You’re standing at the gas pump, filling your six-figure supercar, unaware that a hidden flaw is pooling raw fuel near a scorching engine fan. This terrifying reality has forced General Motors to issue an urgent nationwide stop-sale order on its flagship Corvette Z06 and ZR1 models.
With over 23,000 vehicles now labeled as severe fire risks, the automaker is scrambling to fix a defect that turned America’s dream car into a potential explosive hazard.
Specific High-Performance Trims Targeted By Recall
The recall specifically targets the crown jewels of the Chevy lineup: the 2023-2026 Corvette Z06 and the 2025-2026 ZR1. Unlike standard commuters, these track-focused beasts have a specific design vulnerability where excess gasoline or vapor can escape during refueling.
The leaked fuel migrates dangerously close to the left-side radiator, creating an immediate combustion risk while unsuspecting owners are simply trying to fill up their tanks for a drive.
Routine Refueling Turned Into A Life-Threatening Risk
The core danger arises during what should be a mundane task. Federal regulators report that the fuel system design allows vapor to escape if the tank is pressured incorrectly. These fumes can pool near superheated components like the cooling fan.
As one industry report noted in November 2025, a simple “routine refueling could trigger a fire,” turning a gas station visit into a life-threatening scenario for drivers and bystanders alike.
Federal Regulators Intervene
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has escalated this defect under campaign numbers N252514930 and 25V536. Their documentation categorizes the issue as a significant fire hazard requiring immediate intervention.
By coordinating directly with federal authorities, Chevrolet aims to mitigate the impact of a flaw that poses a threat to vehicle integrity. The agency’s involvement underscores that this is not a minor glitch, but a critical safety failure that demanded a complete halt to commerce.
Billions In Automotive Assets At Risk
The scope of this safety crisis is massive, covering more than 23,000 vehicles across the United States and Canada. This figure represents a vast majority of the high-performance production run over the last four model years.
With the average Z06 and ZR1 valued well over $100,000, the total affected inventory represents between $2.3 billion and $3.5 billion in automotive assets. It is a staggering logistical challenge for the Detroit automaker.
Real-World Inferno Reports
Investigations began after reports surfaced that several Corvettes had spontaneously burst into flames. These fires revealed that the fuel system could not adequately contain fluids under certain conditions.
The discovery forced GM engineers to acknowledge that their flagship design harbored a lethal oversight, necessitating a halt to deliveries to prevent further catastrophic losses.
Freeze All Sales Immediately
In a move that sent shockwaves through the dealer network, Chevrolet ordered retailers to stop selling these models immediately. Showroom floors featuring the Z06 and ZR1 are effectively frozen. Salespeople are barred from handing over keys to new buyers until the safety risk is resolved.
This “stop-sale” order ensures no additional defective units reach public roads, prioritizing consumer safety over the revenue generated by these high-margin, ultra-performance machines.
Stingray And E-Ray Drivers Avoid The Danger
Amid the panic, there is a silver lining for some enthusiasts. The dangerous defect is isolated strictly to the high-performance Z06 and ZR1 trims. General Motors confirmed that the standard Corvette Stingray and the hybrid E-Ray utilize different configuration details that do not suffer from the same fuel vapor escape vulnerability.
Sales and operations for these models continue without interruption, allowing the brand to maintain some market presence during the crisis.
Do Not Top Off Your Tank
For current owners, the waiting period is filled with anxiety. Safety notices explicitly advise drivers to stop pumping gas immediately after the nozzle clicks off the first time. The common habit of “topping off” could force excess fuel into the vulnerable areas near the hot cooling fans.
Until the repair is completed, every trip to the pump carries a specific warning: overfilling your tank could literally ignite your vehicle.
Engineers Deploy Protective Shield As The Fix
To resolve the crisis, Chevrolet engineers developed a hardware solution. Technicians are tasked with installing a specialized protective shield designed to physically prevent fuel or vapor from contacting the hot left-side radiator assembly.
This barrier is intended to eliminate the ignition source path entirely. The repair is being offered at no cost to owners, complying with federal laws that mandate free fixes for safety-critical manufacturing defects.
Massive Repair Logistics
The logistical operation to fix these vehicles began in late October 2025, as replacement parts started arriving at service centers. General Motors mobilized its supply chain to rush the necessary protective shields to dealerships across North America.
Service departments are now facing the daunting task of scheduling thousands of appointments to retrofit the affected 2023–2026 models, a massive coordination effort expected to cost millions in labor and shipping.
Financial Impact Hits GM Where It Hurts
The economic footprint of this defect is severe. With flagship models commanding six-figure price tags, the inventory value at risk sits in the billions. Beyond the estimated $50 million to $100 million in direct repair costs, GM faces significant lost revenue from the nationwide sales freeze.
Halting the movement of their most expensive inventory during peak model years strikes a heavy blow to the brand’s quarterly financial performance.
Engineering Oversight Tarnishes A Legacy
The Z06 and ZR1 represent the absolute pinnacle of American automotive engineering, making this oversight particularly damaging. These models are designed to dominate racetracks, yet they are now sidelined by a fundamental fuel system flaw.
Industry critics question how such a dangerous defect persisted through four model years of testing. The recall challenges the rigorous safety protocols usually associated with General Motors’ most prestigious and expensive performance division.
Rebuilding Trust After The Sales Freeze
For General Motors, the path forward involves more than just installing shields; it requires rebuilding broken trust. This “stop-sale” order represents the first nationwide freeze of its kind for the Corvette in recent memory due to an explosion risk.
Ensuring every owner feels safe is paramount. The company must demonstrate to its most loyal customers that this lapse was a rare anomaly in an otherwise legendary lineage of performance cars.
Immediate Action Required For All Owners
If you own a 2023–2026 Z06 or a 2025–2026 ZR1, immediate action is non-negotiable. Owners should verify their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) through the NHTSA website or Chevrolet’s recall center as soon as possible. Scheduling the free repair is critical to ensure vehicle safety.
Until the protective shield is installed, exercise extreme caution at gas stations and strictly adhere to the “first click” refueling rule to mitigate the risk of fire.
Sources:
NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report 25V536 – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [PDF]
Mfr’s Report Date: August 21, 2025 – NHTSA Campaign Number 25V536 – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [PDF]
Chevy Corvette Recall Information – Chevrolet
GM recalls over 23,000 Chevrolet Corvettes – USA Today
Recall And Stop Sale Issued For C8 Corvette Z06 And ZR1 Because Of A Gas-Pump Fire Risk – Jalopnik