Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Chevrolet Corvette owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Almost every C5 (1997-2004) Corvette is affected by a faulty electronic brake control module. When this module fails, the car illuminates the ABS and traction control light. And displays service abs and service traction control messages. This is a serious safety issue as when this happens, the abs brakes no longer work nor does the traction control. It blows my mind how this has never been recalled especially on a rear drive sports car.
My Corvette as well as many others from 97-04 suffer from the active handling ABS/traction control system going bad. The part is known as the ebcm. When it goes bad (if cruise is engaged) the car will disable cruise control suddenly causing car to slow down. Also, when the system fails while moving it cause cause uneven brake feeling and you loose the ABS and traction control systems . GM has discontinued the parts required to repair this and this issue has been major safety concerns for many years now affecting many 97-04 corvettes. Also a part of this system is the steeling wheel position sensor which is also discontinued. Swps can send wrong info to the other computers and the car will make erroneous 'corrections' that can lead to brakes being applied at any moment while driving.
The ecbm (ABS module) goes out on a huge percentage of these cars from 1997 - 1999 and you lose ABS with your braking which is dangerous and you also loose traction control which is also dangerous. The early c5 corvettes have this problem with the ecbm going out and nobody will fix it nor are there any parts available. Chevrolet should take care of this issue as it greatly affects safety in their flagship vehicle.
"Takata recall" my traction control comes on all the time and I sometimes have a pull on the right rear tire. The car is in motion. Street.this happens continuously. This started around early part of 2013.I have no idea what type of photo you want.
Parking brake failed to hold allowing vehicle to roll backwards into a tree doing considerable damage to the vehicle. This appears to be an extremely common problem as indicated by the number of identical complaints on this NHTSA site.
Parking brake did not hold and the car, while parked, rolled down a slight incline and hit another parked car. This occurred at my place of business. Upon dealer inspection, it was found that the cable brackets that support the cable at the rear disc assembly were fatigued and bent which rendered the brake effect inoperable. The dealer indicated that my car was one of several that they had seen with this problem. They were going to order replacement brackets and seek authorization from GMC to weld support gussets to the bracket to prevent it from collapsing again. These repairs have not yet been made - pending parts.
My warning lights came on indicating check anti-lock brakes and traction control. After a visit to a Chevy dealer, I was told that the sensor controlling these items was bad and GM no longer produced the part. After searching the internet without success for the part, I was told by one part supplier that he had 15 people on a waiting list for the part and no idea when he would have one. In the meantime, I am driving a vehicle without anti-locks and without traction control, safety options I paid for that are now inoperable. Should an accident occur as a result of these failings, would GM accept responsibility??
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that the anti lock brake and traction control lights illuminated while driving 5 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the electronic brake control module needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the parts necessary to remedy the failure were no longer manufactured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that the ABS warning loss illuminated upon starting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who inspected the vehicle and stated that it needed a new ebt-ABS brake module. The contact stated that the dealer informed him that the parts were discontinued and they could not get the parts from the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while going over a speed bump, the ABS light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where the technician diagnosed that the electronic brake control module needed to be replaced. No repairs were made to the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,000 and the current mileage 58,000.
Brake complaints in other Corvette years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Corvette?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the brakes of the 1999 Chevrolet Corvette, 8% of the model year's 308 complaints. The component named most often is conventional (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet Corvette brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 1999 Chevrolet Corvette, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Corvette brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.