Used Car Checklists

2018 Chevrolet Corvette: What to check before buying

Owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the wheels and tires and brakes. The 8 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.

Chevrolet Corvette2018
Owner complaints
51
Recalls
1
Crashes reported
1
Reliability
Good
70/100 on Auto Reliability Index

Run the VIN before you go

A history report shows accidents, title brands, odometer readings, and open recalls for this 2018 Chevrolet Corvette. Ask the seller for the VIN; it is also on the dash at the base of the windshield.

Your inspection sheet

Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.

0/8 checked

1

Paperwork and questions

Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2

2

Walk-around and cabin

Engine off, key in hand0/2

3

Cold start, engine bay, and underside

Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2

4

Test drive

At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/2

These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.

Which Corvette is it?

EPA figures for each version of the 2018 Chevrolet Corvette. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.

VersionDriveEPA rating
6.2L 8-cylRWD19 mpg
  • Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A Corvette that averages well under the EPA 19 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.

Check the odometer against these mileages

Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.

  • Bent wheels causing vibration

    4,450–15,683 miles

  • Cracked wheels leaking air

    5,700–21,000 miles

0 mi25k50k

Why these checks: what owners reported

NHTSA complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Corvette, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.

  • Wheels and tires43No crashes

    Factory aluminum wheels crack or bend at low mileage, often well under 16,000 miles. Cracks usually form on the inner lip near the tire bead, so they are hard to see and cause slow air leaks that trigger tire pressure alerts. Bent wheels show up as vibration through the steering wheel at highway speed, sometimes on all four corners with no visible damage. A cracked wheel can let a tire go flat on the highway. Grand Sport and Z06 owners report the problem most, and GM routinely denies warranty claims, blaming potholes or impact.

  • Brakes21 crash

    Only two reports exist, and they describe different problems. In one, the pedal turns hard, pulsates, then sinks to the floor without stopping the car, and one of these failures ended in a rear-end crash. The other describes permanent rust bands on the rotors that score and groove the pads. When the rotors get wet, the pads can stick and lock a wheel until the car is rocked free. GM called the rust cosmetic and declined to replace the rotors. No mileage pattern is visible.

In owners' own words

Excerpts from complaints Corvette owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.

Wheels and tires
Purchased the vehicle February 2018. In September 2019, I replaced the tires and within a few days, I started losing air pressure. Both rear wheels cracked. I tried to get GM to honor the 36 month bumper to bumper warranty but they refused. I purchased replacement wheels at my own expense. In June 2022, after 9000 miles, the car started driving rough so I brought it to the dealership. Both the driver side wheels, front and back, are bent.

Filed with NHTSA, June 2022

Wheels and tires
Vehicle had a shake, and felt like it was shifting wrong. Apparently, Two of the four rims have were confirmed cracked which led to an unsafe vehicle for travel. The vehicle had approximately 15,230 miles on the tires and rims when air was leaking out. All four tires were shot. All four tires and all four rims had to be replaced.

Filed with NHTSA, September 2023

How the 2018 compares with other Corvette years

Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.

The 2018 ranks second for owner complaints among 6 Corvette years, close to the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.

2018 Average of other years
  • Wheels and tires4325
  • Brakes21

Where the 2018 fits in the Corvette's history

Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.

The 2018 is the fifth model year of the Corvette's seventh generation (2014–2019).

It includes the 2015 update.

What changed for 2015

  • C7 Z06 debuted with LT4 engine with a staggering 650 hp.

Recalls to confirm (1)

Recall repairs are free at any Chevrolet dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.

  1. 25V175000SteeringMar 2025

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail.

    Risk: A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2025. Owners may contact Cadilac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252497020.

Also looking at these instead of a Corvette?

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2018 owner complaints, side by side