Chevrolet Issues a Recall for the 2020 Corvette’s ‘Flying Frunk’

By
Keith Cornett
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13
8315

Chevrolet Issues Recall for 2020 Corvette's 'Flying Frunk'


Over the course of the last month, we’ve been hearing from owners about their 2020 Corvette’s Frunk opening suddenly while driving. At last count, there were eight complaints made about it to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and there have even been a couple videos that caught the flying frunks in action via the car’s Performance Data Recorder. These were no doubt scary situations but luckily it appears in all cases that the drivers were able to pull over without incident to shut the lids.

Even though our initial thoughts were that something mechanically was happening that allows the frunks to open, we’ve since come around to the same conclusion as Chevrolet’s engineers in that it stems from owner’s inadvertently leaving their frunk hoods unlatched, or not completely closing them correctly.

What we have found lacking is the visual and audible warning systems on the car to alert drivers that their frunks are opening, with the visual message showing your speed is limited to 82 mph when the frunk is not latched securely. As most of the flying frunk incidents happened at lower speeds, this visual warning doesn’t convey a sense of urgency to the driver.

We know that Chevrolet has been taking a hard look at the frunk and the car’s warning systems. This afternoon, owners of the 2020 Corvette are being notified of the recall for the frunk lid that addresses the visual warning on the driver’s information center (DIC) while also making it harder to inadvertently open the frunk through the interior release button as well as the release button on the key fob. In addition, the vehicle’s speed will now be limited to 26 mph if the system detects the hood is not completely closed.

Chevrolet Issues Recall for 2020 Corvette's 'Flying Frunk'


Here is an official statement we received from a Chevrolet spokesperson late this afternoon:

General Motors has decided to voluntarily recall certain 2020 model-year Chevrolet Corvette vehicles for a potential issue with the vehicle’s front trunk lid.

If drivers ignore the vehicle’s visual and audible warnings that the front trunk lid is open, they can drive the vehicle in that condition at speed, which could increase the likelihood that the wind force is sufficient to inadvertently flip open the hood.

GM is finalizing a software repair for the vehicles’ Body Control Module (BCM) to limit vehicle speed to 26 mph when the hood is not completely closed and latched. The software update will also provide a driver information center message indicating that the top speed is limited to 26 mph. In addition, the operation of the hood release on the key fob will be modified to reduce the likelihood of inadvertent hood release actuations. The interior door trim switch and release button located inside the front trunk compartment are also modified to require a longer press-time.

The owner of a 2020 Corvette sent me a copy of the Recall Notice he received from MyChevrolet.com. Luckily, owners will be able to apply the update to their Corvettes via the wireless updates from their garage:

2020 Flying Frunk Recall Notice


While the new recall address the frunk visual warnings as well as making it slightly harder to open, we note that the audible warnings inside the cabin should either be louder, or it should take precedent over the radio volume the same way that that incoming calls are handled in that the radio volume is immediately silenced.

Still, we are heartened to see a “flying frunk” update available that most importantly makes it much harder to reach the kinds of speeds that we’ve seen that allows the lids to catch wind and open. And it’s instances like this recall that we can also appreciate the C8 Corvette’s ability to update itself over the air without having to schedule a time with your dealer’s service department.


Source:
Chevrolet.com

Related:
[VIDEO] PDR Captures Another 2020 Corvette’s Frunk Opens While Driving
General Motors Responds to Issue of the 2020 Corvette’s Frunk Opening While Driving
[VIDEO] The NHTSA Has Complaints of the 2020 Corvette’s Frunk Opening While Driving

 



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13 COMMENTS

  1. The flying frunk lid is pretty easy and as the owner of C8 #5418 I have narrowed the event down to the most likely cause of opening the frunk and not knowing you opened the Frunk. In the drives door pocket there are two button that require only a tap to open the frunk or engine bonnet. If you reach for the door pocket instead of the door pull to close the long drivers door on your C8 you have a very good chance of bumping the Frunk button and popping the frunk as you close the door! Then drive away with your frunk already open! Set your saved seating and exit seat position and you should be able to reach the door pull no matter how short your arms are.

  2. If that soft change reduces my
    Top speed to 26 mph when the sensor for the lid being open goes bad after the warranty is up I am got to be hunting all you folks that can’t pay attention and close the frunk before you drive the C8

  3. This is not a fix. First there should be a hand operated safety latch as well. Porsche has had it for decades.A loud alarm should sound if the car is in placed in Drive and the front trunk is unlatched. Second the “frunk” button in the vehicle and key fob should be inoperable while the car is underway. Who stows luggage while driving?

  4. My 1957 Ford Fairlane had a front hinged hood, but there was a catch near the rear of the hood that had to be manually released. Otherwise the hood only popped up about 4-5”. There wasn’t a single automatic thing on the car, excepting possibly signal seek on the radio. I don’t recall an earlier front hinged hood or uglier headlights.

  6. Kenneth — Bravo, you are right on the money! Porsche engineering runs deep, and you can see their more responsible decision. The secondary mechanical latch is called a “fail-safe” for a reason. Come on Chevy, fix it right!

  8. You can always put hood pins up front if you don’t trust you won’t leave the frunk lid unlatched and drive away! I still say it is Drives error but if you’re unhappy with your C8 over this you can give it to me!

  11. Stop blaming others for your own mistakes. How about making sure you don’t hint the button on the remote, don’t touch the button on the door, make sure you close the hood properly, and don’t have anything in the front storage compartment that might hit the release button inside of it.

  12. Dear GM, If you had left the Frunk front hinged like the old previous Vettes we wouldn’t need 32 warning options that aren’t up to spec. If a company can put Lamborghini doors on your new Vette than I can design you some D type hinges that when mounted on the front of the Frunk that will open enough to lay the Frunk over the bumper in a level position that you can use it as table and will be clear from the body to load and unload the Frunk,which has only enough room for a picnic table anyway. My Fee will be Only$10,000 to solve all your problems caused by a GEEK designer at GM.

  13. Does anyone know when the software update will be sent to the dealerships? I am supposed to take delivery of my C8 on Friday and now I’m told I can’t pick it up until GM sends the update to the dealerships. Considering they have already fixed and released the cars at the Bowling green plant, I have no idea why the dealers still don’t have the update. Just trying to figure out how long this could potentially take….
    My dealers hands are tied with this situation…. But they have been fantastic to deal with given the senario.

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