Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet corvette. While turning into the driveway, the steering wheel seized without warning. The contact stated that he powered off and restarted the engine multiple times, shook the steering wheel, and removed the battery so the computer could reprogram; however, the steering wheel remained locked. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
1998 Chevrolet Corvette: engine failure
8 of the 399 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette describe engine failure.
- owner complaints
- 8
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- typical mileage
- 51,000
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 23 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Engine failure by model year
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet corvette. While attempting to start the vehicle, the steering wheel seized and the steering wheel lock light illuminated. The contact also mentioned that if the vehicle was started and the steering wheel locked, the engine would stall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 04v060000 (steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000. Updated 12/01/16*lj udated 12/05/16.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet corvette. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the steering wheel seized and the power steering warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer for diagnostic testing and the harness kit was replaced. The VIN was excluded from the federal safety agency campaign number: 04v060000 (steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 36,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet corvette. The contact stated while at a complete stop, the vehicle accelerated unexpectedly with the illumination of the posi traction and ABS warning indicators. The brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle failed to slow down until the gear was shifted into the park position. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the steering harness and an unknown part related to the front engine was replaced. The failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to a different dealer where the master computer and alternator were both replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 71,722.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet corvette. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and could not be turned. The vehicle was shut off and restarted but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 51,000.
Im started my car, put it in drive and drove off. I noticed my steering wheel was locked. The engine died almost right away. I was going about 3 MPH. I restarted the engine several times trying to free the steering. Nothing worked. I had to back my car out of the street with no steering. The next morning the steering started working again. After talking to some corvette club member, I found out that this is very common to happen on late model corvettes. Ref. In ea02-031
Two spark plug wires replaced, causing engine failure.
Engine failed.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Engine
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- 700-900 RPM buzz moan rattle resonance noise on acceleration
- Check engine light with a P0300 due to 2-4 cylinders misfiring on the same bank of the engine
- Exhaust intermediate pipe available for service
- Vehicle is difficult to fill with fuel or filling station pump shuts off before tank is full
- Roll-out for the gen III small block engines with iridium spark plugs
- Rattle resonance rear of vehicle during acceleration
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette engine failure
Is engine failure a common problem on the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette?
8 of 399 owner complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette (2%) mention engine failure. The model year with the most reports is 2000.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette?
There are 0 recalls and 23 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
Steering lock-up 57Stalling 14ABS 13Seat belt 12Loss of power 7Power steering loss 6Fuel smell 5
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