Chevy Corvette Under Stop Sale Because A Software Glitch Might Not Tell Drivers Their Turn Signals Are Out

We joke that BMWs come from the factory with broken turn signals because so many owners refuse to use them. However, the Chevy Corvette is currently under a stop sale order because of an actual problem with their turn signals. GM Authority reports that 2,886 Corvettes from 2026 and 438 from the 2025 model year are covered under the stop sale order, which is all of the cars currently in dealer inventory.

The issue is faulty software in the Corvette's Rear Brake Light Outage Detection system inside the exterior lighting control module. The Corvette's brake lights serve double duty as turn signals, so this system manages them as well. At least, it's supposed to, but on these 3,324 cars, it fails to send a warning to the driver if the rear turn signals aren't working properly.

This may not seem like a big deal, especially in places like Boston where turn signal use is considered a sign of weakness. However, the federal government thinks it's quite a big deal, so much so that these vehicles are out of compliance with federal laws that require the driver to be notified of a turn signal failure. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued notice 26V213 about the problem, and GM program number N252541250 covers it as well. While the recall isn't on the NHTSA website yet, MotorTrend verified it on GM's recall website by entering a 2026 Corvette VIN.

The fix, as is so often the case these days, is an over-the-air update. Owners can install the update without needing to go to a dealer, though dealers can perform it as well. Once updated, these vehicles may be sold. It seems as though the fix for 2026 models is already going out to the affected vehicles, not just in showrooms but also cars that have already been purchased. 

Members of the Mid Engine Corvette Forum say they are receiving notifications through the Chevrolet app that their cars are in need of the update. These are in addition to the cars included in the stop sale order. One member took his to a dealer who installed the update. A 2026 Corvette E-Ray owner said he received the notification, but later it disappeared, perhaps indicating that his car received the OTA update and no longer needs it. MotorTrend reports that the patch for 2025 models is still under development and is not available just yet.

Call me a curmudgeon, but to me, it seems like having an entire computer dedicated to managing exterior lights is an "improvement" that makes cars worse. Sure, it can put on a spectacular light show, but we don't really need that. We just need the lights to work. For decades, turn signals have notified drivers that a bulb was out automatically, without computers. A thermal relay controlled the flashing, and flashed faster under reduced electrical load when a bulb burned out. This issue would never have happened on a C4 Corvette. Now get off my lawn.