CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 · model year

2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06

56 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008CHEVROLETCORVETTE Z06 carries 56 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries, and 2 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 CORVETTE Z06 is engine with 25 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (13) and electronic stability control (esc) (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2008 CORVETTE Z06, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

56
Complaints
7
Crashes
2
Fires
4
Injuries
2
Deaths

Total Complaints

56 filings

Crashes Reported

7 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE25
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM13
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
WHEELS2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP1
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)1
POWER TRAIN1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
SERVICE BRAKES1
STEERING1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20210825ENGINE

The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while driving out of his driveway, the "Service Active Handling System" warning light was illuminated. Neither the dealer nor an independent mechanic was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,600.

Mileage: 75,600

20190510ENGINE

2008 CORVETTE C6 Z06. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VALVE GUIDE MACHINING ISSUES. *LD *JS

20190423FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FILLED GAS TANK TO FULL & HAD STRONG GAS ODORS INSIDE & OUTSIDE VEHICLE. GAS & GAS SMELL COMING FROM EXHAUST WHEN CAR IS STARTED & RUNNING. DEALER IDENTIFIED LEFT SIDE FUEL PUMP MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

Mileage: 35,800

20181225ENGINE

LOUD TICKING COMING FROM VALVES, WORRIED TO DROP A VALVE WHEN DRIVING

Mileage: 30,000

20181016ENGINE

DEFECTIVE VALVE GUIDES. THIS FIRST HAPPENED AT 13,500 MILES, AND CHEVROLET DID REPLACE THE HEADS UNDER WARRANTY. NOW IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN AT 28500 MILES AND I HAVE SPENT OVER $3100 IN PARTS ALONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WHICH HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY THE COMPANY WHO SOLD ME THE REPLACEMENT HEADS. I PROVIDED THE LABOR OR THE COST WOULD HAVE BEEN $1700 HIGHER. FOUR INTAKE VALVE GUIDES WERE BEYOND THE CHEVROLET REPLACEMENT SPEC AND ANOTHER FOUR WERE ALREADY AT THE CHEVROLET SERVICE LIMIT WITH ONLY 15000 MILES ON THE REPLACEMENT HEADS. OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM OCCURRED DURING CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING.

Mileage: 28,500

20180820CrashFatalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE PRESSURE WAS HIGH AND THEN LOW. THE MESSAGE "SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING" FLASHED ACROSS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE THEN SLID TO THE LEFT, SPUN 360 DEGREES, AND CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN AND SEVERAL TREES. THE CONTACT WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUSNESS AND THE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY HIS ATTORNEY NOT TO SPEAK TO ANYONE; THEREFORE, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Mileage: 60,000

20180820CrashFatalTRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE PRESSURE WAS HIGH AND THEN LOW. THE MESSAGE "SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING" FLASHED ACROSS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE THEN SLID TO THE LEFT, SPUN 360 DEGREES, AND CRASHED INTO THE MEDIAN AND SEVERAL TREES. THE CONTACT WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUSNESS AND THE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY HIS ATTORNEY NOT TO SPEAK TO ANYONE; THEREFORE, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Mileage: 60,000

20180604FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

PRIMARY TANK MODULE FLANGE FUEL AND VAPOR LEAK ON TOP OF PRIMARY FUEL PUMP CAUSING HAZARDOUS FUMES IN GARAGE AND CAR.

Mileage: 40,022

20170906FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

SEVERE GAS SMELL LEFT IN A CLOSED AREA AFTER CORVETTE USE. WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVEN AND THEN PARKED IN A GARAGE, THE GARAGE SMELLS SEVERELY OF FUEL. IF AIRED OUT, THE SMELL DISSIPATES. IF NOT, THE ODOR IS OVERWHELMING. UPON REVIEW, IT APPEARS THE SMELL IS COMING FRONT THE DRIVERS SIDE LEFT-HAND FUEL TANK. THE LEAK AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF THE CAR PASSENGERS AS THE GASOLINE LEAK FROM THE TANK DRIPS ONTO THE EXHAUST. MY MOTHER IS 94 YEARS OLD AND HAS RIDDEN WITH ME WHILE THIS ISSUE WAS OCCURRING. LITTLE DID I UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON MY FAMILIES WELL-BEING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD WITH THIS CAR. UPON CURSORY REVIEW OF ONLINE CORVETTE CHAT GROUPS, THIS SEEMS TO SPECIFICALLY AFFECT THIS MODEL CORVETTE. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE PREVALENT IN PAST CORVETTE MODELS EXTENDING BACK TO 1997. UPON CONTACTING GM/CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR SPECIFIC VIN NUMBER DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR A RECALL. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE IS A

Mileage: 49,000

20170904FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

SEVERE GAS SMELL LEFT IN A CLOSED AREA AFTER CORVETTE USE. WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVEN AND THEN PARKED IN A GARAGE, THE GARAGE SMELLS SEVERELY OF FUEL. IF AIRED OUT, THE SMELL DISSIPATES. IF NOT, THE ODOR IS OVERWHELMING. UPON REVIEW, IT APPEARS THE SMELL IS COMING FRONT THE DRIVERS SIDE LEFT-HAND FUEL TANK. THE LEAK AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF THE CAR PASSENGERS AS THE GASOLINE LEAK FROM THE TANK DRIPS ONTO THE EXHAUST. MY MOTHER IS 94 YEARS OLD AND HAS RIDDEN WITH ME WHILE THIS ISSUE WAS OCCURRING. LITTLE DID I UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON MY FAMILIES WELL-BEING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD WITH THIS CAR. UPON CURSORY REVIEW OF ONLINE CORVETTE CHAT GROUPS, THIS SEEMS TO SPECIFICALLY AFFECT THIS MODEL CORVETTE. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE PREVALENT IN PAST CORVETTE MODELS EXTENDING BACK TO 1997. UPON CONTACTING GM/CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR SPECIFIC VIN NUMBER DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR A RECALL. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE IS A

Mileage: 48,370

20170815ENGINE

I BOUGHT MY 2008 Z06 BACK IN DECEMBER 2016 WITH 27000 MILES ON IT. LOVE THE CAR BUT FROM I UNDERSTAND READING ABOUT THE COMPLAINS FROM OTHER OWNERS IT HAS VALVE PROBLEMS AND THE CAN GIVE AWAY AT ANY TIME. DEAR GM I DON'T CARE HOW YOU TAKE THIS, BUT SHOULD MY 2008 LS7 MOTOR BREAK DOWN DUE TO THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION YOU WILL FIX IT AT YOUR OWN COST, I AM PRINTING THE COMPLAINS FROM THE FORUM ABOUT THE LS7 MOTOR ISSUES, AND IF THAT EVER HAPPENS TO MY CAR AND YOU REFUSE TO FIX IT, TV STATIONS, RADIO STATIONS, AND NEWS PAPERS WILL KNOW ABOUT THIS. LET ME CLEAR THIS IS A STATEMENT I AM MAKING THANK YOU

20170317ENGINE

ENGINE IS MAKING A LOUD TICKING NOISE. SHOP RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE VALVE GUIDES AND REMACHINE CYLINDER HEADS. THIS IS TO PREVENT A VALVE DROPPING INTO THE ENGINE DUE TO OUT OF SPEC CYLINDER HEADS FROM THE OEM SUPPLIER. THIS IS A HIGH OCCURRENCE PROBLEM THAT HAS LOW OR REMOTE DETECTION METHODS. THE SEVERITY PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY/FIRE HAZARD.

Mileage: 46,011

20170208ENGINE

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, I TOOK MY CAR WITH 9500 MILES ON IT TO A CORVETTE SPECIALTY SHOP TO HAVE MY VALVE GUIDE CLEARANCE TESTED. I HAD (2) INTAKE VALVE GUIDES OUTSIDE OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS, (4) EXHAUST VALVE GUIDES OUTSIDE OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS, AND A COMBINATION OF (10) OTHER INTAKE AND EXHAUST 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. 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

Mileage: 9,500

20170119FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

STRONG GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING WHEN PARKED IN GARAGE. *TR

Mileage: 5,000

20161027ENGINE

THE 7L 427 ENGINE HAS A VALVE FAILURE PROBLEM. THE VALVE HEADS BREAK OFF INSIDE THE ENGINE WHILE RUNNING. THIS HAPPENED TO ME AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG A HIGHWAY AT 60 MILES PER HOUR NOT ACCELERATING BRAKING OR TURNING, IN A VERY REMOTE PART OF TEXAS. THE ENGINE SEIZED UP. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY GM WITH A MUCH HIGHER THAN EXPECTED FAILURE RATE YET HAS NEVER HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN NOR RECALL. THE CAR HAD 18,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND HAD NEVER BEEN TO THE TRACK OR ABUSED IN ANY WAY. OIL WAS CHANGED AT 3,000 MILE INTERVALS BY A CERTIFIED SHOP. BETWEEN TOWING AND REPAIR THE TOTAL BILL WAS OVER $ 16,000. BECAUSE THE CAR HAD BEEN IN SERVICE OVER 5 YEARS DESPITE THE LOW MILEAGE, GM PICKED UP ONLY 45% OF THE COSTS LEAVING ME WITH OVER A $ 10,000 BILL. THIS IS A HIGH PERFORMANCE VERY EXPENSIVE SPORTS CAR THAT HAD A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AT 18,000 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 18,000

20161027ENGINE

YES ,WHEN DRIVING THE CORVETTE ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE BLEW UP AND QUIT WORKING EVERYTHING POTENTIALLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT TO ME AT THAT TIME I WAS VERY SCARED.........THE VALVE DROPPED THROUGH THE 8TH CYLINDER,WHILE DRIVING ALMOST CAUSING DRIVERS TO CRASH. *TR

Mileage: 34,795

20161014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE ON LEFT SIDE OF CAR. NO VISIBLE LEAK ON THE FLOOR

Mileage: 47,000

20161014UNKNOWN OR OTHER

STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE ON LEFT SIDE OF CAR. NO VISIBLE LEAK ON THE FLOOR

Mileage: 47,000

20160924FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL SMELL COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN FUELED ABOVE 3/4 OF A TANK. CHEVROLET DEALER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM DURING AN OIL CHANGE AND TRIED TO GET GM TO CORRECT THE ISSUE BUT THEY WOULD NOT CITING THAT THE VEHICLE PASSED ALL FUEL PRESSURE AN LEAK TESTS. THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO PARK IN A GARAGE OR CLOSED AREA DUE TO THE VERY GOOD CHANCE OF IGNITION FROM STRONG FUMES. JUST AS DISTURBING IS THE FACT THAT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS BY THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK AND COULD IGNITE AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING. MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS ISSUE WITHOUT A RESOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR IF GM HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART (FUEL PUMP) THEY DO SO WITH THE SAME TYPE THAT HAS ALREADY FAILED. EVENTUALLY ONE OF THESE CARS IS GOING TO EXPLODE OR CATCH FIRE AN I GUESS THAT ONLY THEN WILL THE MANUFACTURER AND THE GOVERNMENT DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE ATTACHED THE SERVICE REPORT WHERE THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THE SMELL AND T

Mileage: 82,000

20160726FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN FUEL TANK IS FULL THERE ISAVERY STRONG SMELL OF FUEL. SO FAR NO LEAK ON GROUND. SMELL SO BAD CAN BE NOTIED FOUR CARS AWAY.

Mileage: 38,595

Compare 2008CHEVROLETCORVETTE Z06 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 have?
The 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 has 56 NHTSA complaints, 7 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06?
The most-complained component for the 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 is ENGINE with 25 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM and ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC).
Is the 2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.