This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, and/or B3935. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. If unable to duplicate the concern ask if the customer uses any Radio Frequency Identification Devices when the concern is present. Dealer should also direct their customers to the appropriate section in the Owner manuals that references that the device complies.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Chevrolet Corvette airbags problems
moderate Owners of the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette have filed 10 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Corvette | 13 |
| 2010 Corvette | 13 |
| 2011 Corvette | 9 |
| 2012 Corvette | 10 |
| 2013 Corvette (this page) | 10 |
| 2015 Corvette | 3 |
When does it fail?
Of the 10 airbags complaints filed for the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
15643A - Special Coverage. On some vehicles, equipped with power seats, the wire harness connector from the seat side airbag and buckle tensioner to the body has a design interference between the vertical adjust crossbar and the carpet. When the seat is moved forward or back, the connector may be dragged along the carpet, pulling terminals loose or pulling the connector apart. This will cause a diagnostic trouble code to be set and the service airbag light will be illuminated. Dealers will replace the affected harness connectors with accessory wiring harness components. The repairs will be made at no charge to the customer.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This technical bulletin provides a procedure to complete a terminal replacement or connector re connection to correct a condition of Diagnostic Information for Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (SIR) System, Intermittent AIR BAG Indicator/Lamp Illuminated with DTC(s) B0012, B0013, B0015, B0016, B0019, B0020, B0022, B0023, B0026, B0033, B0040, B0042 or B0044 Set (Inspect and Replace Connector Position Assurance (CPA) Retainer)
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗15643 SPECIAL COVERAGE. ON THESE VEHICLES, THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR FROM THE SEAT SIDE AIRBAG AND BUCKLE TENSIONER TO THE BODY HAS A DESIGN INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE VERTICAL ADJUST CROSSBAR AND THE CARPET. WHEN THE SEAT IS MOVED FORWARD OR BACK, THE CONNECTOR MAY BE DRAGGED ALONG THE CARPET, PULLING TERMINALS LOOSE OR PULLING THE CONNECTOR APART. THIS WILL CAUSE A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE TO BE SET AND THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED. DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE THE AFFECTED HARNESS CONNECTION WITH A SOLDERED CONNECTION.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗15643 ? Special Coverage. On these vehicles, the wire harness connector from the seat side airbag and buckle tensioner to the body has a design interference between the vertical adjust crossbar and the carpet. When the seat is moved forward or back, the connector may be dragged along the carpet, pulling terminals loose or pulling the connector apart. This will cause a diagnostic trouble code to be set and the service airbag light will be illuminated. Dealers are to replace the affected harness connection with a soldered connection.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2013 Corvettes report an intermittent airbag warning light that comes on at startup or while driving, then goes off randomly. The issue affects multiple owners who've discussed it on Corvette forums. Dealers have been unable to resolve it across multiple service visits—some report no diagnostic codes are stored when the light is intermittent, leaving technicians without direction.
Several owners point to a yellow connector under the driver seat as the culprit. The connector shifts position when the seat is adjusted forward or backward, especially with the easy entry seat feature activated, causing it to drag and catch on the carpet. Manually jiggling the connector temporarily extinguishes the warning light, confirming electrical contact loss is the mechanism.
One owner reported the passenger airbag presence module failed completely, refusing to detect occupants. He attempted to purchase the replacement part through dealers and online retailers but found it perpetually on backorder with no availability timeline.
Owners express serious concern that an illuminated airbag warning light indicates the system will not deploy in a crash, despite Chevrolet's lack of action on the problem. One owner notes hundreds of complaints exist for this issue.
Same Chevrolet Corvette airbags reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Intermittent Airbag Warning Light
Dashboard airbag warning light illuminates intermittently at startup or while driving, then extinguishes randomly. Owners report the light comes and goes unpredictably. Dealers have repeatedly failed to retrieve diagnostic codes or resolve the issue, even after multiple service visits.
When: Starting at ownership in 2012; vehicles have 19,000 to 35,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light flashes at startup then stays on steadily; Light comes on and off randomly while driving; Light illuminates every time car starts; No diagnostic codes stored in computer when issue is intermittent
Repairs/costs cited: Owners mention jiggling a yellow connector under the driver seat makes the light go off temporarily; dealer unable to source replacement air bag presence module (reported on backorder since June 2022)
Passenger Airbag Module Failure
Passenger side air bag presence sensor fails to detect occupant in seat, preventing airbag system arming. Owners unable to obtain replacement part, leaving passenger seat unsafe for family members.
When: Issues reported starting June 2022
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag will not arm when occupant sits in seat; Passenger airbag indicator shows system off despite occupant presence
Repairs/costs cited: Air bag presence module required but unavailable; part on backorder with no timeline for availability
Seat Connector Intermittency Under Driver Seat
Yellow connector under driver seat moves or catches on carpet when seat is adjusted forward or back, disrupting electrical contact. The easy entry seat feature exacerbates the problem by dragging the connector.
When: Intermittent throughout ownership; triggered by seat adjustment
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag light illuminates after adjusting driver seat back; Light flickers or resets when connector is jiggled manually; Problem triggered by seat belt readjustment or hitting bumps
Repairs/costs cited: Connector design allows it to drag and catch on carpet, creating intermittent contact; jiggling connector temporarily resolves light
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
ABS light stays on. History: on 11/17/18 before driving my vehicle I had to adjust my driver's seat all the way back to accommodate my long legs after another person had previously moved the seat forward when they were sitting in the vehicle. When I started the vehicle the ABS light briefly flashed, then came on steady, then it after several minutes the light eventually went out while I was…
Since ownership starting 09/28/12 I have had multiple incidents of the air bag light for the passenger side illuminate. It is intermittent and comes and goes randomly. I just got it back from the dealer after complaining about it and they said they couldn't do anything since there were no codes in the computer. I'm a member of the corvette forum and have seen numerous postings concerning this…
1. Strong fuel smell when the car is parked in garage. Believe it is coming from top of driver's side fuel tank. Vapor is so strong I'm afraid it will explode. Doesn't matter if tank is full or empty. 2. Seat belt air bag warning light is on in the driver's cluster unit. Car only has 35,000 miles. Don't think this is safe. Will need it checked out ASAP at dealer.
Had airbags trouble with your 2013 Chevrolet Corvette?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 10 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 17,174 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Chevrolet/Corvette.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.