Engine complaints by model year
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while driving out of his driveway, the "Service Active Handling System" warning light was illuminated. Neither the dealer nor an independent mechanic was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,600.
I was concerned about excessive valve train noise and after reading several Corvette forum threads about improperly machined heads by GM's supplier linamar, and that numerous vehicles have had valves drop and ruin the engines, I took my car with 27000 miles on it to a Corvette specialty shop to have my valve guide clearance tested. I had (2) intake valve guides outside of service specifications, (4) exhaust valve guides outside of service specifications, and a combination of (10) other intake and exhaust valve guides at or near the maximum outside of service specifications. The car is being repaired with proper re-machining of the heads to make the valve guides concentric, new intake and exhaust valve guides installed, as well as new seals, valves, springs, etc. …
I am extremely concerned about excessive valve train noise and after reading several Corvette forum threads about improperly machined heads by GM's supplier linamar, and that numerous vehicles have had valves drop and ruin the engines causing a loss of control of the vehicle due to the engine stopping abruptly. 88% of the Corvette forum members who have had their cylinder heads tested for excessive valve guide wear, were out of service specifications. Source: http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c6-Z06-discussion/3386141-the-out-of-spec-guide-wear-registry.html GM needs to issue a recall on this issue, there have been numerous engine failures as a result of a dropped valve into a cylinder which can cause severe accidents and fires. …
I was concerned about excessive valve train noise and after reading several Corvette forum threads about improperly machined heads by GM's supplier linamar, and that numerous vehicles have had valves drop and ruin the engines, I took my car with 27000 miles on it to a Corvette specialty shop to have my valve guide clearance tested. I had (2) intake valve guides outside of service specifications, (4) exhaust valve guides outside of service specifications, and a combination of (10) other intake and exhaust valve guides at or near the maximum outside of service specifications. The car is being repaired with proper re-machining of the heads to make the valve guides concentric, new intake and exhaust valve guides installed, as well as new seals, valves, springs, etc. …
My son was driving and just completed a turn when he applied the accelerator and the engine stopped abruptly. There was a cloud of smoke and then a small fire underneath the car from the oil that came out from a baseball size hole in the side of the block below the number 8 cylinder. Upon further investigation, a valve in the number 8 cylinder snapped below the valve guide dropping the head of the valve onto the piston which caused the failure. I have the engine available for inspection.
Date of heads pulled: 7/5/12 head type: GM ls7 year: 2006 miles: 16,000 track time: none tune: stock I had my cylinder heads removed because I was paranoid after reading online about many other owners having issues with their valve guides being out of spec. My cylinder heads had valve guides that were way out of spec and the car only had 16,000 miles on it and was never tracked or abused. These were on the verge of having the valve break off and seize the motor which could have resulted in serious injury to myself and others around me while driving. I paid out of my own pocket to have these heads redone. Max allowable clearance is 0.0037 for both intake and exhaust. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Corvette Z06 years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (27), 2008 (25) and 2006 (18) model years. Engine complaints make up 60% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Corvette Z06 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Chevrolet Corvette Z06 model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Corvette Z06 engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 33,000 miles; 76% happened before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.