Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Chevrolet Corvette owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds with a half tank of fuel or more, the contact observed a strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked multiple times and he also observed a strong fuel odor from outside of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,600. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to the dealer May 15 and was confirmed to have a fuel leak at the fuel pump.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated while attempting to refuel the vehicle, gasoline was overflowing and leaking from the fuel filler neck. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was an abnormal fuel odor while starting the vehicle. The contact spoke with the dealer who confirmed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,600.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that a strong fuel vapor odor was noticed inside and outside the garage where the vehicle was stored. Based on research, the contact suspected a fuel pump failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with a damaged fuel pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.
I am a long time Corvette owner and have purchased many through the years. I recently purchased a 2008 Corvette Coupe with only 30k miles, one owner vehicle. Unbelievable to me, I have had to spend over $4,000 the past month replacing the ECM and most notably the Fuel Pump, to relieve the constant Fuel Smell, not to mention the rack and pinion steering gear needs to be replaced, with again, only 30k miles on the vehicle, and that part is discontinued. The failure of the ECM almost cost my wife and I our life when we were coming home to [redacted] from [redacted] . The car completely lost all power on the highway and we almost got railed by traffic. Not a good situation to say the least. I almost had a heart attack. …
Hello NHTSA, Fuel leaks from drivers side fuel tank. I see fuel tracks down side of tank, so conclude fuel is leaking from top of tank or from fuel pump. Fuel components are plastic, and now 17 years old, so they are probably cracked from age. I have strong smell of fuel in my garage, and puddle of fuel under drivers side tank. This is a safety fire hazard gas can leak down to the exhaust system. ' Searching Corvette forums - this is a known issue many years. Searching nhtsa - there are a number of complaints logged by other C6 Corvette owners with the identical issue. GM must fix or at least share to fix this issue. The defect is caused by GM making the conscious decision to swap more durable metal parts for less durable plastic parts in the fuel pump/tank assembly. …
This car has suffered a known defect that causes fuel to leak out of the tank when the tank is more than 1/2 full. Unfortunately, the leak in my vehicle occurred outside the window that GM arbitrarily set up. (10 years after vehicle put in service or 120,000 miles whichever comes first. My vehicle is a 2008 with 94,000 miles and the problem occurred recently and after GM's window. Therefore, GM will not fix this leaking fuel tank and correct a potentially life-threatening issue. The problem is that this is a serious safety issue with strong fumes inside the cars cabin and strong fumes outside the vehicle with leaking fuel on the tank. The fumes and the leaking fuel are both extreme fire issues. This is a known issue and a known condition that could cause fire and loss of life. NHTSA needs to issue an immediate safety recall to have GM fix all of these leaking fuel tanks.
There is a strong smell of gas in the passenger compartment and a very strong smell of gas gas on the drivers side near the rear tire. The Chevy dealer has confirmed the the gas smell is due to a know defect where the fuel pump develops cracks in the housing because of the poor quality plastic used. The dealer estimates that it will cost between $3,000 to $4,000 to repair. This is a very dangerous problem. I'm afraid with the very strong smell of gas that an electric spark might cause the car to explode or when it's stored inside cause a vehicle and structure fire. Why has the NHTSA not made GM do a recall for this defect. It is a very serious problem. Owners of any C6 corvette are sitting on a time bomb and their life is in danger. GM has already admitted that it is a design defect but has only issued a service bulletin. Do something before people die.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The driver's side fuel pump develops a crack which causes fuel to spray the area around the fuel tank. It is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The fuel sprays inside the vehicle body producing fuel fumes and is a fire hazard. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The dealer has confirmed this problem. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has not been inspected. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warnings or messages.
The other day from my garage i smelled a overtaking smell of gas coming from my 2008 Corvette with only 22,300 miles on it. I thought it was coming from my gas cap , so i replace the cap. Replacing the gas cap didn't help there was still a overwhelming gas smell coming from the left side of the car. I also notice when the gas tank drops below a 1/2 tank the smell seams to go away. I found out there are hundreds of complaints about this issue and that there was a special coverage adjustment issued covering this problem with the Primary Tank Module Flange Fuel and Vapor Leaks for a limited time and miles. I believe such a serious safety issue there should have been a recall to fix this problem by GM regardless of time and mileage. I have taken the car to Chevrolet dealer which has confirmed the problem.
After refilling my car with gas and parking it in my garage, I noticed that fuel was actively LEAKING from the bottom of my car!@#! Within a few minutes, fuel was pooling under my car on the garage floor. I immediately moved it outside and ran the car for an hour to use up enough fuel so that it was no longer actively leaking. Unfortunately, there still remains an extremely strong fuel smell, even inside the car when driving. With this fuel smell there are strong vapors in my garage. I have to park the car outside all the time, otherwise my garage will be filled with gas vapors immediately (kind of like an air-fuel bomb). The dealer tells me that it will cost $3000-4000 to fix it. This is a HUGE safety issue and should be covered under a factory recall!!!!
Fuel System complaints in other Corvette years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Corvette?
NHTSA has 374 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2008 Chevrolet Corvette, 69% of the model year's 541 complaints. The component named most often is storage › tank assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Chevrolet Corvette fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2008 Chevrolet Corvette. 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 2008 Chevrolet Corvette fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 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.