Corvette Z06 and ZR1 Under Recall for Refueling Fire Risk as GM Pauses Sales : Automotive Addicts

Automotive

If you own a C8 Corvette Z06 or have a ZR1 on order, there is important safety news. General Motors has initiated a voluntary recall after identifying a situation where spilled fuel during refueling could be drawn toward hot components by the driver side cooling fan, creating a fire risk. GM has also instructed dealers to pause deliveries of unsold cars while a fix is finalized, a step several outlets and dealer communications have corroborated, and that aligns with the pause in sales activity enthusiasts have noticed.

The official NHTSA filing lists this recall as 25V536 and covers 23,656 vehicles in the United States across model years 2023 to 2026, specifically those equipped with a left side radiator and fan located below the fuel filler pocket. In GM’s testing, 100 milliliters of fuel poured into the filler pocket could be vaporized and pulled through the radiator by the fan if it was still running after shutdown, then reach an ignition source, which matches the burn patterns seen in four field incidents. The report notes two minor injuries across those incidents and also flags malfunctioning gas pumps as a contributing factor in at least two cases.

Which cars are affected and which are not is straightforward. In North America, the left side radiator and fan layout is unique to the Z06 with the LT6 and the new ZR1 with the LT7, so Stingray and E Ray models are outside the scope of this action according to the filing. That packaging detail explains why the problem is isolated to the high performance variants rather than the entire C8 lineup.

GM’s remedy is simple and targeted. Dealers will install an insert or shield that diverts any spilled fuel away from surfaces behind the quarter panel and away from potential ignition sources. The parts are not yet available, and GM says owners will receive an interim notice followed by a repair notice once inventory is in the pipeline. In the meantime, Chevrolet’s customer guidance mirrors best practices at any pump, including inserting the nozzle fully, not topping off after the first click, shutting the engine off, and avoiding pumps that appear damaged or leak.

If you are wondering whether it is safe to drive your car right now, the NHTSA document does not mark this as a Do Not Drive or Park Outside advisory. That said, extra care during refueling is smart, especially if you encounter a pump that looks suspect or fails to shut off properly, a scenario GM’s investigation singled out as a secondary cause.

For owners, the action items are clear. Keep an eye on your mail for the official notice, verify your VIN status through GM’s recall lookup, and plan a quick dealer visit once the shield kit is released and your dealer is ready to perform the campaign at no charge. Chevrolet has also posted a public FAQ with the same safety tips and model breakouts, which is a helpful resource to bookmark while the campaign ramps up.

Zooming out, this is a case of extreme performance packaging intersecting with a real world edge case. The Z06 and ZR1 concentrate a lot of cooling hardware near the left rear quarter, and their fans can continue to run briefly after shutdown to manage heat soak. The recall addresses that risk path without altering the character of the cars, and the stop sale means new buyers should see cars delivered with the fix once parts start flowing. Road and Track and Autoweek both note the pause in sales while Chevrolet implements the solution, which is consistent with what we are seeing in dealer networks.

Key details to remember are the campaign number 25V536 at NHTSA and GM’s internal number N252514930. Dealer notifications began August 21, and VINs became searchable the same day, with interim owner letters slated to start in early October based on the agency schedule. If you fuel up with care and follow the guidance above, you can keep enjoying your Z06 while you wait for the quick shield install once parts arrive.

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