1999 Chevrolet Corvette Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report one dominant theme: the electronic steering column lock, which can leave the wheel locked after the key is turned so the car cannot be driven, and in some accounts engages while the car is moving. Most other complaints center on the anti-lock brake and traction control module, seat belt retractors, fuel gauge and fuel level readings, and a few on seat frames and fuel odors. Repairs are frequently described as repeating, and several owners say parts for the brake module are no longer available.

1. 1
   Steering

   Steering column stays locked (column lock / service column

   • 162 complaints (53%)
   • median 41,736 mi at 9.5 yrs old (74 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $650 (median of 14 quotes)
   • filed 1999–2024

   Owners describe turning the key, sometimes getting a 'Service Column Lock' or 'Pull Key, Wait 10 Seconds' message on the driver information center, and finding the steering wheel will not turn. Several report following the on-screen instructions repeatedly with no release, and having the car towed. Complaints frequently mention that a recall repair (04V060000) had already been done on the vehicle, that the problem returned afterward, and that dealers quoted diagnostic fees or several hundred dollars for further work; a few owners say the lock engaged while the car was moving, including while reversing out of a driveway. Reported from very low mileage (under 2,000 miles in one account) through roughly 130,000 miles, with many between 20,000 and 60,000 miles, sometimes shortly after a recall repair.

   Recall 04V0600004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for documentation of any column lock recall repair and whether the column has locked since. Before buying, start the car several times and confirm the wheel turns freely, and check whether the lock mechanism or its pin has been removed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Steering column lock up. On 7/17/03 I went to start my 1999 Corvette and the steering column would not unlock, after several attempts it unlock. This is a very serious safety concern because if it doesn't unlock fully it may engage while the car is moving. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10028600, filed 2003-07, 11,000 miles

   “Steering column locked up for the 3rd time since I've had the car (5 mos). On two ocassions it eventually released on its own. The GM recall bulletin 04006c, electronic column lock, was refused by bobby murray Chevrolet in raleigh, nc, unless I agreed to pay $90/hr for diagnostics. They state I have already had a recall performed (an older recall, not 04006c according to the vis service date), so there's nothing they can do without payment. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10194820, filed 2007-06, 99,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   ABS and traction control lights on, brake control module

   • 18 complaints (6%)
   • median 54,403 mi at 14.6 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • filed 1999–2022

   Complaints describe the ABS, traction control, or service engine light coming on, sometimes after a bump or during normal driving, and dealers diagnosing the electronic brake control module (EBCM). Owners say the module is discontinued and cannot be repaired, leaving the car without anti-lock braking or traction control; a few also report the cruise control dropping out or uneven braking. In some accounts the module failed while the car was at a dealer. Mostly reported between roughly 45,000 and 90,000 miles, with some as low as 45,000.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Turn the key to the run position and confirm the ABS and traction control lamps go out. Ask whether the brake control module has been replaced or repaired, and whether a used or rebuilt unit is currently fitted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Electronic brake control module failed while at a chevy dealer and I was told that GM no longer produced the part. In the meantime, I am driving a vehicle without anti-locks and without traction control, safety options I paid for that are now inoperable. Should an accident occur as a result of these failings, would GM accept responsibility??”

   NHTSA complaint #10515456, filed 2013-06, 85,000 miles

   “My 1999 chevy Corvette displayed brake failure codes. The mechanic scanned it and tells me it needs a brake control module. I contacted a few dealers and learned that the brake control module is a discontinued part and no longer available. What do I do?”

   NHTSA complaint #10339680, filed 2010-06, 75,000 miles

Buying note. The steering column lock is the issue to verify first: confirm what recall or service work was done and that the wheel unlocks reliably on repeated starts. Also check the ABS and traction control lamps, seat belts, and fuel gauge, since replacement parts for the brake module are reportedly hard to find.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.