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Chevrolet CorvetteModel year report

2013 Chevrolet Corvette Problems

Compared with other Chevrolet Corvette years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

24/100 0.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
82filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
18,250miles, 48 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 6.2L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 24 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2013 Corvette most often describe a strong gasoline odor that appears after parking, usually near the left rear wheel well or inside the garage, often after a fill-up or with more than about half a tank. Airbag warning lights that come on intermittently, and in a smaller group of complaints engine valve failures and cracked wheels, are the other recurring themes. Many reports come from low-mileage cars, and the fuel smell is often gradual rather than sudden.

  1. Fuel system

    Fuel smell and leak at top of left fuel tank

    • 43 complaints (52%)
    • median 35,000 mi at 5.3 yrs old (19 state mileage)
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners describe a strong raw-gasoline odor around the car after parking, usually strongest at the left rear wheel well or inside the garage, and sometimes inside the cabin. Many say it is worse when the tank is more than about half full and that they stopped parking the car in the garage. According to complaints, dealers and independent shops traced it to a cracked fitting or flange on top of the left-side fuel pump module or tank, and several owners mention a GM special coverage adjustment for the condition; some report parts on back order and large repair estimates. Reported from very low miles up to about 76,000, with many complaints on cars under about 35,000 miles, frequently after refueling or overnight in a garage.

    What to check: After a fill-up, park the car and smell around the left rear wheel well and inside the cabin, and look for fuel residue or staining on top of the left tank. Ask whether the left fuel pump module or crossover line has been replaced, and whether any special coverage adjustment was applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My fuel tank cracked on top, causing fuel to run down on to my exhaust system, very scary. I was in motion on the highway, didn't notice until I pulled into my friends carport, gas then leaked onto his driveway, causing fumes to get into his garage.”

    NHTSA complaint #11015564, filed 2017-08, 26 miles

    “Every time I fill up with gas I smell a strong odor of gas for the next few days until the fuel level goes down (driven daily). I can smell the gas odor in and outside of the vehicle and it also fills up my garage with gas fumes. I do not overfill when putting gas in. After looking into this it appears to be a common problem with leaks in the fuel pump to fuel tank area or cracks around tank fittings, and should be looked into as a very serious safety issue.”

    NHTSA complaint #10895492, filed 2016-08, 46,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Airbag warning light on intermittently

    • 10 complaints (12%)
    • median 11,440 mi at 2.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2014–2023

    Complaints describe the airbag or seat belt warning light coming on at startup and staying on, or flickering on and off while driving, sometimes over bumps or after moving the seat. Several owners traced it to a yellow connector under the driver's seat that can be disturbed by the seat track or easy-entry movement. Some report the dealer could not reproduce the light or found no stored codes, and a few say the passenger-side airbag module would not arm or was unavailable on back order. Usually reported at low mileage, many under about 30,000 miles and some within the first few thousand miles.

    What to check: With the key on, confirm the airbag light comes on and then goes out, and move the seat through its full travel to see whether the light flickers. Ask whether the under-seat connector has been inspected or repaired.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Since ownership starting 09/28/12 I have had multiple incidents of the air bag light for the passenger side illuminate. It is intermittent and comes and goes randomly. I just got it back from the dealer after complaining about it and they said they couldn't do anything since there were no codes in the computer. I'm a member of the Corvette forum and have seen numerous postings concerning this problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10651595, filed 2014-10, 33,000 miles

    “My car was seen by the dealer three years ago for the airbag warning light and they could not diagnose the problem because the warning light was not consistently staying on. Now my airbag warning light comes on and off while I am driving all the time. I survived two wars while serving in the army and now my life is in danger because of an airbag warning light that hundreds of other car owners have complained about.”

    NHTSA complaint #11190093, filed 2019-03, 5 miles
  3. Engine

    Engine valve failure and metal debris in oil

    • 6 complaints (7%)
    • median 14,375 mi at 4.2 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2015–2024

    A small group of owners describe sudden loss of power or an engine that stopped running, with the dealer finding valve damage and metal particles in the oil, requiring engine replacement. Others describe checking or replacing valves preemptively after reading about similar failures. Some complaints also describe a crank-but-no-start condition that could not be reproduced at the dealer. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 50,000, with several cases under 20,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records on valve work or engine replacement, and check the oil for a metallic sheen or particles at the dipstick. A compression or leak-down check and a look at the oil filter can be worth the cost on a higher-mileage car.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We purchased the car in july of 2018 from arizona specialty motors with approximately 14,500 miles. We used the car as a 3rd vehicle/recreational driver since purchase. On monday, 09/02/19 we were driving back from mt. Lemmon, az and the car quit running at approximately 18,500 miles halfway down the mountain on our return. Fortunately there was a pullout where we were able to bring the car to a stop although we had no power, otherwise we could have driven or pushed over the cliff. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11256541, filed 2019-09, 18,500 miles

    “I experienced a total engine failure causing my nearly new vehicle to suddenly lose power and stop in the middle of a busy intersection nearly causing an accident. After having it towed back to the dealer I was told that there was some kind of failure dealing with the valves inside of the engine which caused metal fragments to be present in the oil, causing the engine to seize. I was shown a container which held some of the oil inside my engine and you could clearly see metal particles. They had to replace the entire engine.”

    NHTSA complaint #11319781, filed 2020-03, 2,100 miles
  4. Wheels

    Cracked wheels and tire air loss

    • 5 complaints (6%)
    • median 13,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2017–2021

    Complaints describe rear wheels with hairline cracks on the inner barrel, discovered at a tire shop or after repeated slow air loss and a low-tire warning. Some owners had multiple wheels replaced, and one report describes stretched or broken wheel studs found during an oil change. Most say there was no impact or event before the cracks appeared. Mostly reported between roughly 5,000 and 55,000 miles, often noticed during tire service or after gradual pressure loss.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Have the wheels inspected off the car for cracks on the inner barrel, and check for pressure that drops a few pounds per week. Ask whether any wheel has been replaced or resealed, and check lug studs for stretching.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I bought this used Corvette back in the summer of 2015. After I purchased the car I noticed vibration problem at various speeds above 60 miles per hour. The steering wheel was not only shaking all over the place. The car was physically vibrating as I was driving down the interstate highway. I couldn't believe it because it only had 1289 miles on it. I noticed that the vehicle had a vibration problem early on and was checked at 570 miles at steve schmitt chevy but never saw it again. Thought issue was fixed. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11220463, filed 2019-06, 1,289 miles

    “Three wheels have cracked and had to be replaced. The 2 original 20 inch rear wheels installed by general motors cracked, leaked air and had to be replaced. Now one of those replacement wheels has cracked, leaks air and has to be replaced. In all cases there have been no events concurrent with the wheels losing air.”

    NHTSA complaint #11391073, filed 2021-02, 53,455 miles

Buying note. Check the fuel system carefully on any 2013 Corvette, since the fuel odor complaint appears repeatedly at low mileage and repair costs can be significant. Also confirm the airbag light behaves normally, inspect the wheels for cracks, and review service records for engine and valve work.

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.

NHTSA recorded 82 consumer complaints for the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette. 48 of the complaints include a mileage, and 85% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 18,250 miles. Of all complaints, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 1,436 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 13 Chevrolet Corvette model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 24 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Body and structure (2), Electronic stability control (1), Seat belts (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Fuel system: “In the past few months I have noticed a strong gasoline smell from the outside of my car. Now that smell is occurring inside the car also evertime I fill the tank. I have checked several databases on line to see if other cars are experiencing this problem and it has been reported several times.it is becoming stronger now than before, however I cannot detect a leak under the car. I will be contacting a dealer about this problem, however it is not the dealer where I purchased the car. I purchased the car in another state. …”

NHTSA complaint #11306351, filed 2020-01, 64,000 miles

Air bags: “Abs light stays on. History: on 11/17/18 before driving my vehicle I had to adjust my driver's seat all the way back to accommodate my long legs after another person had previously moved the seat forward when they were sitting in the vehicle. When I started the vehicle the ABS light briefly flashed, then came on steady, then it after several minutes the light eventually went out while I was driving. The next time I started the car the ABS light came on, flashed briefly, then remained on steady. …”

NHTSA complaint #11156883, filed 2018-12, 18,900 miles

Engine: “There have been several situations with the Corvette ls7 engine that resulted in dropped valves and blown engines. My source is the Corvette forum where several owners have had the problem. The faulty valve guides have been traced back to the engine head supplier . When the valve drops the engine stops and the car becomes a safety risk as there is no power breaks or steering and there is danger of a fire and or accident. General motors must be aware of this problem as they have replaced many engines. …”

NHTSA complaint #10703199, filed 2015-04, 10,251 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

85% of the 48 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 5,700 and 33,000 miles.

31%0–1031%10–2523%25–5013%50–752%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (48 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 18,250 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’14’16’1810’2010’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2013 Chevrolet Corvette version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Corvette RWD6.2L 8-cyl6-speed manual162519$3,550
Corvette RWD6.2L 8-cyl6-speed automatic152418$3,700
Corvette RWD6.2L 8-cyl6-speed manual142117$4,850
Corvette RWD7.0L 8-cyl6-speed manual152418$4,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,436 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,436 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chevrolet Corvette

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202511253—14—Too new
2024215002—15—Too new
2023278121—1543 · TypicalToo new
2022219,2501—19—Stable
20211312,5002—19—Not enough data
2020341,1004—1969 · MoreFalling
20191487,9531—1799 · MoreFalling
20185110,0001—1852 · TypicalFalling
201725714,0004—19100 · MoreFalling
201610414,5002—2069 · MoreFalling
20156512,0005—2069 · MoreFalling
2014637,7005—2173 · MoreStable
20138218,2500—1824 · FewerFalling
20125625,0001—1822 · FewerFalling
20118528,9001—1822 · FewerFalling
20108435,2020—1810 · FewerFalling
200915138,5000—1835 · FewerFalling
200854148,3000—1848 · TypicalFalling
200734143,0002—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200636536,7505—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200553340,0006—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200421733,1002—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20038530,5441—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200215742,5001—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200120542,0001—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200027839,0002—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199930845,0002—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199839946,1402—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199715342,2585—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199644100,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19953294,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19942992,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Rising
19932277,4521—18—Falling
1992734,0001—18—Not enough data
19912489,4501—17—Falling
19903457,9992—17Not compared (before 2008)Rising
19891576,7002—18—Stable
19881657,0003—18—Stable
19872199,0001—17—Stable
19861583,2003—18—Stable
19851692,0001—17—Stable
19841494,0005—15—Not enough data
1981684,0000———Not enough data

All Chevrolet Corvette model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette?

Owners of the 2013 Corvette most often describe a strong gasoline odor that appears after parking, usually near the left rear wheel well or inside the garage, often after a fill-up or with more than about half a tank. The issues reported most often: Fuel smell and leak at top of left fuel tank; Airbag warning light on intermittently; Engine valve failure and metal debris in oil.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette have?

NHTSA recorded 82 consumer complaints for the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 48 complaints (59% of the total), followed by air bags with 10.

Has the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette (Corvette, 6.2L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 15 city and 24 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette reported?

Among the 48 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 18,250 miles and the middle half falls between 5,700 and 33,000 miles; 85% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.