Chevrolet Corvette fire or smoke problems

Filed Mar 23, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · NJ · fire · 1 injury

Component/System: Fuel System – Fuel Filler / Left-Side Radiator and Cooling Fan Assembly (subject to the federal safety agency Recall 25V536). What happened: On June 15, 2024, I was refueling my 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 at a BP gas station in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. As I removed the fuel pump nozzle from the vehicle, a violent explosion occurred. I was immediately engulfed in a fireball. My clothing caught fire and was burning me. I jumped clear of the flames and extinguished the fire on my clothing. I saw that the vehicle remained fully engulfed in flames with the pump nozzle still lodged in the filler. I ran to the adjacent pump island where a station attendant was attempting but was unable to open a locked fire extinguisher cabinet. I broke the glass with both of my bare hands to remove the fire extinguisher. I sustained a severe laceration to my forehead that was approximately 3 inches long and required plastic surgery of over 50 stitches to close. I then ran to the car that was burning with approximately 10 foot flames and I used the fire extinguisher to put out the fire on the vehicle and pump. I then pulled the pump handle from the fuel filler opening and called the police. The police and fire department arrived and confirmed the fire was extinguished. The flames singed the hair on my head and legs. Component availability: Documentation including photographs, police report, and medical records are available. Safety risk: A fuel-fed explosion at an active gasoline pump created an extreme and immediate risk of death or serious injury to me the station attendants and others. Dealer/manufacturer confirmation: GM subsequently issued the federal safety agency Recall 25V536, acknowledging the defect — fuel spillage during refueling can contact the left-side radiator cooling fan, which remains active even with the ignition off, causing ignition. This recall directly confirms the defect that caused my incident. Insurance inspection: The police and Geico inspected the vehicle. No warnings at all.

Filed Oct 14, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · WI · fire

On August 1st, my '24 Z06 unexpectedly caught fire after a short evening of driving — 7 miles to dinner, 7 miles to a store, then 2 miles to drop my wife off at the grocery store. I was heading to refuel when the fire started. The car was in Sport Mode, so the fans were running. Thankfully, we were able to put it out. GM sent three inspectors, including an independent expert who noted that most fire cases he sees result in the car being reduced to a blob. On August 28, Scott Bell (VP of Global Chevrolet) told our dealer he would expedite a replacement. We placed the order — but the following week, GM reversed course, claiming the fire was caused by "non-car material" and not their responsibility. Meanwhile, our insurance company determined the fire originated from the gas vent system. They’ll cover the damage ($9,000), but not the cause — leaving us to pay $1,000 out-of-pocket for the vent system. No safety lights were indicated while driving, or even after the fire (it still starts). The car is in the process of being repaired, so probably no longer available to inspect. I, as the insurance company, believe this is related to the recall on this car

Filed Aug 22, 2025 · MD · crash · fire

My fiancé, [XXX] died on [XXX], while driving his 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible . He was passing another car on a straight road ,A witness confirmed he was not speeding excessively. Suddenly, he lost control of the vehicle, crashed, and the car burst into flames. I’ve since learned that GM issued a recall for this model due to fuel spillage and fire risk. Other owners have reported transmission and instrument panel failures. I believe a defect in the vehicle may have caused or contributed to [XXX] ’s death. I am requesting a formal investigation into this incident and the safety of the 2023 Corvette Z06. I am also pursuing legal action to hold GM accountable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 14, 2025 · Fuel system · AR · fire

My vehicle is covered by GM Special Warranty 17469 which relates to cracks and fuel leaks at the primary fuel pump module flange. It caught fire while driving at a high performance driver’s education event at Barber Motorsports Park and was denied coverage due to it having modifications. GM case number 9-15085163081. There were no warning messages displayed at any time during the incident. GM had the vehicle inspected by a “neutral” third party which turned out to be a retired GM service center instructor. None of the modifications on the vehicle affect the fuel pump module flange. This is in violation of the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act. The basic facts regarding the incident are as follows: the fire was a fuel fire, the vehicle had normal fuel pressure until I shut the engine off 2 minutes into the incident, the fuel line fittings are melted in the normal seated position, the fuel tank flange is cracked and fire damaged, the most significant fire damage is at the top of the driver’s side fuel tank (the location of the warrantied and currently cracked flange), the fire was not from any of the pressurized fuel lines. I have video from the vehicle of the incident prior to engine shutdown, pictures during and after the incident of all affected areas and components, and data logs of all vehicle parameters up to engine shutdown. These facts point strongly to the initial source of the fuel fire coming from the affected flange at the top of the driver’s side fuel tank. It is completely unacceptable that GM issued an extended warranty (and then denies coverage) for this known fire hazard vs issuing a recall. This is extremely unsafe and will lead to a loss of life if not corrected.

Filed Feb 6, 2025 · Engine · 35,000 miles · LA

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway to inspect the vehicle. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the #5 and #6 spark plugs had burned and melted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the high-pressure fuel pump causing the vehicle to run lean, resulting in damages to the engine and spark plugs. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer that the manufacturer was no longer producing the 6.2-liter V8 engine for the year, make, and model. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 35,000.

Filed Oct 29, 2024 · Transmission · NJ · fire · 1 injury

On [XXX] I was driving my corvette in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which at that time I noticed smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. I looked at my dash to see if any warning lights or check engine lights were on and nothing Indicate there was a problem. So I did continue to drive to get to a safe place where I can pull over and look at the engine. When I came up to the red light, the car next to me told me that my vehicle was on the fire. I was able to pull over on the side of road next to the hospital in Atlantic City. And then I got out of my car to nattempt to put out the fire myself as I noticed Melting Plastic that was on fire, was dripping all my tires to avoid the tires Catching on fire. I Remove the plastic that was on fire, causing burns to my hand. Then I called the fire to department to help me put out the fire. Once the fire was put out. I had it towed to the dealership they Told me to call my insurance company. Doing insurance process one of their technicians looked at the vehicle and determined that the rear Transmission case cracked from a Defective part in the transmission breaking, Which Cause the transmission fluid to pour out onto the exhaust system, Then the hot Transmission fluid ignite and set the rear of the car on fire. The insurance company liberty Mutual Refuse to fix the car due to mechanical malfunction. I then Contact General Motors and file a claim Which has been open for several months with zero repairs done to the vehicle. GM motors also sent a technician to look at the vehicle and came to the same conclusion but still has not attempted to fix the vehicle. This vehicle with a Defect like this is very unsafe. I could’ve been driving on the parkway and the vehicle locked up because the transmission broke and caused an shi accident or the fire could’ve been a lot worse could’ve been burnt to death. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 21, 2023 · Fuel system · WI

The vehicle in question was 14 years old with 20,950 original miles on it. This safety issue was the direct result of a faulty part from the factory [leaking fuel pump flange assembly] that manifested itself in a very strong fuel smell, both in the vehicle while driving, as well as in my garage. It was caused by raw gasoline leaking out of the primary fuel pump that was cracked and leaked out of the fitting on the top of the fuel tank. [NOTE: GM had previously acknowledged the problem in a service advisory bulletin on Jan 17, 2017 #N150682 but was not subject to a recall]. I believe this problem should have resulted in a recall, not just a Service Advisory Bulletin. This vehicle could have very easily caught fire, while driving down the highway or idling in traffic; not to mention the fact that a buildup of gasoline fumes in the confined space of a garage could have caused an explosion and / or fire. Either or both situations could have resulted in loss of life to the driver, passengers or other innocent bystanders as well as the destruction of property. There were no warning messages on the Driver Information System of the car.

Filed Feb 23, 2023 · Brakes · 92,000 miles · KY

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH down a steep hill, he depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle failed to stop as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the brakes failed. The contact stated that brake fluid was leaking from the vehicle. The contact then saw thick smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall and that the report would not be covered. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

Filed Jul 29, 2022 · Fuel system · MI

I'm smelling fuel on the left hand side of the vehicle. Problem has started in April/May 2022 time frame. The car has roughly 43,000 miles on the odometer as it is a summer "fun car" for me. I took it to the dealership for repair and was told that the left hand fuel pump module is leaking. The repair estimate was $4,700 for parts and labor and I was advised to have the right hand fuel pump repaired at this time and the cost for both sides would be approximately $5,600. I am concerned with parking my car in my garage at home and having my house catch on fire.

Filed May 8, 2022 · Fuel system · IL

I purchased this 2011 corvette on December 31st, 2021. I drove it home and parked it in the garage. The next day I smelled gas but couldn’t find any leaks. Yesterday I had the car on a lift and changed the transmission filter and fluid. While I was underneath it, I noticed liquid streaks on the left fuel tank and possibly on the right tank also. Today I googled corvette C6 gas leaks and found all the information on the problems regarding plastic on fuel pumps cracking or seals failing. I am sure that my car is having the same problem. It sounds like GM sent owners letters (possibly in 2017) which stated they would extend the warranty for 20 years or 120,000 miles. Many owners stated that their cars were over the time limit or miles when they received the letter. I feel GM should recall these cars since a fuel leak has to be the most dangerous item out there. I worry that my house could burn down or it starts on fire while I drive it.