Safety Recalls & Notices
We found 12 safety recalls for the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette. Recalls are sourced from both NHTSA (US) and Transport Canada databases. Contact your authorized Chevrolet dealer to schedule free repairs.
On certain vehicles equipped with Electronic Column Lock systems (ECL), when the ignition switch is turned to "Lock", the ECL 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 (PCM) is low or interrupted, the fuel shut off may not occur and the vehicle can be accelerated while the steering system is locked. Correction: On vehicle 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 vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, the dealer will reprogram the PCM. The steering column on these vehicles will continue to lock when the key is removed..
Certain vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the lap belt webbing may twist, allowing the webbing to become jammed in the retractor. When the belt webbing becomes jammed in the retractor, the belt may be unuseable. In a vehicle crash, and unbelted occupant may receive more severe injuries. Correction: Dealers will install inserts to the belt web guide of each lap belt retractor.
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 208 - SEAT BELT INSTALLATIONS. THE SEAT BELTS ON THESE VEHICLES INCORPORATE AN ENERGY MANAGEMENT LOOP THAT MAY NOT PERFORM AS INTENDED. THIS COULD INCREASE THE OCCUPANT'S RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. CORRECTION: BOTH SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES WILL BE REPLACED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES.
THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A TORN SEAL BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND SENDING UNIT PUMP. THIS MAY CAUSE A FUEL ODOUR AND/OR LEAKAGE AT THE ATTACHMENT LOCATION. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR. CORRECTION: LEFT AND RIGHT HAND FUEL TANK ASSEMBLIES (INCLUDING FUEL SENDING UNIT AND PUMP) WILL BE REPLACED.
THESE VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH A REAR SUSPENSION TIE ROD ASSEMBLY MAY FRACTURE AT THE INBOARD BEARING. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, IT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. CORRECTION: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND REAR SUSPENSION TIE ROD LINKS.
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
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 .
IF THIS OCCURS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LAP BELT WEBBING CAN TWIST ALLOWING THE WEBBING TO BECOME JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR.
WHEN THE BELT WEBBING BECOMES JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR, THE SEAT BELT MAY BE UNUSABLE.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL INSERTS TO THE BELT WEB GUIDE OF EACH LAP BELT RETRACTOR.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SEAT BELTS IN THESE VEHICLES INCORPORATE AN ENERGY MANAGEMENT LOOP. THIS LOOP IS INADEQUATE TO ABSORB THE NECESSARY FORCES THAT CAN BE EXERTED ON IT. THEREFORE, THE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT LOOP WILL NOT ABSORB ENOUGH ENERGY, AND INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT CAN OCCUR.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES.
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