NHTSA Complaint #10670842 — 2007 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06

AT ONLY 21,179 MILES, MY DEALER INSPECTED BOTH CYLINDER HEAD BANKS AND FOUND VALVE GUIDE CLEARANCE TO BE WELL OUT OF MAXIMUM ALLOWED SPECIFICATION. THIS DEFECT PUTS UNDUE STRESS ON THE HOLLOW, SODIUM-FILLED EXHAUST VALVES. IF AN EXHAUST VALVE BREAKS, THE EXHAUST VALVE WILL DROP INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, AND CAUSE A COMPLETE, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. THIS CAUSES HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR THE DRIVER, PASSENGER, AND SURROUNDING TRAFFIC: THE DRIVE WHEELS MAY BECOME LOCKED AS THE ENGINE SEIZES AND THE ENGINE BLOCK MAY BECOME WINDOWED BY A ROD, CAUSING A LARGE SPILL OF OIL AND COOLANT IMMEDIATELY UNDER THE VEHICLE ON THE ROADWAY. THESE CONDITIONS COULD LEAD TO A SEVERE ACCIDENT FROM A SUDDEN SPIN AND/OR A FIRE. I HAVE LITTLE CONFIDENCE THAT THE CYLINDER HEADS REPLACED ON MY CAR ARE FREE FROM THE VALVE GUIDE CLEARANCE DEFECT. AS MORE OWNERS HAVE BECOME AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, REPLACEMENT CYLINDER HEADS HAVE BEEN MEASURED BEFORE INSTALLATION ON THE ENGINE AND HAVE BEEN FOUND TO HAVE DEFECTS IN VALVE GUIDE CLEARANCE AND VALVE GUIDE TO SEAT CONCENTRICITY, SUCH AS WHAT COULD LEAD TO A DROPPED EXHAUST VALVE AND AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED BEFORE ANY MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OCCUR. ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE DID NOT FAIL DESPITE HAVING THE DEFECT, I HAVE SEEN A VIDEO OF A SPIN CAUSED BY THE FAILURE, I HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF A VEHICLE AFTER A FIRE CAUSED BY THE FAILURE, AND I HAVE SEEN REPORTS OF APPROXIMATELY 35 FAILURES; ALL FROM CORVETTEFORUM.COM. THEREFORE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND I BELIEVE THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE MATTER. *TR