2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Electrical System Problems

When I start my vehicle, the steering wheel locking system does not disengage and the steering wheel stays locked.

The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated while driving, the vehicle failed to move farther than five feet before the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The pull-out key and wait-ten-seconds message were displayed. The contact had to release the key from the ignition and restart the vehicle. The contact called an independent mechanic and was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Mileage: 30,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING, THE SERVICE COLUMN LOCK INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CASEY CHEVROLET (11700 JEFFERSON AVE, NEWPORT NEWS, VA 23606, (757) 320-1476), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000.

Mileage: 68,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE GARAGE AND THE IGNITION WAS STARTED, THE CLUTCH WAS RELEASED AND THE VEHICLE SEIZED. ALSO, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V060000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT CALLED MAGUIRE CHEVROLET CADILLAC OF ITHACA (LOCATED AT 35 CINEMA DR, ITHACA, NY 14850, (607) 272-9292) AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,890. *TR

Mileage: 6,890

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING SYSTEM WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WARNING CHIME FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERMOSTAT, SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

Mileage: 74,000

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 65MPH IN A BUMPY CONSTRUCTION ZONE. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR A MINUTE, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT BACK HOME ON A SURFACE STREET AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALER PUT IT ON THE SCOPE AND COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK OF WAS THAT I HAD A MEDALLION ON THE KEY RING AND THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME TO ONLY KEEP THE IGNITION KEY ON THE RING BECAUSE THE SWAYING OF THE KEY CHAIN MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. BASED ON THE RECENT INFO ON KEYS SWAYING AND CUTTING OFF THE IGNITION TO THE CAR, I WAS WONDERING IF IT AFFECTED THE CORVETTE MODELS ALSO. I ONLY KEEP THE IGNITION KEY ON THE KEY RING AND HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM SINCE THAT TIME. *TR

Mileage: 10,700

I WAS DRIVING SOUTH, ON I-25, IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM, WHEN I BUMPED THE IGNITION KEY WITH MY HAND AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THIS OCCURRED A COUPLE OF MORE TIMES SINCE THEN. WHEN I HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING WITH OTHER CHEVROLETS, I CALLED A DEALER, IN ALBUQUERQUE, REPORTED THAT IT HAD ALSO HAPPENED IN MY 2004 CORVETTE C5. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THERE WERE NO RECALLS, ORDERS, OR TECH ORDERS FOR THAT MODEL CAR. HAVE OTHER OCCURRENCES BEEN REPORTED? I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ON THE CORVETTE BLOGS. *TR

DRIVING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 90 WISCONSIN. CAR JUST DIED,COULD NOT GET TO RESTART. 1 HOUR ON THE SIDE THE ROAD. CARS FLYING INCHES FROM US. POLICE OFFICER FINALLY STOPED AND CALLED TOW TRUCK AND STAYED BEHIND US WITH LIGHTS ON SO WE WOULDNT GET HIT. TO FIND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON LOW MILAGE CORVETTES. SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE THE CHEVY DEALER IN MIDDELTON WIS DIDNT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG, IT KEEPS ON BLOWING THE FUEL PUMP FUSE.THEY THINK,BUT NOT SURE ITS THE FUEL PUMP. 2500.00 TO FIX. CORVETTE FORUM STATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE I WOULLD THINK. *TR

Mileage: 23,312

VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING @ APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. DASH INDICATOR READ "CHECK GAUGES". I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FOUND THAT THE FUEL PUMP FUSE HAD FAILED. TRIED ANOTHER FUSE, BUT IT BLEW IMMEDIATELY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER WHO HAS DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS BOTH FUEL PUMPS HAVE SHORTS CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP FUSE TO BLOW. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT AFTER A DAY OF SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE FUEL PUMP FUSE WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE THEN STARTED ENABLING THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. CHEVROLET ZONE REP WAS CONTACTED, BUT REFUSED TO HELP. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMPS AS THE REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMPS FROM CHEVROLET HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT VEHICLE HAS ONLY 18,316 MILES. *KB

VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING @ APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. DASH INDICATOR READ "CHECK GAUGES". I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FOUND THAT THE FUEL PUMP FUSE HAD FAILED. TRIED ANOTHER FUSE, BUT IT BLEW IMMEDIATELY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER WHO HAS DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS BOTH FUEL PUMPS HAVE SHORTS CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP FUSE TO BLOW. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT AFTER A DAY OF SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE FUEL PUMP FUSE WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE THEN STARTED ENABLING THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. CHEVROLET ZONE REP WAS CONTACTED, BUT REFUSED TO HELP. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMPS AS THE REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMPS FROM CHEVROLET HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT VEHICLE HAS ONLY 18,316 MILES. *KB

PROBLEM 1: GASOLINE SMELL WITH LEAK AND ULTIMATE FAILURE OF VALVE TO TRANSFER FUEL FROM ONE TANK TO ANOTHER. OCCURRED CONTINUALLY WITH FUEL TANK REGISTERING FULL TO 3/4 TANK THEN DROPPING TO EMPTY AND VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE OUT OF GAS (WOULD NOT RUN UNTIL FUEL ADDED TO TANK). SOLUTION: TOOK VEHICLE TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. REPAIR INVOICE STATES: "REPLACED L/S GAS TANK AND PUMP AND SENDER AND REPLACED R/S FUEL PUMP AND SENDER. CHECK FUEL GAUGE AND TANKS FOUND L/S FUEL TANK LEAKING AT TOP OF TANK. WELD ALSO FOUND FUEL LEVEL SENSORS OPEN CIRCUIT AND FUEL SYSTEM NOT TRANSFERRING FUEL FROM TANK TO TANK. RETEST AFTER REPAIRS. OK" PROBLEM 2: A/C DISPLAY LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE AND CONTROLS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT. SOLUTION: TOOK TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. REPAIR INVOICE STATES: "CONTROLLER HAS INTERNAL FAILURE, REPLACED CONTROLLER." *TR

Mileage: 130,000

1) I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET RECALL INFORMATION PROCESSING CENTER ON MAY 13, 2004. THE RECALL IS # 04006 - ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEM. THIS RECALL WAS STARTED ON FEB. 9, 2004 ACCORDING TO YOUR SITE. 2) I PURCHASE THE 2004 CHEVROLET CORVETTE COUP ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2004. I QUESTION CHEVROLET'S COMMITMENT TO SAFETY. ISSUEING A RECALL IN FEB. OF 2004 AND NOT BOTHERING TO REPAIR THE DEFECT WELL THE CAR WAS IN THEIR TOTAL CONTROL FOR 8 MONTHS, THEN SELLING ME THE CAR KNOWING FULL WELL THE DEFECT HAD NOT BE FIX, THEN WAITING ANOTHER 9 MONTHS TO NOTIFY ME. I CONTACED THE DEALER ON MAY 16, 2005, TO SEE IF THE CAR HAD THE RECALL DEFECT REPAIRED. IT HAD NOT. SO CHEVROLET HAS WAITED A TOTAL OF 17 MONTHS. NOT EXACTLY A CONSUMER ADVOCATE FOR SAFETY TO THE DRIVING PUBLIC. 3)ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS WORK CAN ONLY BE DONE DURING THE WEEK, NOT A WEEKEND. SO NOW, I HAVE TO MISS A DAY OF WORK FOR A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE I EVEN PURCHASED THE CAR. NOW I KNOW WHY CHEVROLET ALWAYS SENDS OUT A SATIFSFACTION QUESTIONAIRE 30 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW MOST OF THEIR VEHICLES SHOULD LAST THAT LONG. I'M SURE I WILL NOT GET ONE AFTER A YEAR HAS PASTED.