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES.

CAR DID NOT RESPOND TO STEERING ON A TURN AT MODERATE SPEED ( 15-20 MPH) ON SLIPPERY ROAD SURFACE. THE TURN WAS TIGHT AND NEARLY A REVERSE IN DIRECTION. I APPROACHED THE TURN IN RAINY CONDITIONS TRAVELING AT 25 MPH ANTICIPATING THE TURN, LIFTED MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR WENT STRAIGHT. I INFORMED STATE FARM INSURANCE, VOLUNTEERING APPROVAL TO EXAMINE THE ON BOARD COMPUTER. I ALSO CONTACTED GM CORPORATION. STATE FARM CLAIM NO. [XXX]. GM CONTACT [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

DRIVING NORMAL CITYSTREETS 25MPH WHEN ENGINE NOISE STARTED,WENT ANOTHER 2 BLOCKS,ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING,TOWED TO CHEVY DEALER. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON MAJOR HIGHWAY,POSSIBLE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS.NO POWER STEERING ,BRAKES,ENGINE OIL ON ROADWAY,STEERING WHEEL LOCK,WRECKS ,INJURIES OR POSSIBLE FATALITIES. ENGINE HEAD POOR WORKMANSHIP IN THESE LS7 ENGINES. *TR

I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT EXCESSIVE VALVE TRAIN NOISE AND AFTER READING SEVERAL CORVETTE FORUM THREADS ABOUT IMPROPERLY MACHINED HEADS BY GM'S SUPPLIER LINAMAR, AND THAT NUMEROUS VEHICLES HAVE HAD VALVES DROP AND RUIN THE ENGINES, LOOSING A VALVE WHILE DRIVING WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER ASSIST FOR STEERING AND BREAKING WHILE ON THE ROAD . I TOOK MY CAR WITH 13500 MILES ON IT TO A CORVETTE SPECIALTY SHOP TO HAVE MY VALVE GUIDE CLEARANCE TESTED. I HAD (8) EXHAUST VALVE GUIDE AND (3) INTAKE VALVE GUIDES OUTSIDE OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS, AND A COMBINATION OF (5) OTHER INTAKE VALVE GUIDES AT OR NEAR THE MAXIMUM OUTSIDE OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS. THE CAR IS BEING REPAIRED WITH PROPER RE-MACHINING OF THE HEADS TO MAKE THE VALVE GUIDES CONCENTRIC, NEW INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE GUIDES INSTALLED, AS WELL AS NEW SEALS, VALVES, SPRINGS, ETC. I CAN PROVIDE DATA ON THE FAILED GUIDES FOR DOCUMENTATION 88% OF THE CORVETTE FORUM MEMBERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR CYLINDER HEADS TESTED FOR EXCESSIVE VALVE GUIDE WEAR, WERE OUT OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS. SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.CORVETTEFORUM.COM/FORUMS/...-REGISTRY.HTML GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ENGINE FAILURES AS A RESULT OF A DROPPED VALVE INTO A CYLINDER WHICH CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND FIRES. GM IS VERY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS HUGE SAFETY RISK TO DRIVERS, PASSENGERS, AND NEARBY VEHICLES IF THE ENGINE FAILS GOING DOWN THE ROAD. *TR

C6 CORVETTES HAVE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DOORS SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN A DOOR WHEN THE BATTERY IS DEAD. HAVING A DEAD BATTERY, I PLACED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY TO JUMP START IT. AS I WENT TO MY TRUCK TO START IT AND CONNECT THE JUMPER CABLES THE CORVETTE BEGAN TO SLOWLY ROLL BACKWARDS - APPARENTLY THE HAND BRAKE WAS NOT QUITE SET ENOUGH (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR TO APPLY THE BRAKES OR HANDBRAKE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF BATTERY POWER. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL BACKWARDS, ACCELERATING, WITH ME UNABLE TO HOLD OR STOP IT. IT ROLLED ACROSS THE STREET, DOWN MY NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, AND THROUGH HIS CLOSED GARAGE DOOR COMING TO A STOP AT THE REAR OF HIS GARAGE WITH A HEAVY IMPACT (OVER $11 THOUSAND IN DAMAGES). MY NEIGHBOR'S 2 SMALL GIRLS OFTEN PLAY IN THAT GARAGE WITH THE DOORS CLOSED OR IN THE DRIVEWAY. IF THEY HAD BEEN PLAYING OR ANYONE OR ANY VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE STREET AT THAT TIME THERE WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN ONE OR MORE FATALITIES DUE TO THE RUNAWAY DRIVER-LESS VEHICLE. ONLY LUCK PREVENTED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH POSSIBLE FATALITIES OR SERIOUS INJURIES. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN UNACCEPTABLE AND UNNECESSARY DESIGN DEFECT FOR C6 CORVETTES (AND POSSIBLY OTHER VEHICLES WITH KEY-LESS ENTRY AND ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DOORS). I BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND ADD A MECHANICAL WAY TO QUICKLY OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE IN EVENT OF A RUNAWAY SITUATION (THERE IS A MECHANICAL BACKUP IF ONE IS IN THE CAR OR IF ONE HAS THE TIME TO MANUALLY OPEN THE TRUNK - A SLOW PROCEDURE). *TR

ON THIS DAY, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 100 MPH (GERMAN AUTOBAHN) WHEN THE VEHICLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON DECIDED TO LOCK UP THE BRAKES. I ALSO LOST POWER STEERING. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND ME. THE "SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING" SENSOR HAS BEEN ON AND OFF SINCE THEN AND I AM LOOKING AT GETTING IT LOOKED AT TOMORROW. I HAVE JUST READ FORUMS OF OTHER 2005-2008 CORVETTES HAVING THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO ABOUT GETTING THIS CAR SERVICED? I AM IN GERMANY AND I HAVE YET TO FIND A CORVETTE MECHANIC. WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE. THANK YOU *TR

VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY STOCK WITH ONLY 18,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS NEVER BEEN ON A TRACK OR USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN A WEEKEND TOY. COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF A VALVE BREAKING OFF INSIDE THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING CASUALLY AT 50 MPH. AS A RESULT THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING TAKING WITH IT THE POWER STEERING AND POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. I WAS ON A COUNTRY ROAD APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES FROM THE NEAREST GAS STATION OR SERVICE FACILITY OF ANY KIND. THERE WAS ALSO NO CELL PHONE SERVICE AND WAS LEFT STRANDED. I HAVE SINCE HAD A BRAND NEW ENGINE PUT IN AT A TOTAL COST OF OVER $ 16,000.

TRAVELING AT 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, I BRAKE AND PRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO DOWN SHIFT TO MAKE AN EXIT. I EXITED, MADE THE TURN AND STARTED ACCELERATING. I NOTICE A LOSS OF POWER AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK. THERE WAS NO MESSAGE THAT THE ACTIVE HANDLING WAS ENGAGED. I STOPPED AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. ALL WAS FINE WHEN I DROVE AGAIN. HOWEVER, IT KEEPS HAPPENING SPORADICALLY WITHOUT ANY CAUSE. ONCE THE SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM LIT ON THE CONTROL PANEL BUT AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE IT HAS NOT APPEARED AGAIN. YET, THE ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM(OR SOMETHING) KEEP TAPPING THE BRAKES MAKING THE CAR LOSE POWER AND THE STEERING SHAKE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGED AND THE SERVICE ACTIVE HANDING SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND RESUMED DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE ENGINE HAS STALLED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 5 MPH. THE SECOND TIME IT WAS GONG 35 MPH. THE CAR WILL RESTART. NO MALFUNCTION WERE DETECTED BY AN OBD 2 TESTER. NO COMPUTER MALF. INDICATIONS NO CK ENG LIGHTS. THE CAR NOW IS COMPLETELY DEAD IN THE GARAGE. REQUIRES TOWING. BATTERY IS ONLY 2 TO 3 MONTHS OLD. *TR

AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE COMPUTER DISPLAY PANEL READS, "SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM" ACCOMPANIED BY A SWERVING CAR ICON AND AN ALERTING DING SOUND. THE MESSAGE COMES ON PERIODICALLY, LASTING UP TO 15 OR 20 MINUTES AT A TIME, THEN SHUTTING OFF. SOMETIMES UPON STARTING THE ENGINE THE MESSAGE WILL APPEAR AND OTHER TIMES THE MESSAGE WILL BE OFF FOR DAYS AT A TIME. IT ALWAYS REAPPEARS. OVER THE YEARS THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND BRAKE SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED (4/18/11; 10/8/11; 12/4/12) AS WELL AS REPLACEMENT OF THE FOB (12/18/12). ALTHOUGH THIS DISPLAY MESSAGE HAS APPEARED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE YEARS, THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCES ARE AS FOLLOWS: 5/1/13; 4/30/13; 4/25/13; 3/28/13; 10/30/12. TWO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS MALFUNCTION TO DATE (5/2/13). SINCE 10/30/12, THIS CAR HAS BEEN SEEN SIX TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AT TWO DIFFERENT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIPS. THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2005 FOR THIS PROBLEM: "STEERING RECALL 2005-2006" "... IN RARE CASES, REPEATED MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING COLUMN MAY CAUSE A SIGNAL INTERRUPTION WITHIN THE COLUMN. IF THIS OCCURS, THE MESSAGE, "SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM" WILL APPEAR... AND ONE OR MORE OF THE BRAKES MAY APPLY...". THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN DISPLAY MESSAGES ON MY CAR READING, "PRESS BRAKE TO START ENGINE", SO THIS PROBLEM, IN MY MIND, IS RELATED TO THE "ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM" ISSUE. *TR