2003 Chevrolet Corvette Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Corvette years
- About as many complaints as other years 16th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 85 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Chevrolet Corvette. That ranks 16th out of 31 Corvette model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (32 complaints, 38%), typically at around 35,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 85owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Chevrolet Corvette problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 32 | 38% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 18% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 13% | 1,625 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 10 | 12% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 9% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 7% | 41,324 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 6% | 32,045 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 5% | 42,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 5% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 5% | 12,250 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 4% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 4% | 55,200 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 27,859 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 2% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | 56,592 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 15,900 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 16,117 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 34,547 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 100 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Chevrolet Corvette recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:column locking:anti-theft device
Problem: 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 vehicle can be accelerated while the steering system is locked. Also when the control system shows that the ecl is unlocked and the vehicle is being driven, the lock pin location can vary. Depending on the location of the lock plate relative to the switch transition point, there could then be contact between the lock plate and pin causing the steering to lock while driving .
Risk: If this occurs, a crash could occur without warning.
Fix: 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 lock and, if necessary, replace the lock plate. The steering column on these vehicles will continue to lock when the key is removed. Owner notification to owners of 1997 vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions began on april 26, 2004. Owners of 1998 through 2004 vehicles (except 1997-1998 manual transmission vehicles) will be notified beginning on august 2, 2004. The remaining owners (1997-1998 manual transmission vehicles) will be notified later in 2004, when parts are available. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Steering column lockup (EA02031) — opened Nov 15, 2002, closed Mar 11, 2004, led to recall 04V060000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while reversing from the driveway, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V060000 (Steering). The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who replaced the…
Vehicle was part of mandatory recall for problems with steering column lock. The same identified and inherent problem happened so that the steering column lock is engaged and will not disengage. GM was contacted and refuses support and stated that I would have to take care of the problem and I…
Gm refuse to repurchase below is a overview. they are refusing engineering assitance to the dealership to fix the problem. Next week the car will be there a month again. This is the 7th time on this repair which was a recall by your org. The last repair last 153 days. This problem make the car…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet corvette. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the steering wheel suddenly ceased and the driver was unable to turn the steering wheel in either direction. The steering column was later unlocked and the vehicle was taken to the local…
A very strong smell of gasoline in the cabin area and in the trunk after filling the corvette with gasoline. The strong smell of gasoline was at it's strongest scent when the deck lid was open. I stood on the rear right of the corvette with my head barely inside the trunk. So basically rear right…
Other Chevrolet Corvette years
← 2002 Corvette · 2004 Corvette →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Corvette | 11 | 3 |
| 2024 Corvette | 21 | 2 |
| 2023 Corvette | 26 | 1 |
| 2022 Corvette | 21 | 1 |
| 2021 Corvette | 13 | 2 |
| 2020 Corvette | 34 | 4 |
| 2019 Corvette | 148 | 1 |
| 2018 Corvette | 51 | 1 |
| 2017 Corvette | 256 | 4 |
| 2016 Corvette | 104 | 2 |
| 2015 Corvette | 65 | 5 |
| 2014 Corvette | 63 | 5 |
| 2013 Corvette | 82 | 0 |
| 2012 Corvette | 56 | 1 |
| 2011 Corvette | 85 | 1 |
| 2010 Corvette | 84 | 0 |
| 2009 Corvette | 151 | 0 |
| 2008 Corvette | 541 | 0 |
| 2007 Corvette | 341 | 2 |
| 2006 Corvette | 365 | 5 |
| 2005 Corvette | 532 | 6 |
| 2004 Corvette | 217 | 2 |
| 2003 | 85 | 1 |
| 2002 Corvette | 157 | 1 |
| 2001 Corvette | 205 | 1 |
| 2000 Corvette | 278 | 2 |
| 1999 Corvette | 308 | 2 |
| 1998 Corvette | 399 | 2 |
| 1997 Corvette | 153 | 5 |
| 1996 Corvette | 44 | 0 |
| 1995 Corvette | 32 | 0 |
See all Chevrolet Corvette problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Chevrolet Corvette?
Owners most often report steering, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 32 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Chevrolet Corvette?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Chevrolet Corvette a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Corvette model years, the 2003 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.