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Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record

2011 Chevrolet Corvette

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 85 safety complaints about the 2011 Chevrolet Corvette with the US government. Of those, 2 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the body structure.

The most complained-about system is the fuel and propulsion system, named in 48 complaints, 56% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 28,900 miles, the median across the 57 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers October 2011 to July 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

85 complaints on file

85

Complaints

2

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 48 · 56%
POWER TRAIN 11 · 13%
AIR BAGS 10 · 12%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 5 · 6%
ENGINE 5 · 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 5 · 6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 · 5%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 · 4%
STEERING 2 · 2%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 · 1%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 1%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 1 · 1%
0 19 38

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 85.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2021 at 13.

16 12 8 4
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2011 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2011 Chevrolet Corvette. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

11V491000 · October 3, 2011

The defect
GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CHEVROLET CORVETTE COUPE VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 24, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1, 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 206, "DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS". THE REAR HATCH HINGES MAY NOT MEET THE LOAD REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN THE SAFETY STANDARD.
The risk
THE REAR HATCH COULD SEPARATE IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
The remedy
GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH REAR HATCH HINGES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 14, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

GENERAL MOTORS LLC · up to 5,755 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE

fire · towed · 37,015 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED INDEPENDENTLY, ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO JEFF WYLER DIXIE CHEVROLET (5340 DIXIE HWY, LOUISVILLE, KY 40216) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A MISFIRE CYLINDER NUMBER 6 AND FRACTURED VALVE SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE COVER TO GO OVER THE SPRING WAS BURNT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE

NHTSA complaint 11318498, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

crash · 5,000 miles

MY HUSBAND WAS PUMPING GAS AT A GAS STATION ON AN INTERSTATE ACCESS ROAD. CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AND WAS LOCKED. HE HAD BEEN AT THE PUMP FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THEN WALKED INTO THE STORE FOR SOMETHING TO DRINK. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD PEOPLE YELLING AND TURNED TO LOOK AND THEN SAW MY HUSBAND'S UNMANNED CAR SLOWLY ROLLING OUT OF THE GAS STATION INTO THE ACCESS ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR. A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS TRIED TO STOP THE CAR BUT IT WAS LOCKED AND MY HUSBAND HAD THE KEYS IN HIS POCKET. SEVERAL VEHICLES SWERVED TO MISS THE CAR BUT IT EVENTUALLY HIT AN INDIVIDUAL'S VEHICLE IN THE CENTER LANE OF THE ACCESS ROAD CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10432361. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

crash · 15,496 miles

VEHICLE PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND IN STORE PARKING LOT. PERSON PARKED NEXT TO MY CAR STATED, HEARD "WEIRD NOISES', COMING FROM VEHICLE THEN IT STARTED TO ROLL INTO DYED SWAMP. CAR EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.VEHICLE WILL NOT START WITH TRANSMISSION IN PARKED POSITION BUT WILL CONTINUE TO ROLL FORWARD WITH TRANSMISSION IN PARKED POSITION ON ITS OWN. AIR BAGS WAS NOT DEPLOYED & HAD TO BE TOWED. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM? *TR

NHTSA complaint 10630310. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I bought this vehicle in XXX with about 39k miles. About a year after purchase, I began smelling gasoline in my garage after I filled the tank. I have consulted Corvette forum ([XXX]) and find this is a common problem. If I fill the tank more than halfway, it seems to occur consistently. I recognize this car has no warranty, but this seems to be both common and a serious safety concern. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11751403. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My 2011 Grand Sport Corvette fuel system was repaired on 2/14/22 at no cost to me by special policy 15682-03. Now, 4 years later, the same problem has occurred again. I notice fuel smell in my garage with the tank nearly full after fill-up, and upon inspection, I notice evidence of fuel leaking along the side of the primary tank behind the driver's seat which is the same problem encountered before. GM tells me no additional help for repair is not forthcoming due to the age of the vehicle. My originating dealer has first quoted me $4000.00 and later quoted me $3400.00 to repair the car. I am reluctant to discard my Corvette which remains in excellent condition otherwise. I am currently

NHTSA complaint 11718067, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel pump feeder is known to be a major issues on these cars. These should be a safety recall with no explanation. Feeder fitting tends to crack overtime. Recently purchased and wasn’t aware of that previous recall which the previous owner didn’t handle.

NHTSA complaint 11692236. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel is leaking from the top of the driver side fuel sending unit. This is a know issue on these cars and should be fixed under a recall. This is a very dangerous issue.

NHTSA complaint 11674701. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I bought a 2011 Grand Sport Corvette and if I fill the tank over half full the gas smell is unbearable. Some one needs to recall these cars. This issue is very serious. Fuel leaks out the top of the tanks, and will then drip down the back side onto the hot exhaust. If ignored this could result in a fire and possible death. If parked overnight in a garage, the vapor will fill the garage and could easily be triggered into an explosion and fire from a gas water heater or other ignition source.

NHTSA complaint 11669852. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel pump elbow at top of driver side tank cracks and allows fuel to leak out of plastic piece. Many have the same issue and all we got was a very temporary fuel pump recall. Engine light is on

NHTSA complaint 11617223. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Chevrolet Corvette

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 10 3 —
2024 21 2 —
2023 25 1 1
2022 21 1 —
2021 13 2 —
2020 34 4 —
2019 148 1 —
2018 51 1 —
2017 256 4 —
2016 104 2 —
2015 65 5 —
2014 62 5 1
2013 82 0 —
2012 56 1 —
2010 84 0 —

Other 2011 Chevrolet models

Malibu 978 Equinox 782 Cruze 732 Traverse 608 Silverado 1500 563 Impala 505 Tahoe 446 HHR 203

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Chevrolet on this site — 304 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst