2002 Chevrolet Corvette Problems, Recalls & Reliability
191 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Chevrolet Corvette, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 24/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 31,820 miles.
Typical
Where 2002 sits among all Corvette years
What owners report
“Steering wheel is locked after parking it after work. The recall on all other vehicles my year that has been fixed by the factory has a wire ran to the pcm are computer not sure what they are calling it. But the fix will not let the steering wheel lock. And i have watched a lot of youtube videos on…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Corvette
“Noticed a slight vibration coming from rear of car when driving on a paved smooth road at 65 mph. Upon later inspection, i discovered a 2" long cracked lr wheel the crack is located at the base of one of 5 slender spokes where it connects to the barrel of the wheel. Any retailer who lists this 18"…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Corvette
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 155 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 43,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,000 and 58,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
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…
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 04V060000.
Technical service bulletins
430 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2002 Chevrolet Corvette. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2002 Corvette TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Chevrolet Corvette reliable?
The 2002 Chevrolet Corvette drew 191 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 24/100, scored against the model's worst year (2005).
What are the most common 2002 Chevrolet Corvette problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Chevrolet Corvette are steering (60 complaints), wheels & tires (38), and electrical (24).
At what mileage do 2002 Chevrolet Corvette problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Chevrolet Corvette problems around 43,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,000 and 58,000 miles.
Does the 2002 Chevrolet Corvette have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2002 Chevrolet Corvette. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.