Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Chevrolet Corvette owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Happened twice within a day. The main electric fan on the radiator stopped working and the car overheated. Once at idle, was able to shut the car off safely. The second time, there was traffic on the highway, and the fan stopped working and the car started to overheat. Had to shut the car off and wait for it to cool down on the side of the road. When I got the car home, I found the electrical connector of the fan to be melted and fused together. There was no indicator that the fan would stop running prior to the engine overheating.
1st the plastic bushing that holds the shift cable to the transmission shift linkage broke and left the car inoperable ( unable to shift ) parked in my carport about 4 moths ago , 2nd the plastic bushing that holds the shift cable to the center console shifter broke and left my car in reverse and took off and rolled back into carport with both doors open , needless to say what happened I've only seen in the movies until now , both doors are totaled , and Chevrolet knows this to be a problem but does not fix cheap plastic bushings , only offers whole cable with same cheap plastic bushings ...
I was driving in s 35 MPH zone and it changed to 45 MPH. I was in 2 or 3rd gear and has just started up a slight incline and I was increasing speed when the car made a sudden jerk and loud almost a bang. I depressed the clutch and it stayed on the floor. I though that the clutch had came apart and I pulled the pedal up to see what was going on. The engine at that point was running very rough and would not hold speed or accelerate. I pulled into a parking lot and got my wife to pick me up. I then got my pickup and trailer and took the car to classic Chevrolet. They found where the valve had dropped into the cylinder and caused damage to the piston and rod. I looked at the engine while tore down and noticed what appeared to me to be a crack in the cylinder wall and pointed it out, the forman said the had checked it and didn't feel that it was a crack. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Corvette. While attempting to drive out of the driveway, the clutch pedal traveled to the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to williams Chevrolet (2 automotive blvd, elkton, md 21921) where it was diagnosed that the clutch plate, pressure plate, and slave cylinder failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that they would not assist. The failure recurred while driving 55 MPH. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility. The contact did not contact or take the vehicle to a dealer or mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the contact should take the vehicle to a dealer and have it diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 21,229 for the first failure and 24,000 for the second failure.
The shifter is connected to the transmission with a 4 foot cable, this cable is housed in the drive shaft tunnel, the cable has a plastic bushing on both ends, the heat in the tunnel bakes the plastic bushing that connects the shifter to the transmission cable, my bushing broke into pieces and the car could not shift into or out of gear. Many corvettes in the c5,c6 & c7 modes have this same issue and are failing everyday. My car was in the garage in park, I had driven it earlier in the day, I stared the car and the shifter would move, but the plastic bushing had broken into pieces due to the heat failure. I know of the happening to 4 other corvettes and the shop I took my car to was receiving other calls on the same issue.
Have excessive noise coming from valve train.called Chevrolet customer service to inquire about cause and information about repair.was told no known problems and vehicle was no longer under warrantyi took car to katech in michigan to have the motor checked and repaired if needed.the clearance on the valve guides were way beyond GM spec and had deformed my valves weakening them to the point of certain failure.I payed thousands of dollars to repair.I do not feel that a car with so liitle miles should need such an expensive repair.Chevrolet has refused to acknowledge this problem that if left unchecked would lead to engine failure resulting in an unsafe condition for driver passenger and other motorists. .
After initial start, and while holding brake pedal down, the automatic shift lever stays locked in "park," and cannot be shifted to other gears. The solenoid seems not to be engaging. This is an annoying occurrence, which happens too often. I can see safety issues arising from this problem. Problem began @ 2,500 miles. Vehicle now has only 3,100 miles, and still occurring. Vehicle is always stationary, and mostly occurs during initial start, when operation of vehicle begins. Also occurs after a few hours of vehicle operation, when parked, ignition turned off, then restarted minutes or hours later. Vehicle is always garaged, and this problem is not weather related.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Corvette. While approaching a stop, the gear shifter was not able to shift out of the drive position. The contact mentioned that the brakes were applied to stop the vehicle's movement before attempting to shift the gear shifter. The contact mentioned that the gear shifter became loose after changing position to park. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing where it was confirmed that the gear shift cable was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,211.
Automatic transmission shifter stuck in park. In the 2006 model both of these issues will eventually lead to being "stuck in park" and you cannot control when or where. It is a known issue with GM and they have failed to issue a recall because of the cars age. It is starting to effect newer models and likely the same or similar part. The safety locking solenoid goes bad, and the part is not replaceable on its own. You have to buy an entire shifter assembly. It will cost upwards of 700.00 or more. If you force it into gear you can also break the shifter cable at a higher cost.
Vehicle will not shift to park after starting engine and engaging the brake. Tried restarting and shifting the car into reverse several times and it finally went into reverse after approximately 10 minutes of trying. The vehicle was on a flat surface. After reading news and forum articles, this seems to be a commonly known problem, with the only fix being to replace the shifter assembly. GM does not however want to address this. This should be a recall item.
Transmission complaints in other Corvette years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette, 9% of the model year's 365 complaints. The component named most often is axle assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Chevrolet Corvette transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette, though it has 5 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 2006 Chevrolet Corvette transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 31,000 miles, and 42% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.