2006 Chevrolet Corvette Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Dec 2, 2025 · 365 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Corvette years
Far more complaints than other years 4th of 31 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 365 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette. That ranks 4th out of 31 Corvette model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (62 complaints, 17%), typically at around 84,750 miles. Complaints mention 12 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.

Chevrolet Corvette
Twin Cities Auto Show Minneapolis Convention Center Minneapolis, Minnesota April 2023 **************************************************************************. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2006 Chevrolet Corvette problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Exterior Lighting62 · ~84,750 mi
Structure59 · ~9,443 mi
Fuel/propulsion System49 · ~51,000 mi
Electrical System44 · ~59,950 mi
Steering44 · ~33,321 mi
Electronic Stability Control (esc)37 · ~24,000 mi
Power Train33 · ~31,000 mi
Engine24 · ~29,000 mi
Service Brakes21 · ~55,000 mi
Air Bags14 · ~34,830 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Exterior Lighting problems6217%84,750“low beam” (58%)—
Structure problems5916%9,443“roof panel” (32%)—
Fuel/propulsion System4913%51,000——
Electrical System4412%59,950——
Steering4412%33,321——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)3710%24,000——
Power Train339%31,000——
Engine247%29,000——
Service Brakes216%55,000——
Air Bags144%34,830——
Unknown or Other103%31,661——
Traction Control System72%35,500——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic51%26,130——
Engine and Engine Cooling41%40,557——
Seats31%79,950——
Suspension31%26,130——
Wheels31%12,000——
Equipment21%58,000——
Equipment Adaptive/mobility21%42,750——
Tires21%39,000——
Visibility21%2,408——
Electronic Stability Control10%———
Fuel System, Gasoline10%———
Seat Belts10%1,500——
Service Brakes, Air10%———
Service Brakes, Electric10%12,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2014, with 45 complaints
2005: 120052006: 392007: 1120072008: 72009: 1720092010: 182011: 1720112012: 102013: 4120132014: 45452015: 2620152016: 312017: 1520172018: 172019: 1520192020: 232021: 820212022: 62023: 920232024: 22025: 72025

n = 365 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2006 Chevrolet Corvette recalls (5)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Exterior lighting:headlights; electrical system:wiringMay 14, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V251000 · 103,158 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Corvette vehicles manufactured March 29, 2004, through June 22, 2007. In the affected vehicles, the underhood bussed electrical center (UBEC) housing can expand and cause the headlamp low beam relay control circuit wire to bend. If the wire is repeatedly bent, it may fracture causing a loss of low beam headlamp illumination.

Risk: The loss of low beam headlamp illumination will decrease the driver's visibility, as well as the vehicle's conspicuity to other motorists, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a jumper wire to correct this condition, free of charge. The recall began January 2, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 13146. Note: Model year 2008-2013 Chevrolet Corvettes will be covered under customer satisfaction program number 14203 for the same issue.

Steering:columnApr 26, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V172000 · 40,028 vehicles

Problem: Gm is recalling certain model year 2005 and 2006 chevrolet corvette passenger cars manufactured between march 2004 and january 2006 equipped with a tilt and telescoping steering column (rpo n37). 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 in the driver information center, and one or more of the brakes may apply, possibly causing the vehicle to pull to the right or left.

Risk: If the driver does not respond to the change in vehicle movement, a crash could occur.

Fix: Gm will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on april 30, 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and gmc at 1-866-996-9463 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Structure:body:roof and pillarsDec 23, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V491000 · 22,090 vehicles

Problem: General motors is recalling certain model year 2005 through 2007 corvette vehicles equipped with a removable roof and model year 2006 and 2007 corvette z06 vehicles. The adhesive between the roof panel and the frame may separate. If there is a partial separation, the driver may notice one or more symptoms, such as a snapping noise when driving over bumps, wind noise, poor roof panel fit, roof panel movement/bounce when a door or hatch is closed, or a water leak in the headliner.

Risk: If there is a complete separation, the roof panel may detach from the vehicle. If this were to occur while the vehicle was being driven, it could strike a following vehicle and cause injury and/or property damage.

Fix: Dealers will install a new design roof panel free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during april 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or at www.gmownercenter.com.

Structure:body:roof and pillarsMay 24, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V181000 · 30,793 vehicles

Problem: On certain 2005-2006 chevrolet corvettes equipped with painted roofs, the adhesive between the roof panel and the frame may separate.

Risk: If there is a complete separation, the roof panel may detach from the vehicle and it could strike another vehicle and cause injury and property damage.

Fix: Dealers will inspect vehicles free of charge for potential roof panel-to- frame separation and add the specified adhesive foam or replace the roof with one having adhesive foam. The recall began on october 19, 2006. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438.

Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connectionsOct 5, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V455000 · 123,592 vehicles

Problem: Certain passenger vehicles may have been built with a power steering hose that is not to specification. Under extreme steering maneuvers, such as turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right while braking, the hose may fracture and leak fluid.

Risk: If this were to occur, power steering assist would be lost and increased steering effort would be required. On vehicles equipped with hydro-boost power brakes, it could also result in loss of power brake assist and increased braking effort would be required. If the power steering fluid spray were to spray onto hot engine parts, an engine compartment fire could occur.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the power steering hose(s) for two suspect date codes and replace them if required. The recall will begin on october 14, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, isuzu at 1-800-255-6727, or hummer at 1-800-732-5493.

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

  • Simultaneous Loss of Low-Beam Headlights (EA13007) — opened Aug 23, 2013, closed Jun 24, 2014, led to recall 14V251000.
  • Loss of Low Beam Headlights (PE13013) — opened May 6, 2013, closed Aug 26, 2013.
  • Electronic Stability Control (EA09002) — opened Jan 14, 2009, closed May 11, 2010, led to recall 10V172000.
  • Electronic stability control malfunction (PE08056) — opened Sep 17, 2008, closed Jan 14, 2009.

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 2006 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V491000 (Structure). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the contact was informed that the recall part was no longer available. The contact stated that the…

Structure · received Dec 2, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11702411

2006 Corvette convertible. Has a strong gas smell after filling up. I understand this is a common problem, but Chevrolet will not acknowledge it. The gas can drip down on the hot exhaust system, and start a fire, burning down our house, or out on the road with us in it! Please help us get this…

Fuel/propulsion System · received Oct 13, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11693156

Strong fuel smell coming from the vehicle after fueling filling.

Fuel/propulsion System · received Aug 25, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11682855

We were driving 55 and the car stalled. This has happened several times. Been at dealer and the codes show fine they replaced what they thought was issue and it still does this. Very scary

Engine · received May 11, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11660289

I purchased this car from a dealer in Sarasota Florida. Driving it home from the dealer, I was driving approximately 70 mph on [XXX] near Sarasota. The vehicle suddenly braked and pulled to the left simultaneously. I have taken it to a repair shop that specializes in Corvettes, and trying to ID the…

Steering · received Jan 29, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11639257

Other Chevrolet Corvette years

← 2005 Corvette · 2007 Corvette →

See all Chevrolet Corvette problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette?

Owners most often report exterior lighting, structure, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 62 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette?

Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2006 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 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.