233 MPH Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 And Corvette Z06 Recalled And Temporarily Taken Off The Market For Fire Risk

Chevrolet makes some hot Corvettes, but a few might be too hot. Chevy is recalling 23,656 Corvette Z06s and Corvette ZR1s to address a fire risk related to the fuel system.

General Motors investigated reports of four recent mid-engine Corvette fires and traced them all to the same cause, which appeared to be gas spilled into the fuel-filler pocket during refueling.

“In vehicles equipped with a left-side radiator/fan combination, the vehicle’s fuel-filler pipe and
associated fuel-filler pocket (the recessed area containing the fuel-filler pipe) are positioned above a
radiator surface and a cooling fan. If excess fuel is spilled into the fuel-filler pocket (particularly in
cases where the refueling hose fails to automatically shut off as designed) and leaks from the pocket
onto the radiator surface while the cooling fan is running, the cooling fan may draw the leaked fuel
through the radiator, vaporize the fuel into the engine compartment, and expose the fuel vapor to an
ignition source. A malfunctioning filling station pump is a secondary cause,” the recall notice said.

“GM conducted physical evaluations intended to simulate conditions that may be present during a fuel-fill spill in the subject vehicles. In this evaluation, the vehicle’s engine was turned off, the fan near the left-side radiator continued to run, an artificial ignition source was placed in the engine compartment, and a fuel spill was simulated by pouring 100 mL of fuel into the fill pocket. The fuel ignited and produced the same radiator burn patterns observed in the field incidents. Evaluations conducted on a vehicle that does not have a left-side radiator did not result in fuel ignition.”

Read Also: CHEVROLET JUST FIXED THE WORST THING ABOUT THE CORVETTE

The Z06 and ZR1 are the only two Corvette models with the left size radiator/fan, which is not required for the Stingray or E-Ray. The Z06 and ZR1 use versions of a 5.5-liter V8 while the Stingray and E-Ray have a less powerful 6.2-liter V8.

The upcoming $207,395 ZR1X also uses the 5.5-liter V8, but is not yet on sale. The recall notices said that two of the fires resulted in minor injuries.

WATCH: THE LATEST AMERICAN CARS AND RACING VIDEOS

The 1,064 hp Corvette ZR1 has been tested to a 233 mph top speed and the 1,250 hp Corvette ZR1X holds the record for fastest lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife track by an American car.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE FREE AMERICAN CARS AND RACING NEWSLETTER FOR MORE LIKE THIS

A fix involving a dealer-installed shield to divert spilled fuel is being developed, but a date for the part’s availability has not been confirmed. A stop-sale has been issued on existing inventory, according to Kelley Blue Book. Owners will be notified by mail starting on Oct. 6, but can call The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-888-275-9171), or check www.nhtsa.gov for the latest information.