GM recalls 23,000 Corvettes after several spontaneously burst into flames

Several Chevrolet Corvettes have spontaneously burst into flames — prompting General Motors to recall more than 23,000 of the iconic sports cars over a refueling defect that can ignite spilled fuel.

The recall covers certain Corvette Z06 and ZR1 models from the years 2023 until 2026, some of which cost more than $100,000.

The affected cars are equipped with a left-side radiator and cooling fan positioned below the filler area — hardware that can blow leaked gasoline onto hot components and spark a fire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

GM reported at least four fires linked to the issue.

Investigators said faulty station pumps that fail to shut off automatically appear to have contributed to two of the incidents.

One blaze drew national attention in June when owner Shawn Conner posted video of his 2024 Corvette igniting while he fueled up.

The car was destroyed within minutes, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“Anybody have any experience, or ever heard of anything like this before?” Conner asked a Facebook group of Corvette enthusiasts.

“Car exploded while pumping gas. I have an idea, but would love to hear what everyone else thinks.” 

An employee at GM flagged social-media posts showing Corvettes erupting at fuel pumps, including a roundup that listed multiple fires within a 30-day span.

Days later, a GM-owned Corvette test car also burned, according to a company report.

GM then spent several months probing whether the pattern pointed to a defect.

Last month, the automaker initiated a recall, citing an unusual hazard: on some cars, a cooling fan that keeps running after shutdown can blow spilled gasoline onto hot components and trigger a fire, according to the Journal.

“The safety of our customers is the highest priority for the entire GM team, and we’re working to remedy this matter as quickly as possible,” GM said.

GM announced a stop-sale on affected cars sitting on dealer lots while it works on a fix — a shield designed to divert spilled gasoline away from potential ignition points.

The recall encompasses Z06s from 2023–2025 and ZR1s from 2025–2026, with roughly 25,000 cars impacted globally; only about one-tenth of 1% are expected to have the defect, according to regulators.