YearToAvoid

2012 Chevrolet Corvette Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

27/100

#12 most-complained of 16 Corvette years

The 2012 Chevrolet Corvette has 56 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 27, ranking 12th worst out of 16 model years with data, giving it a 'Good' verdict relative to other Corvette years. Fuel System issues are the top problem area at 52% of complaints.

Complaints
56
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
15 city / 24 hwy

Top 2012 Chevrolet Corvette problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Fuel System29 (52%)
  2. Airbags10 (18%)
  3. Electrical System9 (16%)
  4. Brakes6 (11%)
  5. Seat Belts3 (5%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (5%)
  7. Engine2 (4%)
  8. Steering2 (4%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain2 (4%)
  10. Other1 (2%)

What owners report

  • Airbag warning lights cycle on and off intermittently, sometimes tied to seat pretensioner wiring or connector faults.
  • Passenger airbag sensing system fails to activate for lighter-weight occupants, leaving the airbag off even when a passenger is seated.
  • Front driver's seat belt tightens and will not release until the vehicle stops, with the problem recurring even after dealer replacement.
  • Front tires wear abnormally or skid during low-speed turns, with owners citing the factory-fitted tire model as prone to losing grip.
  • Braking system triggers ABS, traction control, and active handling warnings during turns, with one report describing a locked front brake and another describing loss of acceleration and disabled ABS.
  • Clutch master cylinder failure prevents the clutch from disengaging, making it difficult to stop the car or shift out of gear.
2012 Chevrolet Corvette complaints: complaints filed per quarter42012 Q12015 Q22016 Q42018 Q32020 Q22021 Q32023 Q12024 Q4
68 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q3 (4).

2012 Chevrolet Corvette recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 11V491000Oct 3, 2011Structure & Body5,755 vehicles

    Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments

    General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 chevrolet corvette coupe vehicles, manufactured from january 24, 2011, through september 1, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 206, "door locks and door retention components". The rear hatch hinges may not meet the load requirements specified in the safety standard.

    Risk: The rear hatch could separate in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Gm will notify owners and dealers will replace both rear hatch hinges free of charge. The safety recall began on october 14, 2011. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438.

2012 Chevrolet Corvette fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,025
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2012 compared with other Corvette years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution6084018
2011Caution5385118
2012Good2756118
2013Good3382018
2014Avoid8061520.5

All Chevrolet Corvette years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Corvette has a complaint index of 27 and ranks 12th worst of 16 model years, earning a 'Good' verdict relative to other Corvette years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2012 Corvette?
Fuel System complaints make up 52% of all reports for this year, with 29 complaints and a median failure mileage of 25,000 miles for the model overall and 35,019 miles for Fuel System specifically.
Does the 2012 Corvette have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2012 Corvette, covering the rear hatch hinges on the coupe, with no do-not-drive recalls issued.
How does the 2012 Corvette compare to other years?
With a complaint index of 27, the 2012 Corvette rates better than 2010 (60), 2011 (53), 2014 (80), 2016 (67), 2017 (100), and 2019 (93), though not as low as 2021 (0) or 2018 (13).
Were there airbag issues in the 2012 Corvette?
Airbags account for 18% of complaints (10 total), with a median failure mileage of 12,000 miles, including reports of intermittent warning lights and non-deployment for lighter passengers.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.