IllustrationCONSUMER COMMENTS THAT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, THE DIAGNOSTIC ENERGY RESERVE MODULE (DERM) MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH IS PART OF THE AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM, CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR HIS OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. *JG
1990 Chevrolet Corvette
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Chevrolet Corvette do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Corvette years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 6 of 34 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
34 reportsCANNOT GET A REPLACEMENT PART FROM GMC . THEREFORE I AM FORCED TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF MY AIR BAG.*AK
WITH ORIGINAL TYPE GOODYEAR TIRES, THE CAR SEEMS TO GO INTO AN OVERSTEER CONDITION WHEN FOOT TAKEN OFF OF ACCELERATOR AND STEERING TURNED SLIGHTLY. CAR SPINS OUT. FIRST TIME ACCIDENTAL. I CAN BE ON A FREEWAY GOING STRAIGHT, TURN THE STEERING SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, THEN TO THE LEFT A LITTLE AND LET UP ON THE GAS AND THE CAR GOES …
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WITH ORIGINAL TYPE GOODYEAR TIRES, THE CAR SEEMS TO GO INTO AN OVERSTEER CONDITION WHEN FOOT TAKEN OFF OF ACCELERATOR AND STEERING TURNED SLIGHTLY. CAR SPINS OUT. FIRST TIME ACCIDENTAL. I CAN BE ON A FREEWAY GOING STRAIGHT, TURN THE STEERING SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, THEN TO THE LEFT A LITTLE AND LET UP ON THE GAS AND THE CAR GOES INTO A SPIN DOWN THE FREEWAY. A FELLOW I WORKED WITH IN CALIFORNIA SAYS THIS IS NORMAL, NOT FOR THE YEAR, BUT FOR ALL CORVETTES OF THIS BODY STYLE. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. CONTACTED CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR.*AK
COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE AIR BAG RESTRAIN SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTION. A LIGHT HAS COME ON THE DASH. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET A REPLACEMENT PART. I HAVE CONTACT GM . APPEARS GM. DOES NOT HAVE A VENDOR TO SUPPLY THE PART. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE 800-222-1020 EXT 57379 SERVICE NUMBER C04306084. MY CONCERN IS THE AIR BAG ACCORDING TO GM COULD…
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COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE AIR BAG RESTRAIN SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTION. A LIGHT HAS COME ON THE DASH. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET A REPLACEMENT PART. I HAVE CONTACT GM . APPEARS GM. DOES NOT HAVE A VENDOR TO SUPPLY THE PART. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE 800-222-1020 EXT 57379 SERVICE NUMBER C04306084. MY CONCERN IS THE AIR BAG ACCORDING TO GM COULD DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. HOW MANY ADDITONAL CARS THAT GM MAKES HAS THE SAME COMPUTER MODULE THAT TODAY IS NOT AVAILABLE. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET THEM CONCERN.THEIR COMMENT TO ME IS IT WILL ONLY INFLATE FOR 20 SECONDS. 20 SECONDS IS A LONG TIME DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN.*AK
I'VE READ THAT THERE IS A GROUNDING ISSUE IN THE AIR BAG WITH THIS TYPE/YEAR VEHICLE CAUSING WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON AND POSSIBLE SHUT DOWN OR THE SYSTEM. IS THIS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE? *AK
DURING THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG SENSORS AT LEAST 5 TIMES. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM YET GM DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECT.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
A PROBLEM INHERENT TO ALL 1990 CORVETTES IS CORROSION OF THE AREA WHERE THE AIRBAG SENSORS ARE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME UNDER THE HOOD. THIS CAUSES A GROUNDING PROBLEM AND THE CONSTANT DISPLAY OF THE "INFL REST" WARNING LIGHT. IT ALSO DEACTIVATES THE AIRBAG. EVERYTHING I READ SAYS IT'S DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. WHY WOULD SUCH AN IM…
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A PROBLEM INHERENT TO ALL 1990 CORVETTES IS CORROSION OF THE AREA WHERE THE AIRBAG SENSORS ARE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME UNDER THE HOOD. THIS CAUSES A GROUNDING PROBLEM AND THE CONSTANT DISPLAY OF THE "INFL REST" WARNING LIGHT. IT ALSO DEACTIVATES THE AIRBAG. EVERYTHING I READ SAYS IT'S DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. WHY WOULD SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROBLEM LIKE THIS NOT RESULT IN A RECALL?
SUDDEN ACCELERATION/VEHICLE COMING TO A STOP WHEN ACCELERATED INTO A BRICK HOUSE /STALLING PROBLEMS
EXPERIENCING FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE DURING MODERATE / HEAVY RAINSTORMS, RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY AND POSSIBLE COLLISION. *YC
Official recalls
291V143000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Sep 4, 1991
UNDER CERTAIN VEHICLE OPERATIONS AND OCCUPANT USAGE CONDITIONS, THE SAFETY BELTS CAN LOCKUP OR JAM IN THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF LOCKUP OCCURS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL BELT OUT OFTHE RETRACTOR. THE OCCUPANT OF A SEAT WITH AN UNUSABLE SAFETY BELT ISSUBJECT TO INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE SAFETY BELTS IF THE LOCKUP OCCURS.
90V008000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Jan 22, 1990
FUEL FEED AND RETURN LINE CONNECTORS HAVE INCORRECT LINE END FLARE CONFIGURATIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LINE ENDS COULD CRACK CAUSING A FUEL LEAK THAT COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
Remedy: INSTALL NEW FUEL LINES WITH CORRECT END FLARE CONFIGURATION.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
5DP96006 · Brake Pull
Opened May 14, 1996 · Closed Oct 18, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THE PETITIONS STATED THAT:WE REPRESENT THE OWNER OF A 1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE WHICH, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, SUDDENTLY, VIOLENTLY, AND UNEXPECTEDLY PULLS TO THE LEFT.THIS IS A INTERMITTENT DEFECT WHICH DOES NOT OCCUR WITH AN REGULARITY.
DP92011 · Airbag Failed To Deploy
Opened May 22, 1992 · Closed Oct 29, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY
PE90040 · Parking Brake Failure
Opened Feb 6, 1990 · Closed Jun 11, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake
There is no summary currently available
PE90038 · Under Dash Fire
Opened Feb 2, 1990 · Closed May 7, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
PE90032 · Tie Rod Socket Failure
Opened Jan 12, 1990 · Closed Mar 22, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available