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1990 Chevrolet CorvetteProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 34 owner complaints about the 1990 Chevrolet Corvette, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

72
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years60% below the Corvette median · #29 of 40 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints345 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage62kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 20, 2023. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1990 Chevrolet Corvette has problems

34 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags162
Seat belts80
Fuel system, gasoline20
Visibility20
Electrical system20
Service brakes, hydraulic20
Suspension21
Vehicle speed control21
Seats10
1 other systems10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1990 Chevrolet Corvette recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 90V-008 · Jan 22, 1990 · 213 vehicles

Risk. LINE ENDS COULD CRACK CAUSING A FUEL LEAK THAT COULD RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Best & worst years

1990 vs. every other Corvette year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Corvette median. How we score

'68'69'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
5 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1990 Chevrolet Corvette, and the recalls they led to.

  1. AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOYDP92011 · closed Oct 29, 1992
    No recall
  2. BRAKE PULLDP96006 · closed Oct 18, 1996
    No recall
  3. TIE ROD SOCKET FAILUREPE90032 · closed Mar 22, 1990
    Led to recall 90V-032
  4. UNDER DASH FIREPE90038 · closed May 7, 1990
    No recall
  5. PARKING BRAKE FAILUREPE90040 · closed Jun 11, 1990
    No recall
In owners' words

What Corvette owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Complaint 10905075 · Sep 9, 2016 · 100,000 miles
MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN 1-20 AT 70 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON KNOWN TO US. I WAS DRIVING AND WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AND GET IT STOPPED. THE AIRBAG INJURED MY LEFT ARM AND MY CHEST. IT FILLED THE INTERIOR WITH SMOKE, WHICH AFFECTED OUR BREATHING…
Complaint 10723870 · Jun 7, 2015 · 23,767 miles
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT KEEP FLASHING. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THERE WERE BAD CONNECTOR ON THE AIR BAG. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Complaint 833866 · Jan 21, 1999

Own a 1990 Corvette?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.