1997 Corvettes Recalled By Gm

Two weeks after the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette went on sale, General Motors Corp. has recalled the initial production run to fix a defect that could cause drivers to lose control of the high-performance sports car.

The recall affects about 1,400 of the new, fifth-generation ‘Vettes, but only 530 had been delivered to customers as of last Friday, GM spokesman Kyle Johnson said.

GM employees noticed the problem while driving new Corvettes in the company fleet, Johnson said Monday. An investigation revealed that some of the cars have a metal rear-suspension part, called a toe link, that was improperly heat-treated by the supplier.

The part controls the angle of the wheels. No accidents resulting from the problem have been reported, Johnson said.

Johnson declined to say how much the repairs will cost the company.

The 1997 Corvette - the first complete redesign of the storied sports car in 13 years - went on sale March 7 at a price of $38,060.