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Chevrolet CorvetteModel year report

2016 Chevrolet Corvette Problems

Compared with other Chevrolet Corvette years

More complaints than typical for this model

69/100 1.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2013

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
104filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
14,500miles, 72 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns 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
20 mpgcombined, 6.2L 8-cyl RWD · 16 city / 29 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2016 Corvette most often report wheel problems: cracked and bent rims that cause slow tire air loss and vibration, usually on rear wheels and frequently at low mileage. Second to that, complaints describe a transmission or torque-converter shudder in cars with the eight-speed automatic, and a smaller number report fuel leaking from the top of the fuel tank. The remaining reports are spread across steering, electrical and body items.

  1. Wheels

    Cracked or bent wheels and slow tire air loss

    • 53 complaints (51%)
    • median 17,519 mi at 3.9 yrs old (42 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 6 quotes)
    • filed 2018–2023

    Owners describe a tire that slowly loses air with no visible puncture, or a vibration that appears at highway speed; when the tire is removed, a hairline crack or bend is found on the inner lip or bead area of the rim. Many say the car was not tracked or raced and that they recall no pothole or curb impact, and several report the same failure on more than one wheel, sometimes on replacement wheels. Complaints describe dealers attributing the crack to road damage or declining warranty coverage, so owners often paid for new rims themselves; others had wheels welded or replaced at their own cost. Most samples are under about 30,000 miles, with several reported below 5,000 miles; rear wheels and Z06 models appear frequently.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Look for cracks on the inner lip of every rim during a pre-purchase inspection, ask whether any wheel has been replaced or welded, and watch for slow pressure loss on a test drive. A service bulletin describes cleaning and resurfacing aluminum wheel bead seats for air loss, and another covers alignment specifications.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving down I-20 and my tire warning light came on for the right rear tire. I took the car to discount tire and the technician pulled the tire and said that the rim was cracked and showed me the crack. I believe if I had disregarded the tire warning and just added air I could have had an accident if the rim disintegrated while driving.”

    NHTSA complaint #11376698, filed 2020-11, 17,363 miles

    “Had low tire on 11/22/2018. Went to tire shop. Fixed the flat on right rear wheel. They informed me the wheel was bent but would hold air. Took to the dealer. Gm would not repair under warranty. I had to pay for repair. The car never hit a pothole, curb, or any road debris. It apparently occurred while car was in motion on city streets.”

    NHTSA complaint #11266917, filed 2019-10, 1,600 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Automatic transmission shudder or shake

    • 10 complaints (10%)
    • median 21,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2018–2025

    Owners of cars with the eight-speed automatic describe a shake, shudder or vibration felt while cruising at steady highway speed or under light acceleration, sometimes compared to driving over rumble strips. Several complaints state that a dealer flushed or changed the transmission fluid and that the shudder returned later, and some say a torque converter was diagnosed as slipping and replacement recommended. Others mention harsh or delayed shifts, hesitation between gears, and being told a software update or flush was the remedy. Reported from a few thousand miles up to roughly 33,000 miles, often noticed at steady speeds around 50–65 mph.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the transmission fluid service described in the shudder bulletin was performed and keep records of it; drive the car at a steady 50–65 mph and on a light incline to feel for a shudder or hesitation.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While attempting to accelerate or decelerate my car I feel a hesitation, followed by a significant shudder when the vehicle's automatic transmission changes gears. The shudder, shake and hesitation also occurs while my vehicle accelerates in a single gear, and not actively shifting gears. The problem does not merely result in an uncomfortable driving condition. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11203962, filed 2019-04, 7,571 miles

    “I have a '16 Corvette z-51 w/8-speed auto trans. Ordered car brand new in april 2015 - took possession in sept. 2015. Car turned 6,000 miles in april 2021. On a drive recently, rear end began to experience a shudder/ vibration between 50-65 MPH like driving over small rumble strips. Internet research resulted in me finding the existence of service bulletin no. 18-na-355, dated february 2019 and an updated bulletin with same number dated april, 2020. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11407293, filed 2021-04, 5,940 miles
  3. Fuel system

    Fuel smell and leaks at the top of the fuel tank

    • 12 complaints (12%)
    • median 2,750 mi at 1.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2025

    Complaints describe a strong gasoline smell while parked, idling or after filling, with fuel seen leaking or dripping from the top of the tank. In some cases the tank was replaced and the leak returned a short time later, and owners note the repair involves extensive disassembly of the rear drivetrain. Others describe the locking fuel door making a whirring noise and refusing to release, leaving the car unable to be refueled. Reported from a few hundred miles to about 25,000 miles, several within the first few thousand miles.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Check for a fuel odor around the rear of the car after it sits, look for staining or drips under the rear, and ask whether the tank or fuel door assembly has been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I bought the car on 9/8/16. I smelled gas as it sat idling at dealership ( rick hendricks of buford ga. ) and thought it was just fumes. I got home and parked it, 1/2 tank. I did not smell gas then. I left for week long trip and returned on 9/15/16. I filled the car to drive and went to a meeting that night. A friend was checking his car after I parked next to him saying he smelled gas. I told him I had after I filled mine. I has a puddle under me car as large as a semi truck tire. The next day I took it to glenn smith chev in opelika al. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10909550, filed 2016-09, 285 miles

    “2nd gas leak to 2016 z51 Corvette with 1800 miles. Dealer replace gas tank because of a gas leak. The odometer registered about 1300 miles. About 500 miles later (1,800 miles on the odometer) the car once again experienced a gas leak at the tank. This is a dangerous situation since the gas could leak upon the hot tailpipe or muffler. Replacing the gas tank is a major endeavor requiring the complete disassemble of the rear drivetrain.”

    NHTSA complaint #11014721, filed 2017-08, 1,792 miles

Buying note. Wheel condition deserves the most attention on this model year: have every rim inspected for cracks or bends on the inner lip and confirm whether any have been replaced. Also ask for transmission fluid service records and check for fuel odor around the rear of the car, since those are the next most common themes in owner reports.

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 104 consumer complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. 72 of the complaints include a mileage, and 99% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 14,500 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 1,463 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 69 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more 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: Brakes (1), Suspension (1), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Wheels: “My driver's side rear tire had a slow leak, and I took it to the local tire shop for a quick repair and side to side tire rotation. Come to find out both rear wheels are cracked and cannot be repaired. I searched the GM Corvette owner's forum, and it's a common problem. This isn't covered by warranty either despite this being the second set of wheels for my vette. The first were bent out of round.”

NHTSA complaint #11330675, filed 2020-06, 17,676 miles

Fuel system: “Automatic locking fuel door made heavy whirring noises. Fuel door/cap is locked and no refueling is possible. Vehicle is parked. No driving problem until fuel is exhausted then a useless vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #11153324, filed 2018-11, 43,262 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Veh purchased 9/2015 and so far I have replace four rear rims and one front. All have hair line cracks on the inside of rim causing radical air loss, vibration and tire wear. Navigation screen flickers and goes on and off at least two times a week and I have to open and close to restart screen. Blower motor went out at 37k miles and the transmission is bucking, vibrating, shuddering and going into 5th gear at 31mph and feels like it is hanging up in 5th gear the clunks down to first at 10mph. Went to dealer, they claimed they did a software up date and things are fine. …”

NHTSA complaint #11209929, filed 2019-05, 37,700 miles

Electrical system: “My 2016 Corvette with 13000 + miles has been in the shop with the ' service rear axle light ' on despite several attempts to fix it. After several trips to the service department they have been unsuccessful. This past week, I was notified by (service supervisor) that they have exhausted all efforts in the attempt to fix my car. I now have to wait for an engineer to be dispatched physically to look into this issue . According to service supervisor , this can take several weeks. I have looked at the internet and have found several Corvette owners having/ experiencing the same problem. …”

NHTSA complaint #11292114, filed 2019-12, 13,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

99% of the 72 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 5,244 and 25,000 miles.

39%0–1035%10–2525%25–501%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (72 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 14,500 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.

20162018232020202220242026
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 2016 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-cyl7-speed manual172821$3,900
Corvette RWD6.2L 8-cyl8-speed automatic162920$4,100
Corvette RWD6.2L 8-cyl7-speed manual152218$4,550
Corvette RWD6.2L 8-cyl8-speed automatic132316$5,150

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

Recall details for the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette → · Check a 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. 1,463 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,463 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 2016 Chevrolet Corvette?

Owners of the 2016 Corvette most often report wheel problems: cracked and bent rims that cause slow tire air loss and vibration, usually on rear wheels and frequently at low mileage. The issues reported most often: Cracked or bent wheels and slow tire air loss; Automatic transmission shudder or shake; Fuel smell and leaks at the top of the fuel tank.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette have?

NHTSA recorded 104 consumer complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette is reported most often?

Wheels is named most often, in 59 complaints (57% of the total), followed by fuel system with 14.

Has the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette get?

The EPA rates the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette (Corvette, 6.2L 8-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 16 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette reported?

Among the 72 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 14,500 miles and the middle half falls between 5,244 and 25,000 miles; 99% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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.