2017 Chevrolet Corvette Problems: 9 Known Issues

On the 2014-2019 Chevrolet Corvette, some 2014–2019 Corvette LT1/LT4 engines can develop a tick and misfire associated with AFM lifter or pushrod faults. GM bulletin 15-06-01-002L addresses diagnosis and repair. Similar symptoms require confirmation.

On the 2014-2019 Chevrolet Corvette, a damaged crankshaft thrust bearing allows excessive crankshaft endplay on both the LT1 and LT4. The symptom set differs by transmission, which is why it is often misdiagnosed. On manual cars owners report engine stalling, clutch chatter, and hard shifting into first gear or reverse - all of which get blamed on the clutch or the TR6070 gearbox. On automatic cars it shows up as a vibration on launch and a clunk or noise from the engine. GM bulletin 19-NA-217 identifies the root cause as excessive crankshaft endplay from a damaged thrust bearing, and specifies the endplay window as 0.0015-0.0086 inch. Because the failure is at the crankshaft, replacing clutches, flywheels or torque converters does not fix it and owners can spend thousands chasing the wrong part.

On the 2016-2019 Chevrolet Corvette, on 2016-2019 LT1 and LT4 engines, coolant migrates into the combustion chambers from two casting defects: pinhole porosity at the cylinder liner-to-deck-face casting, and a compromised casting line inside the intake port of the cylinder head. Symptoms are white smoke and a sweet coolant smell from the exhaust for an extended period after a cold start, a rough-running condition once warm, and gradual unexplained coolant loss with no external leak. Diagnostic trouble codes P050D (cold start rough idle) and P0300 may set, with misfire counts concentrated on one cylinder and occurring only on startup. Because there is no puddle under the car and no obvious head gasket failure, owners typically chase spark plugs, coils and injectors first. A companion bulletin (PIP5330B) covers the related case where coolant weeps at the outer head bolts.

On the 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, the C7 uses a saddle-style twin fuel tank. On 2014-2017 cars, cracks develop on the top surface of the left-hand fuel tank's primary fuel pump module flange, allowing liquid fuel and vapor to escape. Owners report a strong fuel smell - most obvious after parking a full car in a closed garage - and in worse cases fuel dripping onto the ground beneath the left rear of the car. The flange sits on top of the tank, so the leak is invisible without lifting the car, and the smell is often blamed on the evaporative system or the filler neck. Because the leak point is above the fuel level, the odor and drip typically appear when the tank is more than half full, and a check engine light may set when the level drops below half. This is a fire risk and GM established Special Coverage 17469 with unusually long terms - 10 years or 120,000 miles from the in-service date, regardless of ownership.

On the 2015-2019 Chevrolet Corvette, the cast aluminum wheels fitted to the C7 Z06 (2015-2019) and Grand Sport (2017-2019) crack and deform under ordinary driving. Cracks initiate on the inner rim near the bead seat and propagate outward, producing a slow air leak that owners often first notice as a recurring low-tire warning. The wide rear wheels are the most frequently reported, and failures have been documented from as little as 3,000 miles, clustering around 15,000-25,000 miles. This is the single most-reported defect on the C7 in NHTSA data: 224 wheel complaints for the 2017 model year and 45 of 51 total complaints for 2018. Base Stingray cars on narrower wheels are far less affected, which is why the coverage program is written specifically around the Z06 and Grand Sport. GM never issued a safety recall, but after class-action litigation it established the Corvette Wheels Limited Special Reimbursement Program with an extended warranty of 4 years / 48,000 miles from the original warranty start date.

On the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette, the electric power steering gear assembly on the 2017 C7 can fail without warning, dropping power assist while the car is being driven. Owners report the steering suddenly becoming very heavy, sometimes recovering only after the ignition is cycled. NHTSA has logged at least nine power-steering-assist-loss complaints for the 2017 model year. GM recalled the car twice for the same component: campaign 19V086000 (GM recall N182182760), with remedy beginning June 13, 2019, and again under campaign 25V175000 (GM recall N252497020), with owner notification beginning April 15, 2025. Both campaigns cover the same family of GM vehicles built around the Alpha/Y-body EPS gear, including the 2017 Camaro and Cadillac CTS/ATS. The loss of assist is most dangerous at low speed and during parking or tight maneuvers, where steering effort rises sharply.

On the 2015-2018 Chevrolet Corvette 6.2L supercharged LT4, c7 Z06 models with the supercharged 6.2L LT4 overheat and enter a reduced-engine-power mode when driven at sustained high speed on a road course in warm ambient temperatures. The factory cooling package is undersized for the LT4's heat rejection: the supercharger uses only two intercooler bricks, and the engine radiator, charge-air cooler circuit and oil cooler all saturate within a few minutes of hard lapping. Owners report having to pit and cool down mid-session, with the car noticeably slowing as the ECU pulls timing and then derates. GM formally acknowledged the condition with Special Coverage Adjustment N202302720, covering 2015-2016 Z06 with the MEK manual and 2015-2018 Z06 with the M5U 8-speed automatic. This is specific to the supercharged LT4 Z06 - the naturally aspirated LT1 Stingray and Grand Sport do not share this cooling deficit.

On the 2015-2019 Chevrolet Corvette, gM documents steady-speed TCC shudder on specified C7 Corvette eight-speed applications. Apply the production and regional limits of the relevant bulletin; a similar vibration is not automatically a converter failure.

On the 2014-2019 Chevrolet Corvette, the C7 Corvette with the 7-speed manual or 8-speed automatic (the 8L90 automatic arrived for 2015; 2014 automatics used the 6L80 six-speed) can develop an annoying driveline vibration/shudder at low speeds, particularly during gentle acceleration from a stop. The 7-speed manual uses a dual-mass flywheel that can develop chatter. The 8-speed automatic (8L90) shares the torque converter shudder issue with GM trucks. The transaxle-mounted differential and half-shafts can also contribute to vibrations.