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2001 Chevrolet Corvette: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2001 Chevrolet Corvette, most recently filed February 2004. Owners have filed 203 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the steering.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (1)

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2001 Chevrolet Corvette. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2001 Chevrolet Corvette. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 04V060000 Filed Feb 9, 2004

GM/ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK

Steering · column locking · anti-theft device
Official NHTSA text
Summary
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEMS (ECL), WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO "LOCK," THE ECL SYSTEM PREVENTS TURNING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE ECL UNLOCKS THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED SO THAT IF THE COLUMN FAILS TO UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED AND THE CUSTOMER TRIES TO DRIVE, THE FUEL SUPPLY WILL BE SHUT OFF SO THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT MOVE WHEN THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE STEERED. IF VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, HOWEVER, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR AND THE VEHICLE CAN BE ACCELERATED WHILE THE STEERING SYSTEM IS LOCKED. ALSO WHEN THE CONTROL SYSTEM SHOWS THAT THE ECL IS UNLOCKED AND THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE LOCK PIN LOCATION CAN VARY. DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE LOCK PLATE RELATIVE TO THE SWITCH TRANSITION POINT, THERE COULD THEN BE CONTACT BETWEEN THE LOCK PLATE AND PIN CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING .
Consequence
IF THIS OCCURS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy
ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL DISABLE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK BY REMOVING THE COLUMN LOCK PLATE. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WILL LOCK BUT THE STEERING COLUMN WILL NOT LOCK. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, PERFORM A DIMENSIONAL CHECK OF THE COLUMN LOCK AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE LOCK PLATE. THE STEERING COLUMN ON THESE VEHICLES WILL CONTINUE TO LOCK WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED. OWNER NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS OF 1997 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2004. OWNERS OF 1998 THROUGH 2004 VEHICLES (EXCEPT 1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED BEGINNING ON AUGUST 2, 2004. THE REMAINING OWNERS (1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED LATER IN 2004, WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
Repair progress not yet reported126,624 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 04V060000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (203)

203 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The steering is mentioned most often.

6involved a crash
3involved a fire
3injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2001 Chevrolet Corvette, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 203.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2001 compares with other Corvette years

Best and worst Corvette years →
1997199819992000200120022003200420052006
This year (2001)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 20 mpg combined

20
mpg combined
17
city
26
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$4,100
CO₂ tailpipe
444 g/mi
EPA class
Two Seaters

What it costs you to run

$3,266per year
$272per month
750gallons a year

Miles ÷ 20 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2001 Chevrolet Corvette configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
5.7 L 8-cyl · 6-speed manualRear-Wheel Drive17 / 26 / 20$4,100444
5.7 L 8-cyl · 4-speed automaticRear-Wheel Drive16 / 24 / 19$4,350468

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2001 Corvette for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Corvette years

Where to next

2001 Chevrolet Corvette FAQ

How many recalls does the 2001 Chevrolet Corvette have?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign: 04V060000 (steering). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2001 Chevrolet Corvette problems?

Owners filed 203 complaints with NHTSA. Steering (87), Electrical system (25), Engine and engine cooling (25) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2001 Chevrolet Corvette get?

EPA rates the 5.7 L 8-cyl · 6-speed manual version at 17 city, 26 highway and 20 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

How does the 2001 Corvette compare with other years?

Among the 1997–2006 Chevrolet Corvette model years at least five years old, the 2003 drew the fewest complaints (85) and the 2005 the most (537). The 2001 drew 203. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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